How to Disable Windows 11 S Mode without Microsoft Account.

In this guide, we will show you 2 ways to to disable Windows 11 S mode, without using a Microsoft account.

In a previous tutorial we showed Microsoft's official way to exit Windows 11 S mode, that is by using a Microsoft account, in order to be able to install or run any software outside of the Microsoft Store.However, because many users don't want to use a Microsoft account to switch from Windows 11 Home S to Windows 11 Home, I decided to write this tutorial with two (2) different ways that have been tested and allow you to disable Windows 11 S Mode without an MS Account.

How to Switch Out from Windows 11 S Mode without a Microsoft account.

Step 1. Disable Device Encryption.

Since many new laptops come with the operating system pre-installed by the manufacturer and -by default- with the Device Encryption already enabled, before proceeding with the instructions below to turn off Windows 11 S Mode, go ahead and turn off Device Encryption if it is enabled. To do that:

1. Go to Go to Start menu > Settings > Privacy & security and turn OFF the Device encryption. (if it's ON)

2. What for the decryption to complete and then follow one of the methods below, to disable the S Mode.

1. Disable Secure Boot in BIOS.
2. Disable S Mode in Registry.

Method 1. Exit from Windows 11 S Mode by Disabling Secure Boot in BIOS Settings.

The first method to switch out from Windows 11 S Mode without using a Microsoft Account, is to disable Secure Boot* feature in UEFI Firmware Settings. To do that:

* Info: The 'Secure Boot', is a security feature found in the BIOS (or UEFI) firmware of modern computers. It's designed to enhance the security of the boot process by ensuring that only trusted and digitally signed software components are loaded during the system startup.

1. Hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and go to Start > Power and click Restart.

2. After computer restarts, click Troubleshoot > Advanced Options and then click UEFI Firmware Settings.

3. In BIOS Setup utility, locate the Secure Boot* option and set it to Disabled.

* Note: The 'Secure Boot' option is usually found in the Boot Options menu or in the Security menu. In other PCs, the 'Secure Boot' can be found in Advanced Settings menu.

4. Now, Save and Exit from BIOS settings and boot to Windows. That's it! Windows 11 will exit from S mode and you'll be able to run any application you want.

Method 2. Disable Windows 11 S Mode in Registry.

The second method to turn of the Windows 11 S Mode with no Microsoft account, is to modify the Registry offline as instructed below:

1. Hold down the SHIFT key on your keyboard and go to Start > Power and click Restart.

2. After computer restarts, click Troubleshoot > Advanced Options and then click Command Prompt.

3. In Command Prompt window, type regedit and hit Enter.

4a. Click to select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key, and…

4b. ..from the File menu click Load Hive.

5. At Look in: select the Local Disk (C:)

5. Now navigate to this path:

• C:\Windows\system32\config\

6. Select the SYSTEM file and click Open.

7. Then, type OFFLINE as Key Name and click OK.

8. Now navigate to the following path:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Offline\ControlSet001\Control\CI\Policy

9a. Open the SkuPolicyRequired REG_DWORD on the right.

9b. Change the value data from 1 to 0 and click OK.

10a. Now select again the OFFLINE key on the left and from the File menu choose Unload Hive.

10b. Click Yes to confirm your decision.

11. Close Registry Editor and all open windows and restart your computer normally.

12. You're done!

That's it! Which method worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.

If this article was useful for you, please consider supporting us by making a donation. Even $1 can a make a huge difference for us in our effort to continue to help others while keeping this site free:

• Author
• Recent Posts

Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

Latest posts by Konstantinos Tsoukalas (see all)

• How to Disable or Remove BitLocker from Windows RE. - April 24, 2024
• FIX: Error 0x8007025d in Windows 10 Update. - April 22, 2024
• How to Disable Device Encryption in Windows 11/10. - April 17, 2024