Old Laptop died - Bought new one w/ Mode S - Options

Question

HP Laptop that was 4 years old and the hard drive crashed during a BIOS update. Drive is no longer available. We had Windows 11 64 and Norton 360, Google Chrome. We uninstalled Macafee Virus and replaced with Norton and other Norton Utilities.

Mode S says only Microsoft products can be installed. How do I switch over to the HP Laptops paid subscription of Windows 11 -64 so I can install Norrtons and other programs that my wife is used to using?

Answer 1

Windows 11 Home in S mode is a special, more locked-down configuration of Windows 11. It is already a full 64‑bit Windows 11 license, but while in S mode it only allows apps from Microsoft Store and requires Microsoft Edge as the browser. To install Norton 360, Google Chrome, and other desktop apps, the device must be switched out of S mode. This change is permanent and cannot be undone.

To switch out of S mode on the new HP laptop:

1. On the HP laptop, select Start > Settings > System > About and confirm it shows Windows 11 Home in S mode.
2. Open Microsoft Store from the taskbar, or select Start, type Microsoft Store, and open it.
3. In Microsoft Store, search for “Switch out of S mode”.
4. Open the result and follow the on‑screen instructions to switch out of S mode. There is no additional Windows license to buy; this is a one‑time, free switch for Windows 11 Home in S mode.
5. After the switch completes and the device restarts if prompted, it will be running standard Windows 11 Home (no S mode). At that point, download and install Norton 360, Chrome, and any other needed apps directly from their official installers.

Key points:

• Switching out of S mode is permanent; the device cannot be put back into S mode.
• Once out of S mode, apps are no longer limited to Microsoft Store, and any compatible Win32/x86 apps can be installed.

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References:

• Windows 10 and Windows 11 in S mode FAQ