The Microsoft Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 are dual-screen smartphones that ship with a bunch of Microsoft apps and services running on Google’s Android operating system. But some folks would rather run Windows on a Microsoft-made device like the Surface Duo, and thanks to the third-party developers behind the WOA Project, you’ve been able to do that for a while, as long as you’re willing to make certain compromises.

Now developer Gustave Monce says soon you won’t have to make as many compromises though.

Up until now installing Windows on a Surface Duo required unlocking the bootloader, keeping it unlocked, and tethering your device to a computer.

But soon you’ll be able to:

  • Boot to Windows without connecting to another device.
  • Dual boot both Android and Windows on the same Surface Duo device.
  • Lock your bootloader after installing Windows.

In a brief video, Monce shows how dual booting will work on the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2. In a nutshell, you can install Windows, keep Android, and choose which operating system loads when you boot the device by adjusting the display positions. If the dual-screen device is folded, one operating system will boot. If the screens are unfolded, the other will boot.

If you opt to lock the bootloader, Monce says this will allow you to stream 3K content in Netflix and use other Android apps that require the bootloader to be locked including some banking and mobile payment apps. On the other hand, if you can live without those features, you can also root your device and install Magisk to gain more control over the behavior of Android.

More details about dual-booting and other updates for the WOA Project should be coming soon.

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  1. Somehow my brain read this as Windows on the left side and Android on the right, but yeah, I know that’s not what dual-booting means.

    Reply

  3. Does it have WSL? It would be a fun way to cheat a desktop Linux onto such a small device. The current ways of emulating on Android doesn’t work too well on low spec Android phones. This is the only interesting phone development recently, other than the failed Linux phone.

    Reply

  4. I really hope MS officially releases a Duo or foldable type pocket PC running desktop Windows. Too bad I don’t think the market for one is big enough for MS.

    These efforts that don’t get help from MS are nice to read about but they rarely get to the point to really be usable while the hardware is still fast enough unless you like tinkering or want to develop for it.

    Reply