How to turn off or on Windows 11 S Mode

Loredana Harsana
by Loredana Harsana
Windows & Software Expert
Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and... Read more
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Affiliate Disclosure
  • Users have already been searching the Internet for a way to switch off Windows 11 S mode.
  • S Mode is used to increase security, as it only allows you to use apps from the Microsoft Store.
  • Although it provides an extra layer of security for your devices, it does have its limitation.
  • If you are one of those who want to get out of S Mode, simply using your PC settings and Microsoft Store will resolve it for you.
Windows 11 S Mode
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First introduced to S Mode four years ago with Windows 10, Microsoft announced that users can expect to see it in Windows 11 as well.

Although it provides extra security and increased performance for your devices, it doesn’t mean everybody is happy with this feature as people are already looking for ways to disable it.

Windows 11 in S mode is exclusively running apps from the Microsoft Store so if you want to install an app that isn’t available in the Microsoft Store, you’ll need to switch out of S mode. 

However, you need to be careful as switching out of S mode is a one-way decision. If you decide to go through with it, you won’t be able to go back to Windows 11 in S mode.

How do I turn off S Mode on Windows 11?

1. Use Windows Settings

  1. Click on Start and open Settings.
  2. Select Privacy & Security.Privacy & security
  3. From the left side pane, click on Activation.
  4. Look under Switch to Windows 11 Home or Switch to Windows 11 Pro. Here, the name will vary based on the version of Windows 11 you are running.
  5. Here, select Go to Store. Pay attention not to click on the Go to the Store option under the Upgrade Your Edition Of Windows. That’s a different process that will keep you in S mode.
  6. On the Switch out of S mode page that will appear in the Microsoft Store, click on the Get button.
  7. Click the Install button.
  8. Follow the instructions for confirmation.
  9. You can now install apps from outside the Microsoft Store.

Users have reported that when they try to download Switch out of S mode from the app store, an error message appears that says Try again later something went wrong on our end.

If this is also your case and following the above steps didn’t get you out of S Mode, move on to the next solution to reset Microsoft Store.

2. Reset Microsoft Store

  1. Click on Start and open Settings.
  2. Go to Apps.
  3. Go to Apps & features and look for the Microsoft Store app.
  4. Click on it and choose Advanced options.
  5. Locate the Reset button and click on it.
  6. After the process finishes, reboot your device using the Start menu and follow again the steps to get out of S mode.

Once you have disabled S Mode on your Windows 11 device you’ll be able to use any web browser and download any app that isn’t in the Microsoft Store.

You should however think twice before making this decision as S Mode was designed to give you faster boot times, longer battery life, and better security.

How do I turn on S Mode on Windows 11?

As we said before, enabling S Mode on your Windows 11 device is no longer an option if you’ve switched it off.

In case you choose to upgrade your version of Windows without switching out of S mode will keep your device in S mode.

Keeping your device in S Mode is recommended especially for families with children because of the extra security.

But if you want to use your PC with no limitations, turning off S mode will give you freedom on your computer usage.

If you want to know a bit more about Windows 11 features, you definitely should check out this article and discover how Windows 11 compares to Windows 10.

And if you have any suggestions or more questions regarding S Mode, just let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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