Not exactly a smooth experience just yet
For well over a decade, Microsoft tried and failed to get everyone on board the Windows Mobile train. It eventually ended its support for the operating system in December 2019 and moved to adopt Android for its dual-screen Surface Duo. If you’re feeling nostalgic and have one of Microsoft’s first-gen foldables lying around from last year’s fire sales, you can relive the thrill of using Windows on a phone once more. Be warned, though — it’s not exactly the most user-friendly experience.
As reported by The Verge, engineering student Gustave Monce is behind the project and has been working on it for months. Monce has finally published the early results of their behind-the-scenes work to bring Windows to the Surface Duo, but there’s clearly a lot more to be done. For starters, almost nothing works — something you’d expect from an early preview, but a bummer nonetheless. The system boots up just fine, and the OS adapts to the Duo’s smaller display quite nicely. However, bits and pieces of essential hardware do not work, including cameras, network, touch input, and cellular.
To try it out, you’d need a Surface Duo with 128GB of internal storage and some other files, including a TWRP image, a boot package, and a custom UEFI. Then, you’d have to follow the steps outlined on this GitHub page. You can also try installing it on the 256GB variant, but the developer hasn’t tested it on that model yet. If successful, you get both the preinstalled Android on your device alongside Windows 11 — both will take up 64GB each of the 128GB storage on the Surface Duo. A typical boot will take you straight to the Android side, but you’ll have to use a PC to boot into Windows.
The prospect of running Windows on the Surface Duo is fascinating. But the project is still in its infancy, as evidenced by the fact that nothing essential actually works yet. If you’d like to take one for the enthusiast community, remember to back up any critical data before starting. This process could easily brick your device and void your warranty, so proceed with caution. Unfortunately, the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 isn’t supported, so owners are out of luck for now.
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