Exit S Mode on Surface Laptop Go

Question

Hello

I set up a Surface Laptop Go (Gen 1) with a Surface recovery USB Stick.
After the installation I did all the available updates.
Now I want to switch out of S mode, but that does not work. If I go to System>Activation>S mode and then open Store (in German System>Aktivierung>S-Modus>Store öffnen), I get into the store.
If I then press download (herunterladen), I get the error that the upgrade could not be done ("Das Update konnte aufgrund eines Problem nicht gestartet werden").

I already set up the surface a second time, but it still does not work.

Please tell me how I can switch out of S-mode.

Thank you very much, best regards
Michael

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

I understand that you are having trouble switching out of S mode on your Windows 11 device.

Do you have any work or school accounts linked to your device?

Go to: Start > Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.

If you only have a personal account linked and it still fails:

1. Reset the Microsoft Store cache and try switching out of S mode again.
2. Press Windows + R, type wsreset.exe, and click OK.
3. A Command Prompt window will appear, and then the Microsoft Store will open automatically.
4. Try switching out of S mode again from the Store.

Alternatively, try switching your Wi-Fi network to another network, such as a mobile hotspot, and see if it works.

Then, check for the latest Windows 11 updates and install them.

(Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates)

Once done, see if you can switch out of S mode.

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Answer 2

I am logged in with my Microsoft account, that is the Administrator.

Resetting the Store did not solve the problem.

Trying with another network did not solve the problem as well.

Updates are all installed, no furhter updates possible.

Could it be that the problem is because I got the Surface from a friend, which logged in with her Microsoft account, and that Windows is now licenced to that account? And because I now have another account, that something there is not matching?

Answer 3

Michael,

Did you completely remove the old account by factory-resetting the PC, or did you add your account as another user on the device?

Please try switching to a local account to see if that allows you to exit S mode. To do this:

1. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Your info > Switch to a local account instead.
2. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the local account setup.
3. When finished, sign out and then sign in to the local account.

Check whether you can switch out of S mode while signed in with the local account.

If that does not work, try switching back to your Microsoft account profile:

1. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Select Sign in with your Microsoft account instead.
3. Enter your Microsoft account credentials.
4. Sign out and then sign back in with the Microsoft account profile.

Once you are signed in with the Microsoft account, try switching out of S mode again.

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Answer 4

Hi Gunasekar

I completely removed the old account, it is a clear SSD.

I created a local account and signed in with this one. But switching out of S mode did not work.
Then I switched back to the Microsoft account, but it still does not work to switch out of S mode.

Hope you have any further ideas how to solve this problem.

Best regards,
Michael

Answer 5

Disabling the firewall during switching out of S-mode helped. S-mode was deactivated after reboot.