A few months ago, Microsoft announced that with Windows 10 S, it would compete with Google’s Chrome OS. The modernized version of Windows was released with the Surface Laptop and was developed for primary use in educational institutions. Built from the core of Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 S is intended to be faster, safer, lighter and with improved battery life compared to its sister operating systems. Although the standalone release is still a few months away, Microsoft recently released the latest member of the Windows family for developers and IT professionals to download and test. The company has now released a self-installing app that lets you test Windows 10 S on existing devices running Windows 10. If you’re interested in trying Microsoft’s latest offering, Here is how you can download and Install Windows 10 S on your PC.
note: The Windows 10 S installer currently only supports devices running Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Pro Education, Windows 10 Education, and Windows 10 Enterprise. Devices running on Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 N are not currently supported.
Install Windows 10 S Using Windows 10 S Installer Tool
- Be sure to back up all your important data and connect your system to the internet before proceeding.
- download Windows 10 S Installer here and run it. Click “Next” Press the button.
- Click Next, the system now check if your hardware is compatiblethat is, it meets the minimum requirements for Windows 10 S. If your system meets the requirements, “Next” Press the button to continue.
- Setup will now Download Windows 10 S files install it on your system and then start installing on your device. You can continue to browse the web or perform other tasks in the system. Simply click the “Minimize” button to send the installation to the background.
- After the installation is complete, you will be asked to restart your device. Click “Restart now” Press the button to restart your device.
- Your system will now reboot. During boot, you will be greeted with a blue screen with the actual error. installation will begin. your system reboot multiple times during installation. Make sure the system is connected to the power outlet to avoid any problems.
- When the system finishes installing Windows 10 S, the computer will reboot by itself. You will now be greeted with Setup pageis similar to the regular Windows 10 installation where you need to connect to a WiFi network, sign in with your account or add a new account and configure other Windows settings. When you’re done with all of them, click “Next” Press the button to finish the installation.
- Your system is now Boot into Windows 10 S. Just login with your account and you are ready.
note: Note that all Win32 software and applications and your personal settings will be removed while keeping your personal data protected.
Clean Install of Windows 10 S
Alternatively, you can also perform a clean install of Windows 10 S. To do this Download ISO Image File from Windows 10 S here and create a bootable USB to install. Remember that you must be MSDN user with Visual Studio Professional or Enterprise subscriptionapproximate cost $539/year or $45/month. As of now, Windows 10 S is in its infancy and is only available to developers. Over the next few months, we can expect to see retail images for consumers. When they are released, you can download and install them by creating a bootable USB disk.
Changes in Windows 10 S
Windows 10 S comes as a direct alternative to Google’s Chrome OS with the idea of providing a familiar environment to users. Although the environment is similar to normal Windows 10, in the end limited to Microsoft environment only. What this basically means is that you can only install apps from the Microsoft Store and there is currently no way to install desktop programs. Also, the default browser is Microsoft Edge and cannot be changed.
It also causes incompatibility with some drivers, as third-party apps are not allowed, they depend on the installation of third-party programs. For example, you can’t even install AMD’s Control Center or NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience. Also, if you have followed the guide above to use the Windows 10 S Installer, even if your data will be preserved, All your third party apps will be deleted from the system automatically.
Another remarkable point is that Windows 10 S users cannot install applications from outside the Windows Store. Limited to Office 365 It is the only variant of Microsoft Office available in the Windows Store. Users cannot install Microsoft Office 2016 or any other annual variant. This is convenient for keeping security under control and reducing piracy. To better explore the differences between Windows 10 and Windows 10 S, read our detailed article here.
SEE ALSO: Windows 10 Home vs Pro: Which Should You Upgrade to?
Ready to Install Windows 10 S on Your PC?
While the retail version of Windows 10 S is a few months away, thanks to Microsoft, you can try Windows 10 S in its current state using the guide above. Frankly, switching to Windows 10 S after using Windows 10 Pro will give you the feeling of being trapped inside Microsoft’s Store. The store itself has a limited number of apps, so there isn’t much you can do with Windows 10 S in its current state. However, the “streamlined” version of Windows 10 looks promising in terms of its purpose to rival ChromeOS and ideally be used for schools and institutes.
Let us know what you think of the latest offering from Microsoft and whether you prefer Google’s ChromOS or Windows 10 S in the comments section below.
