hudiemm/Getty Photos
Replace: As of October 1, 2024, Microsoft has made it tougher to bypass these compatibility checks – however there’s a workaround. For particulars, see this article. I’ve additionally up to date the directions on this submit.
On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop delivering security updates to your Windows 10 PC until you are keen to pay an exorbitant value to hitch the Extended Security Updates program.
Additionally: Microsoft to start charging for Windows 10 updates next year. Here’s how much
When you attempt to improve to Windows 11 on a PC that is various years previous, you will be advised — in no unsure phrases — that your previous PC does not qualify as a result of its CPU is not on the official list of compatible processors. Microsoft has made it abundantly clear that it’s going to not revise these necessities. Additionally, you will hit roadblocks in case your PC does not have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) model 2.0.
That could be the official coverage, however — as with every part Home windows-related — it pays to learn the fantastic print.
These pesky restrictions forestall you from mechanically upgrading to Home windows 11 utilizing Home windows Replace or the Home windows 11 Set up Assistant. But there are totally supported workarounds, as I doc in ZDNET’s Windows 11 FAQ.
Additionally: Yes, you can upgrade that old PC to Windows 11, even if Microsoft says no. These readers proved it
In fact, every part on this article requires that you just be signed in as an administrator on the PC you wish to improve.
Which choice must you select?
Please do not skip over this part. To benefit from the workaround described in choice 1 beneath, your pc should meet all the opposite necessities for Home windows 11.
It have to be configured to begin up utilizing UEFI, not a legacy BIOS configuration.
Safe Boot have to be supported, though it doesn’t have to be enabled. (However significantly, of us, you need to allow it.)
A TPM have to be enabled; model 1.2 is OK, however a system with none TPM or with the TPM disabled will fail.
To examine these particulars on a PC you are contemplating upgrading, run the System Info utility, Msinfo32.exe, and have a look at the System Abstract web page. Pay particular consideration to the BIOS Mode worth. If it says “Legacy,” you will have to reconfigure your system to UEFI mode (and convert your system disk from MBR to GPT partitioning) earlier than you possibly can set up Home windows 11 as a traditional improve.
To see whether or not your PC has a TPM enabled, run the Trusted Platform Module Administration device, Tpm.msc. In case your pc features a TPM and it is turned on, this app will show details about it. If there isn’t any TPM, or if the TPM is disabled in firmware settings, you will see a message that claims “Suitable TPM can’t be discovered.”
Additionally: Have a Windows 10 PC that can’t be upgraded? You have 5 options before support ends next year
When you’re unable (or unwilling) to alter from Legacy BIOS to UEFI, or if in case you have an older PC that does not have a TPM choice in any respect, you will want to make use of an undocumented hack that lets you bypass the compatibility checks and full the improve. See choice 2 on the finish of this submit for particulars on learn how to use the free Rufus utility to carry out this improve.
When you plan to carry out a clear set up of Home windows 11, you possibly can boot from set up media and run Home windows Setup. That choice skips the CPU compatibility examine utterly (however nonetheless requires a TPM and Safe Boot help). After the set up completes, you will have to reinstall all of your apps, restore your information recordsdata, and tweak settings to personalize your system preferences.
Need to keep away from all that trouble? Select the choice that is applicable in your {hardware}.
Possibility 1: Use this easy registry edit to bypass CPU checks and settle for any TPM model
This course of requires 4 steps.
You should make one small change to the Home windows registry, as documented on this Microsoft support document. This transformation tells the Home windows 11 Setup program to skip the examine for appropriate CPUs and to permit set up on a PC with an older TPM (model 1.2). The same old warnings apply when working with the registry; I like to recommend you make a whole backup earlier than continuing.
Open Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to the next key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMSetupMoSetup
If the MoSetup key, does not exist, it’s essential to create it. Proper-click the node for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMSetup within the left-hand navigation pane, then select New > Key. Identify it MoSetup and press Enter.
Additionally: Wiping a Windows laptop? Here’s the safest way to erase your personal data – for free
Choose the MoSetup key after which right-click in any empty house within the pane on the proper. Select the choice to create a brand new DWORD worth. (Do not select the QWORD choice!)
Change the default title for that key by typing the textual content AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU after which press Enter. Then double-click the brand new worth and alter the “Worth information” field to 1. The consequence ought to appear like this:
Use this registry tweak to override the Home windows 11 CPU compatibility examine. It’s essential to have a TPM (any model) and Safe Boot have to be enabled.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
Click on OK to save lots of your change, after which restart your PC.
On the PC you wish to improve, go to the Home windows 11 Obtain web page (aka.ms/DownloadWindows11) and select the choice on the backside of the web page, “Obtain Home windows 11 Disk Picture (ISO) for x64 units.” Save the ISO file in your Downloads folder.
Notice that it is a large file. Relying on the velocity of your web connection, the obtain might take some time.
After the obtain completes, open File Explorer and double-click the ISO file you downloaded within the earlier step. Doing so mounts the file as a digital DVD drive in its personal folder, with its personal drive letter.
In File Explorer, discover the Setup.exe file and double-click it to start the improve. You may see a stern warning about compatibility points, however you possibly can safely click on Settle for to maneuver previous it. (For particulars on what that warning message actually means, see “Is Microsoft really going to cut off security updates for your ‘unsupported’ Windows 11 PC?”) After you click on OK on that dialog field, your improve ought to proceed with none critical points.
Additionally: The best Windows laptop you can buy
You may have three choices: You possibly can hold your apps, settings, and recordsdata (Full Improve); hold your information recordsdata however begin recent with apps and settings (Preserve Knowledge Solely); or begin utterly recent (Clear Set up).
Possibility 2: Use the free Rufus utility to bypass compatibility checks utterly
On older PCs with no TPM and on PCs that do not help Safe Boot, you will want to make use of an undocumented hack to bypass the compatibility checker. You are able to do this manually by changing the Appraiserres.dll file (within the Sources subfolder on the Home windows 11 installer drive) with a zero-byte model. Nevertheless it’s less complicated to make use of the free, open-source Rufus utility to make a USB drive that features this file.
Essential word: In early October 2024, Microsoft made some changes to its compatibility checking instruments. Because of this, there may be an extra vital step it’s essential to take earlier than working Setup. That step includes working 5 instructions at an elevated Command Immediate. See beneath for full directions.
Additionally: Why Windows 11 requires a TPM – and how to get around that
To get began, you will have to download the Windows 11 ISO and provide a USB flash drive of at the least 16 GB in dimension. You’ll reformat this drive as a part of the method, so again up any information on that drive first.
Obtain Rufus from the developer’s site or from the Microsoft Store and run the app.
Select the USB drive after which select the “Disk or ISO picture” choice.
Click on the Choose button, select the Home windows 11 ISO you downloaded earlier, after which click on Begin.
Within the Home windows Person Expertise dialog, choose the primary checkbox to take away {hardware} necessities, as proven within the screenshot beneath.
Click on OK to start creating the drive.
Make sure to select the highest checkbox right here to bypass the compatibility examine for the Home windows 11 improve.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
After Rufus efficiently creates your installer, open that USB drive in File Explorer, however do not double-click Setup but. As a substitute, open a Command Immediate window with Administrator permissions. Sort “cmd“ within the search field, choose Command Immediate, after which click on “Run as administrator.”
Open an elevated Command Immediate window to run the collection of 5 instructions that make it attainable to bypass the brand new compatibility checks.
screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
From that Command Immediate window, run the next 5 instructions, confirming that every executes efficiently.
reg.exe delete “HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsCompatMarkers” /f 2>NUL
reg.exe delete “HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsShared” /f 2>NUL
reg.exe delete “HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsTargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators” /f 2>NUL
reg.exe add “HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsHwReqChk” /f /v HwReqChkVars /t REG_MULTI_SZ /s , /d “SQ_SecureBootCapable=TRUE,SQ_SecureBootEnabled=TRUE,SQ_TpmVersion=2,SQ_RamMB=8192,”
reg.exe add “HKLMSYSTEMSetupMoSetup” /f /v AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU /t REG_DWORD /d 1
You possibly can copy these instructions directly from this GitHub issue thread if you happen to choose.
After that step is full, return to the File Explorer window with the contents of the USB drive you created earlier and double-click Setup.
Additionally: Microsoft cracks down on Windows 11 upgrades for ‘incompatible’ PCs, but there’s a fix – for now
My ZDNET colleague Lance Whitney has extra particulars on the opposite choices out there with Rufus in “How to install Windows 11 the way you want (and sneak by Microsoft’s restrictions).”
When you’ve tried this improve, I wish to hear about your expertise. If it labored, please share the main points. When you run into snags, ship me an electronic mail so we are able to determine what is going on unsuitable. Make sure to embody particulars — the make and mannequin of your PC and screenshots of any error messages. I’ve arrange a particular inbox only for this suggestions: Win11Upgrade [at] realworldwindows.com.
This text was initially revealed on April 9, 2022, however has been up to date a number of instances since then. It was final up to date on October 4, 2024.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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