The era of Windows 10 is officially over, and Windows 11 has taken over. Microsoft ended support for their former OS in October, although it will still offer security updates for one more year.
Plenty of users who had been dragging their feet are now ready to install Windows 11. However, there is a slight problem for many people. It seems their computers don't quite match the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
But wait! It turns out many of those Windows 10 computers might actually be compatible with Windows 11 despite notifications that state otherwise. All you need to do is make some simple tweaks to a few settings. These fixes don't require cracking open your computer and should only take a few minutes to complete.
In my case, Microsoft had said my 6-year-old computer wasn't compatible, but I followed these steps and now it is. Broadly speaking, if your computer is roughly that age or newer, you should be able to upgrade using the steps below. If your PC is older than that, it's less likely, but still possible. Here's what you need to do.
First, learn why Windows says your computer is incompatible
Before you start messing with settings, run Microsoft's PC Health Check app, which is likely already on your computer. Just press the Windows key on your keyboard and type "Health Check." If not, you can download PC Health Check for free. Open the app and check for Windows 11 compatibility. Specifically, why doesn't it pass? If it says there are issues with Secure Boot and TPM, those might be fixable and what we detail below. If there are other issues, like an incompatible processor, that's more of a challenge.
An example of what the PC Health Check app will show if your computer is Windows 11 compatible, along with the reasons why (or why not). CNET
If it is a processor issue, and you plan to do a "clean install" of Windows 11 -- by wiping your computer clean and reinstalling all your programs and files -- that should bypass the CPU check. That method is not officially supported, though. Since you'll still need Secure Boot and TPM compatibility, my guess is there aren't that many of you reading this who have a motherboard that is compatible but a CPU that isn't.
Enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
For myself, all I wanted to do was play Battlefield 6. Imagine my surprise and annoyance that Steam told me my computer was incompatible. Yes, like you, I've been kicking the can for Windows 11 down the road and now I've finally kicked the post of the dead-end sign. Turns out the same things BF6 needs are the same things that cause Windows 10 to assume your computer isn't ready for Windows 11. There are two main things: Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module, or TPM.
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