The S mode of Windows is aimed at the education and casual user market. Introduced in 2017 with Windows 10, S mode is preinstalled on certain laptops and only runs apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. OneDrive cloud storage is included, and Edge is the default Web browser. Microsoft has not divulged the meaning of "S," but "Secure" has been suggested. The April 2018 update changed the name to "Windows 10 in S mode."
Switch Out But Not Back
In order to run an app that did not come from the Microsoft Store, Windows can be converted to the Home or Pro version; however, users cannot revert to S mode later on.
A Chromebook Competitor
Introduced on Microsoft's Surface Laptop, the S mode was designed to compete with Chromebooks, which have similar functionality. Schools can provision machines from a USB drive. See
Surface Laptop and
Chromebook.