I recently installed Windows 10 S on my system running Windows 10 Pro to see how Microsoft’s limited space really feels. I get better battery life, much faster performance, and an overall nice experience. But that’s when you limit your use to Windows Store apps only. What if you are like me and want to run Photoshop or some games on your PC with Windows 10 S? Unfortunately, you can’t. That’s why I couldn’t stick with Windows 10 S and decided to go back to Windows 10. Now, if you are someone like me and you cannot live without the freedom to install any app or software. as we tell you various methods, they want to continue reading How to uninstall Windows 10 S from your computer.
Uninstall Windows 10 S and Restore Windows 10
If you used Windows 10 S Installer to install Windows 10 S on your computer, your Windows 10 system files would be preserved on your disk. To check this, go to the C drive and see if there is a folder named. “Windows.old”. If there is such a folder, you can continue with this method. Otherwise, you will have to resort to using another method.
note: The following method can only be used if it has been less than 10 days Please see a different method to install Windows 10 S. Also, bBefore proceeding, be sure to back up all your important data, just in case.
- To get started, go to: Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery. There you will see a banner that says ‘Revert to previous version of Windows 10’. Click “To start” Press the button below to continue.
- Next up, Windows will prepare the installation for you. You will now be greeted with a new window asking your reason for reverting to Windows 10. Enter any reason you choose and click. “Next” to continue.
- The restore setup will now present a few warnings about backing up your data and password. Simply click “Next” to continue. Finally, you will be greeted with a screen that says ‘Thanks for trying this build’. Once there, just click “Back to previous build” to initiate the rollback.
- Your system will now reboot and start restoring your previous Windows files. Once done, your computer will rebootand you’re back to Windows 10 (Pro or Enterprise, depending on which edition you originally had).
Clean Install of Windows 10
The second option, as always, is to install a fresh copy of Windows 10 on your PC. With perform a clean install, first you will need an installation media for windows 10.
It should be noted that You cannot create an installation media in Windows 10 S Since you are not allowed to run apps that are not available in the Windows Store. Therefore, to create the installation media, you will either need to use another system or use a retail disc online.
To create an installation media, simply download the following: Windows 10 Update tool Get it from Microsoft and run it. Then follow the onscreen instructions to download and create your own Windows 10 Bootable USB.
note: During setup, you are given the option to protect your data or not. You can choose to keep your important data (which will later be stored in a “Windows.old” folder) or you can freshly install Windows 10 on your computer.
Now that you have created your own Windows installation media, insert the USB stick into an available USB port on your Windows 10 S system. Next, reboot your device and boot to the installation media. Windows 10 Setup will now start. Follow the onscreen instructions to cleanly install Windows 10 on your computer.
Also, if your device came pre-installed with Windows 10 that you upgraded to Windows 10 S, your Windows will be activated automatically after you clean Windows 10. This is because the serial key of your Windows 10 is embedded in the firmware of the system. or the BIOS that Windows will automatically get during installation.
Upgrade from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro
If your system came with Windows 10 S Pre-Installed, the easiest way to install Windows 10 would be to use the built-in option to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. To do this, follow these steps:
- Run any .EXE file on your Windows 10 S system. The system will show a dialog saying that you cannot run this application. In the bottom left corner, “Still want to run this unverified app? See how”. Click “See how it is” link to continue.
- Clicking on the “See how” option will open a Windows Store window. Here, you will be presented with a choice Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for as low as $49. Note that this price is only available if your Windows 10 S installation is activated, otherwise the store will display a retail price of $199 for a new Windows 10 Pro image. Click “Purchasing” Press the button to continue the upgrade and follow the on-screen instructions. Alternatively, if you have purchased Windows 10 Pro and have the product key with you, click the option. “I have a Windows 10 Pro product key” Below the “Buy” button. The installation will now ask you to enter your prod t key and then proceed with the upgrade.
A notable aspect is the fact that you can only upgrade to Windows 10 Pro and not upgrade to any other version when using this option. This is because Windows 10 S is based on the same Windows 10 Pro code and hence the relationship between the two.
SEE ALSO: Windows 10 S vs Windows 10: What’s the Difference?
Uninstall Windows 10 S and Revert to Windows 10
While Windows 10 S is great, it traps you in the Microsoft environment, preventing you from installing any desktop programs. While built-in apps are great for their intended audience, namely teachers, students, and other educational institutions; this limitation does not work well for users who want more from their device. Therefore, they may want to use something more powerful, namely Windows 10. I tried Windows 10 S and I can’t live with the limitation of not being able to install my favorite apps and software on my computer. What about you? What are your reasons for reverting to Windows 10? Let us know in the comments section below.
