\n\nMicrosoft has published its hardware requirements for Windows 11, adding strict new security requirements for its next operating system. Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to run Windows 11 when Microsoft releases it in the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft will release Windows 11 by holiday 2021, so you\u2019ll have ample time to prepare. Microsoft is working with PC makers to develop Windows 11-ready PCs, and you may be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free with your existing PC\u2014provided that it meets the necessary hardware requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, if your PC doesn\u2019t meet the hardware requirements, you\u2019ll have several years to replace it, as Windows 10 will be supported until 2025. New Windows 11 PCs will also ship this fall. We’ve updated this story as of June 28 to note that Microsoft has published a multipage document listing the detailed hardware requirements of Windows 11, along with new webcam and touchpad requirements that have been added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 system requirements
For Windows 10, the PC hardware requirements necessary to run it are relatively tame: a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM (2GB for a 64-bit version of the OS), 16GB of storage, and a display capable of 800×600.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Windows 11, you\u2019ll need a more sophisticated PC. According to Microsoft\u2019s list of PC hardware requirements for Windows 11, this is the first time that you\u2019ll need a multicore processor to run Windows, though it won\u2019t need to be that powerful: just a 1GHz, 64-bit processor with 2 or more cores. (Don\u2019t worry about whether your PC includes a 64-bit chip, as virtually all PCs have included 64-bit processors since the 2000s.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After we originally published our story, a reader alerted us to this support document: Windows 11 will require an 8th-gen Core CPU and above, according to the Windows 11 hardware requirements for Intel CPUs. A similar list of supported AMD processors on Windows 11 indicate that the Ryzen 2000 series and above is supported. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 850 and up, through the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, are also supported by Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eliminating older 7th-generation Core processors will certainly cut out a substantial portion of the PC market from a Windows 11 upgrade, though how many isn’t exactly clear. We’re already seeing Microsoft itself declare a substantial chunk of its Surface lineup ineligible for Windows 11 upgrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will also need more memory. Microsoft is increasing the minimum amount of RAM to 4GB, and requiring a far larger amount of storage\u201464GB\u2014then before. That\u2019s because the amount of storage required is, according to Microsoft, \u201chighly variable.\u201d The storage controller must meet the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) 2.3.1 or higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Windows\u2019 storage demand depends on what versions of Windows have been previously installed; the amount of storage already claimed by Windows; the size of your page file (also known as the swap file), which acts like a relief valve for your main system memory; and more. You\u2019ll also need a DirectX 12-capable GPU, and at least a 720p display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, Microsoft publicized a couple of new requirements in its support document. New Windows 11 PCs (excluding desktops) shipped after January 2023 will be required to include a webcam, which Microsoft defines as “HD” — not 1080p, unfortunately, but just the same 720p webcams which ship with many PCs today. Microsoft also is insisting that all new Windows 11 PCs include a Precision touchpad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Windows 11’s controversial TPM requirement
Microsoft is also adding new, stricter security requirements for Windows 11. You will now need a PC that includes a Trusted Platform Module 2.0, a security coprocessor that\u2019s not present on all PCs. A TPM includes a hardware-based random number generator, and can issue cryptographic keys to protect your data. TPMs also authenticate hardware devices. (Microsoft and AMD announced a complementary technology called Pluton in late 2020, originally developed for the Xbox, though Windows 11 PCs don\u2019t appear to require it.) Your PC must also support UEFI and be Secure Boot-capable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microsoft originally instituted both a “hard” and a “soft” floor of specifications to run Windows 11, designed around the TPM module specification. But it then simplified the specification on Friday afternoon, June 25, eliminating the “soft floor” and making TPM 2.0 a minimum requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your PC doesn’t include this TPM capability, it will not be eligible for Windows 11. Fortunately, there are tools that can tell you whether or not your Windows PC is eligible for Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to tell if your PC can run Windows 11
There are two ways to determine whether your PC can run Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, to figure out whether your PC contains a TPM, you can just ask it. If you type tpm.msc into your Windows 10 PC\u2019s search bar, your PC will open the Trusted Platform Module Management app. You\u2019ll then be to scroll down to the TPM Manufacturer information and see whether a TPM is installed, and whether it\u2019s TPM-certified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, Microsoft is providing a free app to determine whether your PC is capable of running Windows 11: the PC Health Check app. (Note: If you click that link, it will download immediately.) PC Health Check is already live on Microsoft\u2019s site, and it\u2019s worth downloading. It\u2019s a small Win32 app that provides a summary of what\u2019s on your PC. It also offers a one-click check of your PC\u2019s capabilities at the top of the window, to see whether you can run Windows 11. Microsoft said on June 26 that it updated the PC Health Check app to provide more information about what would make a PC ineligible for Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s also a third-party, unsupported tool called WhyNotWin11, which is available on GitHub. WhyNotWin11 is not supported by Microsoft, and Windows SmartScreen will likely flag it if you run it. (Use at your own risk.) WhyNotWin11 was designed to provide even more granular information about your PC, and why it might not be eligible for Windows 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you can\u2019t run Windows 11, you have a few options. You can stick with Windows 10, which Microsoft will support until it\u2019s \u201cretired\u201d in 2025. Or you can buy a \u201cReady for Windows 11\u201d PC, which PC vendors will begin releasing later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This story was updated at 5:01 AM on June 28 with additional details, including the webcam and touchpad requirements plus the new WhyNotWin11 application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n