Windows 11 is crafted to bring you closer to what you love, launching at a time when PCs are more central than ever to how we connect, create, and play. In setting the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, we focused on three guiding principles to ensure a great user experience:
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Reliability
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Security
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Compatibility
For a deeper understanding of our minimum system requirements and how these principles influenced our decisions, please check out this detailed blog post.
Note:This article outlines the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 on a PC. These requirements are designed to ensure a great computing experience across a variety of devices, both now and in the future. Specific features, apps, and hardware you add to your PC may exceed these minimum requirements. For more information on feature-specific requirements, visit the Windows 11 specifications page. For additional details on requirements for your apps or hardware, please check with the specific publisher or manufacturer.
Minimum System Requirements for running Windows 11
These are the minimum system requirements your PC must meet:
1Ghzor faster with 2 or more cores and appearing onourlist of approved CPUs.Theprocessorin your PCwill be a main determining factor for running Windows 11. Theclock speed(the 1Ghzor faster requirement)and number of cores (2 or more) are inherent to the processor design as it was manufactured and are not considered upgradablecomponents.
4 GB.If your PChas less than 4GB of memory, there are sometimes options for upgradingto get additional RAM.Youmay want to consult your PC manufacturer’s website or with a retailer to see if there are easy and affordable options to meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11.
64 GB or larger storage device. If your PC does not have a large enough storage drive, there are sometimes options for upgrading thedrive.Youmay want to consult your PC manufacturer’s website or with a retailer to see if thereare easy and affordable options to meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11.
UEFI(for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface,amodernversion ofthe PCBIOS)and Secure Boot capable. If your device does not meet the minimum requirements because it is not Secure Boot capable, you may wanttoread this articleto see if there are steps you can take to enable this.Secure Boot can only be enabled withUEFIandthisarticlehelps you understandpotential options to change settings to make this possible.
Trusted Platform Module(TPM) version 2.0. If your device does not meet the minimum requirements because of TPM, you may want to read this articleto see if there are steps you can take toremediate this.
Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.
High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel. If your screen size is less than 9”, theintendeduser interface of Windowsmay not be fullyvisible.
Windows 11 Pro for personal use and Windows 11 Home require internet connectivity and a Microsoft account during initial device setup.
Your device must be running Windows 10, version 2004 or later, to upgrade through Windows Update.Freeupdates are available through Windows Update in Settings >Update and Security.
Upgrade to Windows 11 when in S mode
Note:For Windows 10 Pro, Windows Education, and Windows Enterprise, S mode is no longer available in Windows 11. Users who want to upgrade to Windows 11 will need to switch out of S mode and will not have an option to switch back again. Windows 10 Home can upgrade to Windows 11 Home in Smode without needing to switch out of S mode.
Before upgrading to Windows 11, please follow these instructions to switch out of S Mode:
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On your PC running Windows 10 in S mode, openSettings>Update &Security>Activation.
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Find the Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro section, then select the Go to the Store link.
Important:Don't select the link under Upgrade your edition of Windows. That's a different process that will keep you in S mode.
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On the page that appears in the Microsoft Store (Switch out of S mode or a similar page), select the Get button. After you confirm this action, you'll be able to install apps from outside the Microsoft Store.
Windows 11 upgrade eligibility
We know that some customers will want aneasy-to-useprocess for determining if theirPCmeets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 and is eligible for the upgrade.To helpwith this, we are providing thePC Health Check appfor Windows 10PCs.In addition to diagnostic checks, there is a push-button simpleway to check upgrade eligibilityfor Windows 11.
WindowsUpdate alsooffera way to assessupgrade eligibility fromSettings>Update & Security > Windows Update.
Note:These options are designed for customerPCsthat are not managed by an IT administrator. If your PC is managed by an IT administrator, you should check with them on options for assessing eligibility and upgrading to Windows 11.
Important:
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With any of these scenarios where you are making changes to your PC to make it eligible to upgrade, werecommend you wait to upgrade until Windows Updatelets you know that Windows 11 is ready for your device.
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For those who are unable to upgrade their existing PC to Windows 11 due to device ineligibility and are not ready to transition to a new device, Windows 10 remains a solid choice. Windows 10 will continue to be supported through October 14, 2025
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