The Truth Behind the Government Edition of Windows 11
Do governments get a special edition of Windows 11? While there is a possibility that Microsoft is making concessions, this particular edition is not an official version of Windows 11. It is a custom build of Windows 11 that has been modified heavily. You may remember Tiny11, another custom build that removed many Windows 11 components to create a smaller and lightweight version of Windows. The government edition is available via P2P. According to an analysis on MDL, it is using an unofficial Windows activation service for activation and is therefore fake.
The About Windows app of the government edition. Source Andy Kirby
Closing Words
While it is certainly possible that Microsoft is creating special editions for government, it would likely never remove apps like Edge or Defender. While this government edition of Windows 11 is fake, it is still something that many users might want. Windows 11 without Telemetry, ads, and other unwanted features that Microsoft seems to add on a constant basis? It seems unlikely that the majority of users would be opposed to the idea. Add to that the ability to install the operating system on older devices, and you end up with a highly desirable version of Windows, that is unfortunately fake.
Furthermore, even if the edition would exist, it would not be available to mere mortals. Consumers, businesses, and even the majority of Enterprise customers, would not gain access to a Windows 11 government edition. Even if it may be tempting to download this Windows 11 edition from P2P and install it on a device, it is not recommended unless it is for testing or documentation purposes. Windows 11 ISO images on P2P have been used in the past to distribute malware, and the risk associated with installing and using such an edition is high.
What about you? Would you use such an edition of Windows 11, if it would be real and available for picking?
