What is Windows 10 S and how is it different from regular Windows 10, Windows 10, The Guardian

What is Windows 10 S and how is it different from regular Windows 10?

New version of Microsoft’s OS is faster and more streamlined yet also more restricted than before. Available on new PCs from the summer, how does it compare?

Simplicity, security and speed … Windows 10 S. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Simplicity, security and speed … Windows 10 S. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

n Tuesday Microsoft launched Windows 10 S, a brand new version of its ubiquitous operating system that will come with many new PCs in the near future. But what is it, how much does it cost and how is it different to Windows 10 Home or Pro?

What is it?

Windows 10 S is a fully-fledged version of Windows 10 designed for low-cost computers as well as education-oriented PCs and even some premium computers, such as the new Microsoft Surface Laptop.

What does the ‘S’ stand for?

The Windows 10 S home screen. Photograph: Microsoft

According to Microsoft the “S” doesn’t stand for anything in particular, but the company says Windows 10 S is streamlined for simplicity, security and speed. Windows 10 S will boot 15 seconds faster than a comparable machine running Windows 10 Pro with the same profile and apps installed, and it will run as fast on day 1,000 as it does on day one, Microsoft says.

How is it different from Windows 10 Home or Pro?

The big difference between Windows 10 S and any other version of Windows 10 is that 10 S can only run applications downloaded from the Windows Store. Every other version of Windows 10 has the option to install applications from third-party sites and stores, as has the majority of versions of Windows before it.

Windows 10 S will also come with Microsoft’s BitLocker encryption system for securing your files in case of theft, which some versions of Windows 10 Home do not have available. It will also receive the same updates at the same time as other versions of Windows 10.

Which apps will run on Windows 10 S?

Anything downloaded from the Microsoft Windows Store will run on Windows 10 S. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Anything downloaded from the Microsoft Windows Store will run on Windows 10 S, which has thousands of applications available, including free, paid and trial versions of software. That will soon include the full Microsoft Office suite and Spotify, while Slack, Evernote, Netflix, Facebook, Adobe Photoshop Elements and many others are already available.