Windows Phone, anyone?
If you own Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo device and you’re feeling a little experimental this weekend, you can now install Windows 11 on it. Engineering student Gustave Monce has been working on getting Windows 11 on the Surface Duo for months, and he’s now posted a guide to dual-boot Windows and Android on the original Surface Duo.
Neowin notes that you’ll need a 128GB variant of the Surface Duo, and you’ll be effectively installing Windows 11 on ARM alongside the original install of Android. If you’re hoping to use Windows 11 as your daily driver, be prepared for almost nothing to work, though. While Windows 11 boots on the Surface Duo, touch controls, networking, cellular data, and the cameras are all non-functional. This experiment is really only for those who want to play around with having Windows and Android on the Duo.
Android and Windows will both split up the 128GB storage on the Surface Duo to use 64GB each. “Android will boot normally, and you’ll have to use a PC to boot Windows when needed,” reads Monce and fellow developer Simone Franco’s guide.
This is an early preview, but it’s impressive that a developer has even managed to get Windows 11 booting on a Surface Duo. Monce has previously worked tirelessly to get full versions of Windows running on devices that don’t officially support it. Last year, he managed to get Windows 11 running on a Windows Phone, and the OS adapted surprisingly well on the 5.7-inch display.
If you’re interested in experimenting with Windows 11 on a Surface Duo, the full guide is available here. Be warned this will likely void your warranty and you could brick your Surface Duo, so proceed at your own risk.