How to Download and Install Windows 10 S on Your PC

Aug. 3, 2017

A few months back, Microsoft had announced that it was going to compete with Google’s Chrome OSwith Windows 10 S. The streamlined version of Windows, was launched alongside theSurface Laptopand is developed for primary use in educational institutions. Built from the core of Windows 10 Pro, the Windows 10 S is meant to be faster, more secure, lightweight, and with improved battery life over its sibling operating systems. Although the standalone release is still a good few months away, Microsoft recently made the latest member of the Windows family available for developers and IT pros to download and test. The company has now released a self-installer app that allows you to test Windows 10 S on existing devices running Windows 10. If you’re interested in trying out the latest offering from Microsoft,here is how you can download andinstall Windows 10 S on your PC.

Note: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 editions are currently not supported.

Install Windows 10 S Using Windows 10 S Installer Tool

Note: Do note that while your personal data will be preserved, all Win32 software and apps, as well as your personal settings will be removed.

Windows 10 S comes as a direct alternative to Google’s Chrome OS, with the idea of providing a familiar environment for the users. While the environment is similar to the normal Windows 10, you do end up beinglimited to Microsoft’s environment only.What this basically means is that you can only install apps from the Microsoft Store, and there’s no way, as of now, to install desktop programs. Additionally, the default browser is Microsoft Edge, and cannot be changed.

Also, since third party apps are not allowed, it also results in incompatibility with some drivers, since they rely on the installation of third party programs. For example, you cannot even install AMD’s Control Center or NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience. Furthermore, if you followed the above guide to using the Windows 10 S Installer, even though your data will be preserved,all your third party apps will automatically be erased from the system.

SEE ALSO:Windows 10 Home vs Pro: Which One You Should Upgrade to?

While the retail version of Windows 10 S may still be a few months away, thanks to Microsoft, you can try out the Windows 10 S in its current state using the above guide. Obviously, after using Windows 10 Pro, switching to Windows 10 S will give you a very locked down feeling, being trapped inside Microsoft’s Store. The Store itself has a limited number of apps, so there’s not much you can do with the Windows 10 S in its current state. That being said, the “streamlined” version of Windows 10 does seem promising in its aim of becoming a competitor to ChromeOS and being used ideally for schools and institutes.

Tell us what you think about the latest offering from Microsoft, and whether you’d like Google’s ChromOS or prefer Windows 10 S in the comments section below.

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