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ZDNET's key takeaways
Most PCs from the last 15 years can be upgraded to Windows 11, even if they fail compatibility checks.
PCs originally sold with Windows 10 can usually be upgraded after one small registry edit.
On older PCs and those with unusual configurations, a third-party utility does the job.
On Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop delivering security updates to your Windows 10 PC unless you enroll that PC in the Extended Security Updates program.
If you try to upgrade to Windows 11 on a PC that's more than five or six years old, you'll probably encounter an error message telling you -- in no uncertain terms -- that your old PC doesn't qualify because its CPU isn't on the official list of compatible processors. Microsoft has stated, forcefully, that it will not revise those requirements. You will also hit roadblocks if your PC doesn't have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, or if the TPM is not enabled.
Also: Two ways to get free Windows 10 security updates through October 2026
That might be the official policy, but -- as with everything Windows-related -- it pays to read the fine print.
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