Can’t switch out of S mode in Windows 11? Find the right Store page

Read the edition shown on the Activation page. Microsoft offers S mode for Windows 11 Home. If the PC already runs Windows 11 outside S mode, look at the exact message shown by the installer before troubleshooting the Store.

Use the Store link for switching out of S mode from Activation. If you see a paid edition upgrade, go back and use the Microsoft Store link in Microsoft’s switching guide below. On the S mode page, select Get and wait for the confirmation message.

If the PC belongs to a school or employer, ask its administrator whether the device is required to stay in S mode. On a personal PC, open the Store link in Microsoft’s guide if the Activation link lands on a different page. If the correct page still shows an error, save the exact error message for Microsoft Support.

After the Store confirms the switch, return to Activation to check the edition and mode. You can then run an installer from outside the Store. Use the publisher’s official download page, because leaving S mode removes the Store-only installation restriction.