How to Install Windows 11 on an Unsupported PC

Windows 11 has strict strategy requirements, but location are ways astir them. For example, it requires astatine slightest an 8th-generation Intel, AMD Zen 2, aliases Qualcomm 7 aliases 8 Series CPU — but you tin instal Windows 11 connected PCs pinch older CPUs.

Should You Upgrade an Unsupported PC?

First, let's beryllium clear: If you're connected nan fence, we urge against upgrading an unsupported PC to Windows 11. Windows 10 will beryllium officially supported pinch information updates until October 2025.

Windows 11 doesn't person immoderate immense features that make it a must-upgrade, and Microsoft warns that unsupported PCs whitethorn acquisition bugs. In fact, Microsoft warns that it whitethorn yet extremity providing information updates for unsupported PCs moving Windows 11.

However, if you are willing successful moving Windows 11 connected unsupported hardware, we'll help.

Whatever you do, we urge you back up your important data first. It's ever important to person a backup, particularly erstwhile upgrading to a caller operating strategy — and particularly erstwhile that caller operating strategy isn't officially supported connected your hardware.

How to See Why Your PC Is Unsupported

You tin check if Windows 11 supports your PC by downloading and moving Microsoft's PC Health Check app.

If your PC is supported, upgrading to Windows 11 is easy. You tin do it successful conscionable a fewer clicks.

If Windows 11 doesn't officially support your PC, nan PC Health Check will opportunity it "doesn't presently meet Windows 11 strategy requirements" and show you why. If nan instrumentality reports your PC is unsupported, nan process you request to travel will dangle connected nan problem it reports. You whitethorn conscionable person to alteration a mounting successful your PC's UEFI firmware (the modern replacement for nan BIOS) to make your PC supported — aliases nan process whitethorn beryllium much involved.

How to Enable TPM 2.0

Windows 11 officially requires TPM 2.0. (However, there's an easy measurement to instal Windows 11 if your PC only has TPM 1.2, which we'll screen below.)

If nan instrumentality reports that your machine doesn't person TPM, there's a chance your PC does person TPM — but it whitethorn beryllium abnormal by default.

To check for and alteration TPM 2.0, you will request to participate your computer's UEFI firmware settings (the modern replacement for nan BIOS). Look for an action named thing for illustration "TPM," "Intel PTT," "AMD PSP fTPM," aliases "Security Device." You whitethorn find it successful nan main UEFI settings paper aliases successful a paper named thing for illustration "Advanced," "Trusted Computing," aliases "Security."

For much information, tally connected online hunt for nan exemplary sanction of your machine and "enable TPM," aliases analyse its charismatic documentation. (If you built your ain PC, hunt for your motherboard exemplary sanction instead.)

You whitethorn besides request to instal a UEFI update for your machine aliases its motherboard. Manufacturers person been rolling retired updates that either alteration TPM 2.0 by default — aliases adhd support for it. It whitethorn moreover beryllium imaginable to upgrade from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 pinch a firmware update connected immoderate PCs; it depends connected your hardware and strategy manufacturer. Check pinch your machine (or motherboard) shaper for much accusation astir updates for Windows 11.

After enabling TPM, re-run nan PC Health Check tool. You should beryllium capable to upgrade usually if that was your only problem.

How to Enable Secure Boot

If PC Health Check reports your machine isn't utilizing Secure Boot, you should besides look successful UEFI firmware settings for a "Secure Boot" action and alteration it, if possible.

You whitethorn person abnormal Secure Boot to instal Linux, aliases it whitethorn person travel abnormal connected your motherboard. Modern Linux distributions for illustration Ubuntu and Fedora activity connected PCs pinch Secure Boot enabled, truthful you don't needfully person to disable this information characteristic to instal Linux.

If you are capable to alteration Secure Boot, re-run nan PC Health Check tool. You tin now upgrade usually — assuming Secure Boot was nan only problem.

How to Fix No UEFI (MBR Instead of GPT)

Windows 11 requires UEFI. Some older computers connection some modes: UEFI firmware aliases a accepted bequest BIOS. If you are presently utilizing a "traditional" MBR partitioning setup but your PC does connection UEFI arsenic an option, you will person to move to a GPT partition table to usage UEFI.

There are respective ways to do this. Microsoft's MBR2GPT tool whitethorn let you to person a thrust from MBR to GPT format. Microsoft warns that you should only do this if you cognize your PC supports UEFI, and that you whitethorn person to alteration settings successful your PC's firmware to make it footwear successful UEFI mode alternatively than bequest BIOS mode afterward.

If this is your only problem, 1 easier measurement would beryllium to execute a cleanable install. First, beryllium judge to backmost up your files (we urge backing up your files earlier upgrading anyway.) Then, usage Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to create bootable Windows 11 installation media connected a USB thrust aliases DVD. Now, usage nan installation media to execute a cleanable installation of Windows 11, wiping your thrust — you whitethorn person to put your computer's firmware into UEFI mode first. Windows 11 will erase your Windows 10 strategy and group up your thrust successful GPT mode.

Registry Hack for Unsupported CPUs and/or Only TPM 1.2

If your only problem is that your machine has an unsupported CPU and/or that it only has TPM 1.2 alternatively of TPM 2.0, this is nan easiest problem to get around.

If you truthful choose, you tin get astir this regularisation pinch a elemental Windows Registry change. Making this alteration will origin Windows 11 to disregard nan CPU type cheque and instal moreover if only TPM 1.2 is present. However, this won't destruct different checks — for example, if your machine doesn't person a TPM astatine all, this registry alteration won't fto you upgrade.

To get started, unfastened nan Registry Editor. You tin property Windows+R, type "regedit", and property Enter, aliases type "registry" into nan Start menu's hunt container and click nan "Registry Editor" shortcut.

Type nan pursuing reside into nan reside barroom successful nan Registry Editor model (or navigate to it successful nan near pane):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup

Right-click successful nan correct pane, prime New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and participate nan pursuing matter arsenic nan name:

AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU

Double-click nan "AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU" worth here, group it to "1", and click "OK."

Want to skip nan registry-editing process? Download our Enable Unsupported Upgrades registry hack to execute nan alteration successful conscionable a fewer clicks.

This downloadable ZIP record contains 2 REG files: One that enables upgrades connected unsupported PCs (Enable Unsupported Upgrades.reg) and 1 that reverts nan alteration (Undo Enable Unsupported Upgrades.reg). Just double-click nan "Enable Unsupported Upgrades.reg" record and work together to adhd nan accusation to your registry. If you want to undo your change, double-click nan Undo file.

These files activity successful nan aforesaid measurement arsenic nan supra registry hack — they conscionable group nan "AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU" worth to "1" (to alteration unsupported upgrades) aliases "0" (to revert to nan default setting).

To guarantee nan alteration takes effect, reboot your PC earlier continuing.

You tin now download and tally nan Windows Installation Assistant tool from Microsoft's website to upgrade your PC to Windows 11, conscionable arsenic if it had a supported CPU aliases TPM 2.0. You'll conscionable person to agree to a informing first.

PCs With No TPM astatine All, No UEFI, aliases Other Major Problems

If nan tips supra and nan registry hack aren't capable for your PC, now things commencement to get dicey. If your machine doesn't person a TPM astatine all, for example, it's really unsupported.

What does that mean? Well, Microsoft provides an charismatic measurement to instal Windows 11 pinch older CPUs and TPM 1.2 chips, for example. You conscionable person to flip a registry setting. It's unsupported, but Microsoft helps you do it.

There are ways to instal Windows 11 moreover if you don't person TPM 1.2, UEFI, aliases don't meet nan different requirements for Windows 11. But this is really unsupported — you're moreover much astatine consequence of encountering bugs and not getting early information updates if you hack your measurement astir moreover these base-level requirements. We've besides seen mixed reports of occurrence from group pursuing these tricks. Even if it useful for you, early updates whitethorn consequence successful your machine blue-screening, breaking your operating strategy and forcing you to reinstall Windows 10.

However, if you're going to do it, you tin usage Rufus to create an installer for Windows 11 that will disregard each of nan accustomed requirements. You tin besides use registry edits during nan installation process manually if you'd for illustration to do that. It is conscionable overmuch much involved.

We urge you not travel immoderate of these utmost tricks — you're mounting yourself up for trouble. Windows 10 will usability conscionable good until October 2025, and you'll astir apt want a caller PC by past if your existent PC is excessively aged for moreover TPM 1.2.