Windows 11 SE: A Short-Lived Battle Against Chromebooks

Microsoft's Windows 11 SE is on its way out. This move comes five years after it first hit the market. The idea was to give schools a cheap alternative to Google's Chromebooks. But it looks like Microsoft is throwing in the towel. Windows 11 SE was only for schools. It was meant to keep them from switching to Chrome OS. But now, Microsoft says it will stop supporting Windows 11 SE in October 2026. This means no more updates or security fixes after that date. Microsoft won't even release the next big update for Windows 11 SE. Devices will stay on the current version until support ends. Several big names like Acer, Dell, and Lenovo made laptops with Windows 11 SE. Even Microsoft's own Surface Laptop SE was part of this effort. This isn't the first time Microsoft has tried to take on Chrome OS. Before Windows 11 SE, there was Windows 10 S Mode. It was supposed to be a locked-down version of Windows. But it didn't work out because there weren't enough apps in the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 SE tried a different approach. It pushed schools to use Progressive Web Apps instead of traditional Windows apps. IT admins had to make special exceptions to run regular Windows apps. Microsoft kept a strict list of allowed apps for Windows 11 SE. But why is Microsoft giving up? Well, Chromebooks have been losing ground. They've been in decline since 2022. Plus, schools seem to be sticking with Windows 11 upgrades instead of switching to Chrome OS. So, what's next for schools that use Windows 11 SE? Microsoft says they should switch to other versions of Windows 11. This way, they can keep getting updates and security fixes.