Need to get out of Windows 11 S Mode

[Sadnewbie]

I have an HP Pavilion Desktop, running Windows 11 Home. I needed to install a program, but it won't let it run it goes to a window telling me that the program can't be installed and sends me to Microsoft store.

 Looking for a solution on the internet it refers me to the PC is running under Windows S mode.

I tried several ways from HP, Microsoft, etc. to get out of that mode but neither will work.

I also tried :

Switching out of S mode in Windows 11:

1. On your PC running Windows 11 in S mode, open Settings  > System  > Activation.

2. Find the Switch to Windows 11 Pro section, then select the Go to the Store link.

   Note: Don't select the link under Upgrade your edition of Windows. That's a different process that will keep you in S mode.

3. On the page that appears in Microsoft Store (Switch out of S mode or a similar page), select the Get button. After you confirm this action, you'll be able to install apps from outside Microsoft Store.

But there is not a Switch to Windows 11 Pro option just the Upgrade your edition of Windows, which will keep me on the S mode. 

Is there a way to be able to install the program I need on this computer?

Is there a way to get out of the S mode?

all help and suggestions will be appreciated to solve this problem.

Sadnewbie

[Raj_05]

Hi @Sadnewbie,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you've taken the right steps, but something is preventing you from accessing the option to leave S Mode. Here are a few things you can try to resolve this.

Check Windows Updates
Sometimes, if Windows is not fully updated, certain options (like switching out of S Mode) may not be available. To check for updates:

• Go to Settings > Windows Update.
• Select Check for updates and install any available updates.
• Restart your computer and try switching out of S Mode again.

Log in to Microsoft Account
Make sure you're logged in with your Microsoft account, as the "Switch out of S Mode" option requires an active Microsoft account. If you're not signed in:

• Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and sign in if prompted.
• Then try accessing the Microsoft Store to switch out of S Mode.

Access Microsoft Store Directly
Instead of going through Settings, you can try opening the Microsoft Store app directly.

• Open the Microsoft Store and search for "Switch out of S Mode."
• If a result appears, select it and follow the steps to confirm switching out of S Mode.

Reset Microsoft Store Cache
If there's a cache issue with the Microsoft Store, clearing it may help:

• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type wsreset.exe and press Enter. This will reset the Microsoft Store cache.
• Try accessing the "Switch out of S Mode" option again.

Create a New Administrator Account
Occasionally, account issues can block this setting. Try creating a new administrator account:

• Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
• Select Add account and create a new local administrator account.
• Sign into this new account, then try accessing the Microsoft Store to see if the "Switch out of S Mode" option is available.

Reinstall Microsoft Store
If resetting the store didn’t work, try reinstalling it. Here’s how:

• Type PowerShell in the Windows search bar, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
• Type the following command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
 

• After the process completes, restart your PC and check the Microsoft Store for the option to exit S Mode.

After switching out of S Mode, you should be able to install your program without any restrictions from the Microsoft Store.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support 

[Sadnewbie]

Alden4,

Thanks for your prompt answer and the several ways to try to "Switch out of S Mode"

I did try each of your suggestions religiously; but, to no avail.

Checked for windows updates. No way to find the switch out of S mode in the computer.

I am logged in my Microsoft Account. Accessed the Microsoft Store. Found an app to Switch out of S Mode. a window appears saying: 

same thing with the other steps trying to: Access Microsoft Store Directly, Reset Microsoft Store Cache, Reinstall Microsoft Store.

Create a New Administrator Account: 

opening the activation to find a way to get out of the S mode does not provide any way to do so; only to change product key number or upgrade the system.

So, I guess that I'm up the proverbial creek.

If there are other suggestions that I could follow I would be most happy to try them. 

For the time being I got on loan for a couple of days a laptop from a friend where I can install the app I need and do what I need to do, until I can solve this problem with my HP Pavilion Desktop.

By the way, what if I could try to reinstall the Windows 11 using a USB drive using an HP Cloud recovery tool.

If that is possible, where do I access the recovery tool to download and reinstall the system.

Thanks again for your help and assistance. Just hoping I can find a way to solve this problem.

Sadnewbie

[Raj_05]

Hi @Sadnewbie,

Thank you for your response, 

To exit S Mode on your HP Pavilion Desktop running Windows 11, you typically should have been able to do so through the Microsoft Store. However, since you’ve tried multiple methods without success, here’s a summary of steps and additional options you can consider, including using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool to reinstall Windows.

Ensure You Are on the Right Path

Make sure you’re accessing the correct settings to switch out of S Mode:

• Go to Settings > System > Activation.
• Look for the Switch to Windows 11 Home section and click on the link that says Go to the Store.
• If you see the option to Get for switching out of S Mode, select it. If not, proceed to the next steps.

Try Using a Different User Account

If there’s an issue with your current account, creating a new local administrator account might help:

1. Create a New Account:
   • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
   • Select Add account and choose I don't have this person's sign-in information.
   • Then, select Add a user without a Microsoft account and create a new local account.
   • Once created, sign in to that account and check if you can switch out of S Mode.

Use HP Cloud Recovery Tool

If you are considering reinstalling Windows 11, you can use the HP Cloud Recovery Tool:

Download the HP Cloud Recovery Tool:

• Go to the HP Cloud Recovery Tool page to download it.
• Make sure to run it on another computer if your current one is stuck in S Mode.

Create a Recovery USB:

• Follow the instructions to create a USB recovery drive. This will allow you to reinstall Windows 11 without S Mode.
• Make sure you have a USB drive with at least 16GB of space.

Reinstall Windows:

• Insert the USB drive into your HP Pavilion Desktop.
• Restart the computer and enter the boot menu (usually by pressing F9 or Esc during startup).
• Select the USB drive and follow the prompts to reinstall Windows 11.

[Raj_05]

Consider a Fresh Start

If all else fails, a clean installation of Windows 11 can resolve the issue completely:

• Backup Your Data: Ensure you have backups of any important files before reinstalling Windows, as this process will erase everything.
• Create Windows Installation Media:
  • Use the Windows Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website.
  • Follow the instructions to create a bootable USB drive.
• Reinstall Windows: Boot from the USB drive and follow the installation steps to install Windows 11.

Note:

• After successfully switching out of S Mode or reinstalling Windows, you should be able to install the necessary applications without restriction. 

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support

[Sadnewbie]

Well, I tried all these suggestions, and nothing worked:

Ensure You Are on the Right Path

Make sure you’re accessing the correct settings to switch out of S Mode:

• Go to Settings > System > Activation.
• Look for the Switch to Windows 11 Home section and click on the link that says Go to the Store.
• If you see the option to Get for switching out of S Mode, select it. If not, proceed to the next steps.

Try Using a Different User Account

If there’s an issue with your current account, creating a new local administrator account might help:

1. Create a New Account:
   • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
   • Select Add account and choose I don't have this person's sign-in information.
   • Then, select Add a user without a Microsoft account and create a new local account.
   • Once created, sign in to that account and check if you can switch out of S Mode.

Use HP Cloud Recovery Tool

If you are considering reinstalling Windows 11, you can use the HP Cloud Recovery Tool:

Download the HP Cloud Recovery Tool:

• Go to the HP Cloud Recovery Tool page to download it.
• Make sure to run it on another computer if your current one is stuck in S Mode.

Create a Recovery USB:

• Follow the instructions to create a USB recovery drive. This will allow you to reinstall Windows 11 without S Mode.
• Make sure you have a USB drive with at least 16GB of space.

Reinstall Windows:

• Insert the USB drive into your HP Pavilion Desktop.
• Restart the computer and enter the boot menu (usually by pressing F9 or Esc during startup).
• Select the USB drive and follow the prompts to reinstall Windows 11.
  Then When I tried to reinstall Windows, it would not let me do it. Used a USB drive to create the the HP Recovery tool however, it would not let me, saying that I needed to go to the Microsoft Store to find the HP Recovery tool, Of course that is where I tried to download the tool to put in the USB drive. Therefore, to no avail. Went to another computer running Windows 11 Pro and finally installed the HP recovery tool on the USB drive. Back on the HP Pavilion Desktop. placed the USB drive in a USB port. Turned off the PC. waited a little bit. Turned on the PC and pressed F10 ke to enter the BIOS, moved to find the Boot order and placed as first the USB option. pressed enter to select it. It won't take (tried several times to do it, even disabling the secure boot) It always goes to the system boot and can't access the USB drive. So, there is no way to reinstall Windows. The HP Pavilion Desktop will not work.
• Mabe if I format the SSD and get it completely blank.  Maybe I'll get lucky and the HP Pavilion Desktop will work. This has been a disappointment with HP product since I have HP printers, and my wife has another HP PC that works well for her.