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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.
Those pesky restrictions prevent you from automatically upgrading to Windows 11 using Windows Update or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Yet, as I detail in ZDNET's Windows 11 FAQ, there are documented workarounds for most PCs that were originally built for Windows 10.
Over the past few years, Microsoft has played a cat-and-mouse game with enthusiasts, adding occasional speed bumps that make it more difficult to bypass these compatibility checks. There are workarounds for most modern PCs, but some older devices, especially those built using AMD processors, might be out of luck. The instructions below take all those developments into account.
Also: Can your old PC handle the Windows 11 upgrade? How to find out - before you try
These instructions also assume that you have a PC running a retail or OEM edition of Windows 10 (Home or Pro) and that you are signed in as an administrator on the PC you want to upgrade.
Which option should you choose?
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