Windows 10X is a new streamlined version of Windows designed for security and performance that Microsoft announced in 2019 and plans to launch on a new range of devices in the spring of 2021.
Many details have been scarce so far, but thanks to a Windows 10X build that leaked last week, we can take a good look at the operating system and its features.
In addition to a new user interface, Windows 10X also comes with a new feature called ‘Anti-Theft Protection’, a measure to prevent thieves from wiping and reusing stolen devices.
If a Windows 10 device is unlocked, anyone can go to the Settings and use a feature called “Reset this PC” to reset the devices to the factory settings.
When using the anti-theft protection feature of Windows 10X, a user must log in with the Microsoft account previously associated with the device, or enter the PIN before the device can be repaired and used as new.
“Anti-theft protection prevents anyone else from being able to reset your device and use it again. If anti-theft protection is enabled, you will need to enter your PIN or Microsoft account password before you can repair and reuse the device,” Microsoft describes the feature in the Settings app.
In Windows 10X you can configure the anti-theft feature from Institutions > Anti-theft protection.
Because Windows 10X is designed for portable devices, it is possible to make a feature that makes it more difficult to recover a device when it is new a less valuable target of stolen devices. Microsoft uses a similar feature in Windows Mobile to protect devices when stolen.
It would also make sense for Microsoft to transfer this feature to the regular Windows 10 operating system to provide extra security to unlocked devices.
There is no indication that Microsoft is currently planning to do so.