How To Enable or Disable Windows Test Mode

Generally, Windows Test Mode lets you load drivers that are not digitally signed by Microsoft. It’s useful for developers testing drivers or for legacy hardware that only has unsigned drivers. When enabled, Windows shows a desktop watermark like Test Mode Windows 10/11 Build…. 

It’s recommended not to enable the Windows Test Mode in production environments, as it leaves the computer vulnerable to malicious software and attacks, or turn it off when you’re done.

Enable Test Mode in Windows

The test Mode was introduced in Windows 7 and has been a part of all Windows operating systems after that, including Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11. Here are two ways to enable the Windows Test Mode.

Method 1. Enable Test Mode via Command Prompt

It’s simple to access Test Mode by running a command in Command Prompt. 

1. Press Start, type cmd, right‑click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.

2. Execute the following command:

bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING ON

3. Restart your PC.

Once the computer restarts, you’ll see the Test Mode watermark in the lower right corner of your desktop. 

Please Note: If you encounter the “The value is protected by Secure Boot policy and cannot be modified or deleted” error, you must disable Secure Boot and rerun the command. 

Method 2. Enable Test Mode from Windows Settings 

You can also enter Test Mode from Settings by following this:

1. Press Win+I to open Settings. 

2. Go to System > Recovery. And click Restart now in the Advanced Startup part. 

3. Click Restart Now again to confirm. The computer will now boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

4. Click Troubleshoot> Advanced options> Startup settings, then click Restart to reboot the system again. This time, there will be a list of options you can choose from by using the function keys on the keyboard (F1-F9).

5. Press the function key corresponding to Disable drive signature enforcement (F7).

The computer will now restart, and you will see the Test Mode watermark at the bottom of the screen.

Disable Test Mode or Remove Test Mode Watermark

As we mentioned above, it’s advised to exit Test Mode once you have done. 

1. Click the Start icon again to type cmd, and choose Run as administrator. 

2. Now run the following 2 commands one after the other:

Bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

Bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING OFF

3. Restart the computer to take effect. After rebooting, you will find the Test Mode has disappeared. 

Conclusion:

If you are a developer who needs constant testing of your custom code, then you can benefit from this post by learning how to activate it. If you are seeing the Test Mode watermark on your desktop and want to remove it, then you can see how to disable and exit the Test Mode using the steps given above.