San Francisco: After working for months, an engineering student, Gustave Monce, claimed successfully installing Windows 11 on Microsoft Surface Duo which is originally running on Android.The student, Monce, has also posted on social media a guide to dual-boot Windows 11 and Android on Microsoft Surface Duo.

Now dual-boot Windows 11

Microsoft launched its premium concept phone Surface Duo in January 2021 that runs on Android 9 OS. About six months later, the company launched Surface Duo 2 which runs on Android 11 and Microsoft's own custom skin on top.[1]

Today, Gustave Monce (@gus33000) published the early results of their efforts to bring Windows to the Surface Duo. If you own the 128GB variant of the first-gen Surface Duo, you can try installing Windows on ARM alongside the original Android (the UEFI also allows booting Linux).

Installing Windows on the Surface Duo is not the easiest procedure, so you need to be prepared for the unexpected and ready for troubleshooting. Still, developers took care to provide an easy-to-understand guide with detailed steps. As usual for such a project, make sure to backup all mission-critical data before proceeding.

Although the idea of running Windows on the Surface Duo sounds exciting, the project is currently in its infancy, which means almost nothing works. The system boots, but touch, network, cellular, cameras, and other essential hardware bits and pieces do not work. In other words, you cannot use the Surface Duo with Windows as your daily driver. Keep those limitations in mind before experimenting with your smartphone.[2]

Steps to dual-boot Surface Duo with Windows 11 and Android

Gustave Monce believes using the steps shared by him users can make their device dual boot and install Windows 11 along with the existing OS Android.

Citing Neowin, The Verge reported that a user needs a 128GB variant of the Surface Duo, and he/she will be able to install Windows 11 on ARM alongside the original install of Android. Android and Windows will both split up the 128GB storage on the Surface Duo to use 64GB each.

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, the report said.

“Android will boot normally, and you’ll have to use a PC to boot Windows when needed", Monce and fellow developer Simone Franco, explained in the guide.[3]

References:

1. https://www.ummid.com/news/2022/march/12.03.2022/how-to-dual-boot-windows-11-android-on-microsoft-surface-duo.html
2. https://www.neowin.net/news/you-can-now-dual-boot-windows-11-and-android-on-the-original-surface-duo/
3. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/webcontent/Now-dual-boot-Windows-11,-Android-on-Microsoft-Surface-Duo/wc-CEF3AFD0C8A6FC5BEE5920666C065178?ocid=msedgntp

Cite this article:

Sri Vasagi K (2022), Dual-boot Windows 11, Android on Microsoft Surface Duo, Anatechmaz, pp. 184