Windows 10 S Can Now Be Installed on Any PC With New Tool

As Microsoft works to extend the reach of Windows 10 S, an additional education-focused variant of its desktop operating system that it announced three months ago, the company is now looking at enthusiast Insiders to further fuel the growth.

Microsoft has released an installation tool that any user who has signed up for the Insider program can download and give Windows 10 S operating system a whirl on their regular machines, the company announced on the sidelines of release of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16273 for PC.

There is a catch, however. Only users of Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise versions can avail this new option, the company said in a note. Installing Windows 10 S from this tool will also replace the existing operating system on their machines, it added.

Additionally, Microsoft is also allowing Windows 10 S users to test out the Insider program on their machines. Introduced in 2014, Insider Preview program allow users to test out various beta versions of Windows operating system. While those versions tend to be less stable, the Insiders - those who sign up for the Insider Preview program - are able to test out new features before others while also providing feedback. By the time Microsoft officially introduced Windows 10 for general public in 2015, there were already more than five million Insiders who had been actively testing beta versions of Windows 10 on their machines.

Windows 10 S is Microsoft's newest attempt to bolster the security on its desktop operating system, in the context of educational and other institutions. Windows 10 S users cannot install applications from unauthorised sources and have to rely completely on the set of apps available through Windows 10 S app store. This prevents them from sideloading apps, a restriction that has proven beneficial from the security standpoint.