Windows 11 Upgrade: Check Your PC Before You Install

Windows 11 upgrade day came on October 5, and the short answer is simple: check your PC first, install second. Microsoft made the upgrade free for eligible Windows 10 PCs, but not every PC is eligible. This guide shows how to find out in about five minutes, and when it is fine to wait.

What Windows 11 needs

Microsoft lists minimum requirements for Windows 11. Your PC must meet all of them. Here they are in plain words.

• Processor: 64-bit, 1 GHz or faster, with at least two cores, and on Microsoft's list of supported processors.
• Memory: 4 GB of RAM.
• Storage: 64 GB or more.
• Firmware: UEFI with Secure Boot support.
• Security chip: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
• Graphics: DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
• Display: 720p or higher, larger than 9 inches diagonally, with 8 bits per color channel.

The Home edition also needs an internet connection and a Microsoft account during first setup. The supported processor rule is the one that surprises people. A fast PC from a few years ago can still fail it.

Sources: Microsoft, Windows 11 specifications

Run the free PC Health Check

You do not need to read spec sheets. Microsoft offers a free app called PC Health Check for Windows 10 PCs. It has a one-click test that tells you if your PC can run Windows 11. If the answer is no, the app tells you which part failed.

There is a catch. The app does not check your graphics card or your display. So a "yes" from the app is a strong sign, but it is worth a quick look at those two items yourself. Your PC maker's support page usually lists both.

You can also check inside Windows. Open Settings, then Update and Security, then Windows Update. If your PC qualifies, you will see an offer to upgrade. If you see nothing, your PC may not be eligible yet, or the offer may not have reached you yet.

Work PCs managed by an IT team are different. Ask your administrator before you check or install anything on them.

Sources: Microsoft Support, Windows 11 system requirements; Microsoft, Windows 11 specifications

TPM 2.0 in plain words

TPM is a small security chip, or a feature built into your processor. Windows 11 uses it to protect things like sign-in details and encryption keys. Many PCs built in the last few years have it, but it is sometimes switched off in the BIOS or UEFI settings.

If PC Health Check says your PC fails because of TPM, do not give up yet. Microsoft has a guide on steps that may fix it. Often the fix is turning the feature on in the firmware settings. Write down the setting before you change it, and only change things you understand. If you are unsure, ask the shop or the person who set up your PC.

Sources: Microsoft Support, Windows 11 system requirements

How the free upgrade works

The upgrade from Windows 10 Home or Pro to the matching Windows 11 edition costs nothing. Your PC must be running Windows 10, version 2004 or later. It must also meet the requirements above.

The quickest route is Windows Update. There are two other free routes. The Windows 11 Installation Assistant is a download from Microsoft's website. Installation media is a third option. Use only Microsoft's own pages for these downloads.

PCs in S mode have one extra thing to know. In Windows 11, S mode is only offered in the Home edition, and leaving S mode needs an internet connection.

Sources: Microsoft, Windows 11 upgrade page; Microsoft, Windows 11 specifications

When waiting is fine

You do not have to move this week. Microsoft says the upgrade rollout will take months, so your offer may take a while to appear. Windows 10 keeps working and keeps getting updates. Waiting is a sensible choice in these cases.

• Your PC fails the check. Microsoft says PCs that do not meet the requirements cannot get the free upgrade.
• You depend on one program for work. Check with its maker first.
• It is a work PC. Your IT team decides the timing.
• You have a deadline coming up. Do big changes after it, not before.

Whatever you decide, back up your files before you install. Copy your documents and photos to an external drive or a cloud folder. An upgrade usually keeps your files, but a backup costs little and saves a lot of worry.

Sources: Microsoft, Windows 11 upgrade page

A short checklist

1. Download PC Health Check from Microsoft and run the Windows 11 test.
2. If it fails, read which item failed. Check TPM and Secure Boot in your firmware settings.
3. Check your graphics and display against the list above, since the app skips them.
4. Back up your files.
5. Open Windows Update and look for the upgrade offer.
6. If no offer appears, wait. Do not install from unofficial sites.

This is general information, not technical support for your own PC. If you are unsure about a firmware setting, ask a trusted technician.

Sources: Microsoft Windows 11 specifications, Microsoft Support (Windows 11 system requirements), and Microsoft's Windows 11 upgrade page.