This month marks five years since Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 Mobile (Phone). It marked its definitive exit from the mobile ecosystem at the software and hardware manufacturer level, as the latest Lumia devices had already been discontinued. Actually the project died years ago. The purchase of Nokia ended in fiasco, Windows fans became orphans in their “windows” and the worst was that The industry has lost a great player, much needed as an alternative to the duopoly of iOS and Android.

This is why Windows 11 Mobile (Phone) never became an official development. Yes, there were several concepts that imagined what the mobile version of the latest operating system created by Microsoft could look like. And we went from theory to practice with developments like Renegade Project, as Independent and free mod which allows users to try out Windows 11 (and other systems) on phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset. And we say try because the experience may not be ideal for everyday use.

Windows 11 Mobile in action

Project ‘Renegade’ was announced a few months ago and is improving on compatibility and functionality. Now Reddit has brought it back to the forefront of news after tests (passed) done with POCO But it is possible to achieve a functional device. It’s not as elegant as the latest concepts, but it’s at least usable using the current Windows 11 on ARM.

The project offers UEFI firmware based on EDK2 and was designed to enable custom operating systems on devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs. This firmware works as a customizable boot managerwhich allows users to install and run multiple operating systems, including major Linux distributions, Android, and even this Windows 11 Mobile.

They have already managed to get it working on a fairly extensive list of devices (for existing complications) including the MI POCO X3 Pro used by Reddit. Microsoft models such as the Nokia Lumia 950 and 950 XL are also compatible, as well as the Surface Duo and Duo 2, which officially run Android. We also see Google’s Pixel 2, half a dozen old LGs, OnePlus and a few Xiaomis with the Snapdragon 680, 720 and 855.

Installation is, as we said, complicated, but possible by downloading Windows arm64, which uses as a base; separate download of drivers, UEFI image and tools; perform UFS storage partitioning; installation and post-installation. If you dare, the Renegade project offers a complete installation and startup guide. Use it with a previous terminal that you do not use daily and at your own risk.