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Question from Sheila: I’m currently shopping for a Windows laptop and most of the cheaper ones say they come with Windows 11 S or Windows 11 in S mode.
The ads don’t really give any details about this version of Windows 11. What exactly does the “S”? I’ve never seen that before.
I really need to buy a new laptop because the one I have is getting pretty long in the tooth, but I’m confused about whether I should buy one with Windows 11 S on it or not.
What’s your opinion about this? I really like the low prices of the “S” machines but I want to know what I’ll be getting before I order one.
Rick’s answer: Sheila, you were very wise to ask about this before making your purchase.
In a nutshell, Microsoft designed Windows 11 S to be a more streamlined and more secure version of Windows 11 that Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro.
At first glance, Windows 11 S looks exactly like previous versions of Windows 11, but “under the hood” there are some fairly significant differences.
First of all, you can’t install just any program or app on a Windows 11 S machine. You’ll only be allowed to install apps that are available via the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft hawks this restriction on what you can and cannot install as a “security enhancement” since only apps that meet Microsoft’s standards are allowed into the Windows Store in the first place. And truth be told, it probably is.
On the downside, this policy means if you have a favorite program that you downloaded or purchased from a third party website or company you won’t be able to run it on a Windows 11 S machine unless they have an “app” version of it available through the Microsoft Store.
Another difference you need to be aware of is Microsoft Edge will forever and always be your default web browser. That means any links you click from within an app will open in Edge each and every time.
You’ll be able to install any third-party browser that’s available from the Microsoft Store, but you won’t be allowed to set one of those alternative browsers as your PC’s default browser. It’s going to be Edge, forevermore.
This change is also being hawked as a security enhancement with Microsoft claiming that Edge is more secure than Chrome and Firefox. I can’t say they’re wrong, but I haven’t seen any data to back that claim up. Time will tell, of course.
To go along with the new “Edge will forever be your default web browser, period!” edict, Windows 11 S will not allow you to change your default search engine either.
You’ll be searching with Bing forever unless you navigate to Google.com, DuckDuckGo.com or some other search engine’s website.
Any searches you do from your browser’s address bar will always be performed using Bing even if prefer using another search engine.
Next, lets talk about storage…
Unlike its predecessors, Windows 11 S and the Microsoft apps that run on it are designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage.
By default, your Windows apps will store your files in the cloud. That means you’ll be able to store as many files as you want up to the limit set by your OneDrive service plan. And once they are there, you’ll be able to access those files from any device, not just the one that created them.
Another benefit of OneDrive storage is it protects your files from loss in the event that your PC or mobile device gets lost, stolen, infected with a horrible virus or simply stops working.
Since your files are stored in the cloud instead of on the device itself, you won’t lose them along with the device if something ever happens to it.
The above being said, you’ll still be able to save your files locally on the C: drive or onto and external drive if you choose to do so, but it won’t be automatic.
And finally, there’s one last change that truly is a good one. Windows 11 S is leaner and faster than previous versions of Windows 11, making it a great choice for lower powered PCs and mobile devices.
Machines running Windows 11 S will boot up faster and provide a zippier Windows experience than they would if the same machines were running either Windows 11 Home or Pro.
And now one last, but very important point: If you give Windows 11 S a try and decide that you simply don’t like it, you’ll be able to switch to Windows 11 Home Edition by following these instructions.
Just be aware that the switch out of Windows 11 S is a one-way deal. You won’t be allowed to switch back to Windows 11 S if you end up regretting the switch to Windows 11 Home.
Bottom line: In reality, Windows 11 S was designed to compete with the slim and trim Chrome operating system that runs on the hot-selling Chromebooks, and it really does compete quite well.
And finally, to answer your second question, I believe the laptops with Windows 11 S can be a good deal IF you are on a tight budget AND you can live with the limitations Microsoft ha placed on Windows running in S mode.
I hope this helps, Sheila. Good luck!