Windows 11 has been officially available for download since October 5, 2021. The free Windows 11 update from Windows 10 is rolling out internationally, so here’s how to install it on a compatible or non-compatible PC right now. now.
If Insiders could download the final version of Windows 11 since September 27, know that all users can now take advantage of the update, and this, for free. And if 62% of Windows users don’t even know it’s coming out, we’ve put together a simple little tutorial for how to install Windows 11 on a compatible or non-compatible PC.
Be aware, however, that not all existing PCs running Windows 10 will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 11 requires 8th Gen Intel Coffee Lake or Zen 2 processors and above, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. This leaves millions of PCs unable to officially upgrade to Windows 11, although there are workarounds if you really want to install Windows 11.
Download and install Windows 11 from Windows Update
Here’s how to get Windows 11 today, whether you have a new PC that just shipped with Windows 10 or a device that’s cleared to upgrade to Windows 11.
- Back up all your important documents, apps and data.
- Check that your PC is officially supported with dedicated Microsoft software .
- On your Windows 10 PC, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
- Check for updates.
- If Windows 11 free upgrade is available, you will see a download and install option. If it does not appear, we explain how to do it below.
- Click download and install.
- Follow the on-screen prompts and configure Windows 11 settings.
Download and install Windows 11 from the Microsoft site
If no updates to Windows 11 appear in Windows Update, be aware that it is possible to install Windows 11 manually (provided your PC is eligible).
- Download the official Windows 11 Update Assistant
- Double-click the program to install it. Read the Terms of Service and click Agree and Install .
You don’t have to do anything: the program will take care of checking your hardware configuration, downloading Windows 11, and installing. Everything is automatic. Your PC will then reboot several times before booting into Windows 11. Unless you’re mistaken, all your files will be preserved.
The whole thing can take several minutes to several hours depending on your PC and your Internet connection. The installation may fail, if this happens to you, click retry or relaunch the software.
How to install Windows 11 on an incompatible PC?
If your PC is not compatible with Windows 11, Microsoft has posted a method to force install it. Although this is an official method, Microsoft does not recommend its users to use it. The Redmond firm instead invites its users to keep Windows 10, at least until 2025, when security updates will stop.
- Launch the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)
- Navigate to the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup
- Right click > New > 32-bit DWORD Value
- Nom : AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU
- Value: 1
From there, you have three options for installing Windows 11:
- Go to the Windows 11 software download page and use the Windows 11 installation wizard, click “Download now” and follow the instructions.
- Create a bootable USB or DVD by selecting “Create Windows 11 installation media”.
- Download a disk image (ISO) for bootable media or virtual machine installation.
Microsoft indicates that a clean install of Windows 11 from a USB key will only do a partial verification of the recommendations (TPM 1.2 instead of TPM 2.0 and no verification of the processor model).