It seems like Windows 10 was only just installed when the end of support was declared as 14 October 2025 [1] and Microsoft started doing everything in its power to pressure users to upgrade to Windows 11. Apart from the cost and bother of upgrading, a big fuss has been made about the fact that Windows 11 is only compatible with the most modern hardware leaving those of us with older machines in the lurch so to speak. Without having paid too much attention to the matter up until now my understanding is that this is linked to a hardware issue (cannot be solved via some kind of software update).
In this tutorial:
Required knowledge:
1. Background
Much has been said and written about Windows 11, specifically the operating system‘s hardware requirements. Nothing I have read to date has come close to making me even consider upgrading.
2. PC Health Check app
Microsoft recommends you download the PC Health Check app from: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-the-pc-health-check-app-9c8abd9b-03ba-4e67-81ef-36f37caa7844
You can easily see that my (very old) HP laptop running Windows 10 is not going to cut the mustard.
3. TPM
“Most PCs that have shipped in the last 5 years are capable of running Trusted Platform Module version 2.0 (TPM 2.0). TPM 2.0 is required to run Windows 11, as an important building block for security-related features. TPM 2.0 is used in Windows 11 for a number of features, including Windows Hello for identity protection and BitLocker for data protection.” [3]
Wouldn’t it be great if they stated when TPM was developed so that I could know if there is even a possibility of my laptop being compatible?
How irritating: I do not use and have no need for either of the features mentioned!
“In some cases, PCs that are capable of running TPM 2.0 are not set up to do so.” [3]
Is that light at the end of the tunnel?
4. Hardware requirements
Below is a brief comparison between the minimum requirements for Windows 10 and 11:
| Windows 10 [5] | Windows 11 [6] | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | >= 1 Ghz | >= 1 Ghz with 2 or more cores & appearing on our list of approved CPUs. |
| RAM | 1 GB for 32-bit, 2 GB for 64-bit | 4 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB | 64 GB |
| System Firmware | UEFI & Secure Boot capable. | |
| TPM | version 2.0 | |
| Graphics Card | Compatible with DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver | Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver. |
| Display | 800×600 | High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel. |
“Most PC designs from 2018 or earlier will be unable to make the upgrade.” [7]
5. Further reading
“Here’s what you should do with your Windows 10 PCs that fail Microsoft’s Windows 11 compatibility tests before that day arrives.” [8]
References:
- Microsoft Learn (no date) Windows 10 Home and Pro – Microsoft Lifecycle. Available at: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro (Accessed: 12 September 2024).
- Microsoft Support (no date) How to use PC Health Check. Available at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-the-pc-health-check-app-9c8abd9b-03ba-4e67-81ef-36f37caa7844 (Accessed: 12 September 2024).
- Microsoft Support (no date) Enable TPM 2.0 on your PC. Available at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enable-tpm-2-0-on-your-pc-1fd5a332-360d-4f46-a1e7-ae6b0c90645c (Accessed: 14 September 2024).
- Microsoft Support (no date) Windows 11 System Requirements. Available at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-system-requirements-86c11283-ea52-4782-9efd-7674389a7ba3 (Accessed: 18 September 2024).
- Windows (no date) Check Windows 10 System Requirements & Specs: Microsoft. Available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications?msockid=22c7a3eb58166def297dac1359526cbc#areaheading-uid09f4 (Accessed: 1 October 2024).
- Microsoft (no date) Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements: Microsoft, Windows. Available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/windows/windows-11-specifications (Accessed: 1 October 2024).
- Bott, E, ZDNET (2021) Windows 11: Microsoft stands firm on hardware requirements. Available at: https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-11-microsoft-stands-firm-on-hardware-requirements/ (Accessed: 30 September 2024).
- Bott, E, ZDNET (2024) Have a Windows 10 PC that can’t be upgraded? You have 5 options before support ends next year. Available at: https://www.zdnet.com/article/have-a-windows-10-pc-that-cant-be-upgraded-you-have-5-options-before-support-ends-next-year/ (Accessed: 30 September 2024).
- Microsoft (no date) Introducing Windows 11 – Press materials for Windows 11 news announcement. Available at: https://news.microsoft.com/june-24-2021/ (Accessed: 2 October 2024).