Microsoft is discontinuing Windows 11 SE, a specialized operating system designed for low-cost educational devices, wiht support set to end in October 2026. the move was revealed in an updated support document, as first reported by NeoWin.
Introduced in 2021, Windows 11 SE was Microsoft’s strategic response to the dominance of Chromebooks and ChromeOS in the education sector.The operating system,along with the accompanying surface Laptop SE,aimed to provide a simplified and lightweight Windows experience tailored for classroom environments. However, the initiative appears to have fallen short of its goals, failing to capture a significant market share comparable to Google’s ChromeOS.
This is not the first time Microsoft has attempted to create a more streamlined version of its flagship operating system. Previous efforts include Windows 10 S, which has since evolved into “S Mode” within Windows 11, and the unreleased Windows 10X, which was envisioned for dual-screen devices.
While devices running Windows 11 SE will continue to function after the October 2026 support cutoff, Microsoft strongly advises users to migrate to devices that support other editions of Windows 11 to guarantee ongoing security updates and feature enhancements.
