However, now that Windows 10 S Mode is a thing, it’s a toggle that won’t cost you extra. PC makers across the board – including Dell, HP, Asus, Acer and Lenovo – all have Windows 10 S Mode-powered devices in their stables. You can find devices running Windows 10 S Mode starting at just $189 (about £146, AU$251) and cap out around $299 (about £239, AU$396) – with the exception of premium devices like the original Surface Laptop, of course. Instead, you’re paying for the hardware running it. Basically, as a user, you don’t really pay for Windows 10 S Mode.

Microsoft subsidizes the cost of the OS to hardware manufacturers, assuming they’re not getting Windows 10 S for free. It’s no coincidence that Windows 10 S is focused on the education sector, where Google’s Chromebooks are having unprecedented success and popularity.Windows 10 S mode is free for users.

Windows 10 S is not for individual sale, but it is issued to IT administrators in education as well as laptops found in stores and online. You can also reach out to your computer manufacturer to see if you can get it installed on a new device you are buying.

However, if you need more than what this light OS can offer, you can get out of S Mode easier than you might think – just go to the Windows Store and search for “switch out of S Mode”.Ĭurrently, to get Windows 10 S mode, it’s required to have the qualifying devices which are already enabled in S mode. Sadly, switching out of the Windows 10 S Mode is currently a one-way street and permanent. Ultimately, there will be a UI toggle to let Windows 10 users switch in and out of S Mode (this was not available at the original time of this writing).

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