How to Check if Windows 11 Supports Your PC

To check if Windows 11 officially supports your PC hardware, download and run Microsoft's PC Health Check app.

Click the 'Download PC Health Check App.' Click the "Check Now" button and the tool will tell you whether Windows 11 officially supports your PC. If it doesn't, the tool will give you information about why. If the problem is lack of TPM 2.0, for example, you may be able to turn TPM 2.0 on in your PC's UEFI firmware (BIOS.)

Here's the good news: Even if your PC isn't officially supported, you can still upgrade to Windows 11 anyway. It's up to you, but Microsoft warns you may experience problems and won't guarantee future updates for Windows on your hardware. We've already seen some old CPUs left behind when Microsoft rolled out new instruction sets.

The PC in question meets the requirements for Windows 11.

The Safe and Slow Way: Windows Update

For the safest possible update process, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on your Windows 10 PC. (You can press Windows+i to quickly open the Settings app.)

Click the "Check for Updates" button to see if any updates are available. If Microsoft thinks your PC is ready for Windows 11, you'll see a "Windows 11 is ready—and it's free!" banner here. Click "Download and install" to get it.

If Windows 11 doesn't officially support your PC, you will never see the update offered via Windows Update. (But don't worry, Windows 10 will still be officially supported until October 2025.)

The Windows 11 upgrade available through the Windows Update window.

Download Windows 11 with the Update Assistant

Microsoft offers a variety of tools for downloading Windows 11, including the Update Assistant. The Update Assistant is designed to be very simple to use.

Visit Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page, then download and install the Windows 11 Update Assistant. It will walk you through all the necessary steps.

Create a Bootable Windows 11 USB Drive

You can also use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Windows 11 USB, or download a Windows 11 ISO for use on a virtual machine.

The Windows Media Creation Tool set to create a bootable USB drive. If you encounter a problem, note that you can downgrade back to Windows 10 within the first ten days after upgrading.

If Your PC Isn't Officially Supported

If your PC isn't officially supported, and you want to upgrade anyway, you will have to do some legwork to figure out why. There are several ways to install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC.

In some cases, you will be able to make your PC officially supported. In other cases, you may have to accept the risk of bugs and problems with future updates if you'd like to upgrade. Microsoft has already blocked

Whether you actually want to accept the risk of problems is up to you, but we encourage you to keep older PCs on Windows 10 unless you're enthusiastic about upgrading them for a particular reason.

How to Check if Windows 11 is Compatible with Your PC To determine if your PC is compatible with Windows 11, you can use Microsoft's official PC Health Check app.

Start by clicking on the Download PC Health Check App button. Once the app is installed, press the "Check Now" button. The app will analyze your PC's hardware and tell you whether Windows 11 is supported. If your PC isn't eligible, the app will provide an explanation of why. For example, if TPM 2.0 is missing, you might be able to enable it in your PC’s UEFI firmware (BIOS).

Here’s the upside: Even if your PC doesn't meet the official requirements, you can still upgrade to Windows 11. It’s your choice, but keep in mind that Microsoft advises potential issues, and no guarantees for future updates will be provided for unsupported hardware. In the past, older CPUs have been excluded due to new instruction set requirements.

The PC is Ready for Windows 11 The Safe and Steady Option: Windows Update For a secure update experience, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on your Windows 10 PC. (You can quickly open Settings by pressing Windows + i.)

Click the "Check for Updates" button to see available updates. If your PC is eligible for Windows 11, you’ll see a banner that reads, "Windows 11 is ready—and it’s free!" Just click "Download and install" to proceed.

If your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s requirements, it won’t be offered via Windows Update. (Don’t worry, Windows 10 will remain supported until October 2025.)

Upgrade via Windows Update Download Windows 11 Using the Update Assistant Microsoft provides various methods for downloading Windows 11, with the Update Assistant being a simple and effective option.

Visit the Download Windows 11 page on Microsoft's website, then download and install the Update Assistant. It will guide you through the entire process.

Using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant Create a Bootable Windows 11 USB Drive Alternatively, you can use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive with Windows 11 or download the ISO for use in a virtual machine.

The Windows Media Creation Tool to Set Up a USB Drive If you encounter any issues, remember that you can roll back to Windows 10 within 10 days of upgrading.

What If Your PC Isn’t Officially Supported? If your PC doesn't meet the official Windows 11 requirements and you're still eager to upgrade, you’ll need to troubleshoot why. There are several methods to install Windows 11 on unsupported PCs.

In some instances, it may be possible to bring your PC up to the required specifications. In other cases, you’ll need to weigh the risk of bugs and future update issues. Microsoft has already blocked certain hardware from receiving official Windows 11 support.

Whether you choose to proceed with the upgrade is entirely up to you, but we recommend sticking with Windows 10 on older PCs unless there’s a compelling reason to upgrade.