How to check if your Microcomputer can run Windows 11

Microsoft has re-released its PC Health Check app, but not everyone rear end consumption it. Here's how to practice the tool and two third-party alternatives to assess a PC's ability to upgrade to Windows 11.

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Mark Hachman / IDG

In late June, Microsoft announced Windows 11, noted that the upcoming OS would have more stringent hardware requirements than Windows 10, and free a utility named PC Health Check to permit users to assess the upgrade readiness of their PCs. Just quaternion years afterwards, however, Microsoft withdrew the tool from circulation, citing issues with its "level of contingent or truth." In other words, it was telling many users that their hardware couldn't run Windows 11, but IT wasn't telling them why.

To partially correct for the passing of the PC Checkup app, Microsoft published more elaborate minimum system requirements for Windows 11, merely it also noted that those requirements might change later the company factored in feedback from testers in its Windows Insider programme.

As of August 27, the PC Health Check joyride is back, and there's no shortage of third-party options available to those who'd like a report on a PCs' submission with — or violation of — the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, which will begin rolling out on October 5. I'll walk you through the system requirements as they stand now, as well as how to habituate the PC Health Go over app and two secondary tools to watch a PC's Windows 11 upgrade zeal.

Windows 11 system requirements

Reported to Microsoft's Windows 11 overview Sri Frederick Handley Page, the succeeding items delineate the basic requirements a PC must meet for Windows 11 to install properly connected that political machine. At attendant, Microsoft has laid-back those restrictions, so that outgoing-of-compliance PCs can rill Windows 11 within the Insider Program. But when the official release goes taboo later this year, those machines testament no yearner be able to upgrade to newer Windows 11 versions.

  • Processor: 64-bit architecture at 1 Gigahertz surgery faster; Intel: eight-generation or newer (details); AMD Ryzen 3 or better (details); Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or higher (details)
  • RAM: 4 GB or higher
  • Memory: 64 GB or big storage twist
  • System firmware: UEFI, Secure Reboot sure-footed
  • TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
  • Graphics identity card: Steer X12 OR later capable; WDDM 2.0 number one wood Oregon newer
  • Display: High-def (720p) display, large than 9" diagonal in sizing, 8 bits per color channel (or better)
  • Cyberspace joining/MSA: Windows 11 Home variation requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account (MSA) to complete twist apparatus on first use. Switching prohibited of Windows 11 Home in S mode likewise requires cyberspace connectivity. For each Windows 11 editions, internet access is required for updates, and to download and use certain features. An MSA is required for some features Eastern Samoa well.

Just recently the company also laid-back its CPU restrictions to include certain ill-smelling-end seventh-generation Intel processors ground in some of its Microsoft Surface Studio 2 PCs, also as certain Xeon processors. (Picture the details inter-group communication for Intel in the first list item above.) Otherwise, the limitations explicit above are unchanged.

Using Microsoft's PC Health Check

As I spell this story, PC Wellness Check has been re-released, only it's currently only open to members of Microsoft's Windows Insider program. To download PC Medical examination, you mustiness be a registered Windows Insider and logged into the associated Microsoft account. Otherwise you'll get a response from Microsoft Software Download that reads "To access this page, you need to be a member of the Windows Insider program."

That hurdle overcome, the download is easily accessible as a Microsoft Installer file named WindowsPCHealthCheckSetup.msi. Run this file and the program installs itself.

To run the program, typecast PC Heal into the search package, then run the app from the Start bill of fare. To run its built-in Windows 11 compatibility find out, penetrate the Check directly push inside the "Introducing Windows 11" Elvis at the best of the app window, as shown in Figure 1:

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Count on 1: Click Check now in the PC Medical checkup app to run its compatibility checker. (Click image to expatiate IT.)

The program returns one of three possible Windows after the compatibility check runs. Those that return the check get a "meets requirements" message (Figure 2, left); those that die get a "doesn't currently meet" message (plaza); and those from PCs jetting Windows Education or Initiative or some other Windows version managed aside an IT department contract a message that reads "Your organization manages updates on this PC" (right) but no compatibility checkout. I'm track Initiative connected my production PC and give flagged this A an wrongdoing or problem with Microsoft via its Feedback Hub.

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Figure 2: From left to right, passing grade, failing grade, and no form, respectively. (Snap image to exposit it.)

Clink the See all results push to see more details for both transient and failing PCs. The failing PC is a 2014 vintage Surface Pro 3 that fails because its fourth-generation Intel CPU is non supported. The passing grade goes to a 2022 Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga, which has an eighth-generation Intel CPU and different necessary components. Extraordinary of the inside information for both machines appear in Figure 3.

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Figure 3: My 2022 Lenovo X380 Yoga (left) passes, but the 2014 Surface Pro 3 (flop) fails. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Microsoft's PC Health Check will work for most Windows PCs. Those running Windows 10 Teaching or Enterprisingness may be out of luck. Ditto for Windows PCs centrally managed via Group Policy in an organization's IT environs. YMMV, as they say. And, of course, you might not wish to get together the Windows Insider computer programme. That's why I also recommend the cardinal third-company compatibility check tools in the next department.

Two white alternative Windows 11 compatibility checkers

Though more options are available, I birth found two fractional-political party tools to constitute eminently reclaimable to check a PC for Windows 11 compatibility in enough detail to make them worthwhile:

  • WhyNotWin11: a GitHub-based project that runs arsenic a standalone Windows application and reports on a serial publication of checks it performs when run.
  • Windows 11 Compatibility Check: a Windows batch file that runs exclusive an administrative PowerShell session or Command Prompt windowpane to study its findings on PC attributes and capabilities.

Either of these tools derriere provide you ample intelligence to ascertain if your PC is ready for Windows 11, with one caveat. Elder PCs whose CPUs qualify under the processor necessity may admit hardware-settled TPM chips of version 1.3 OR experient (lower in number). These CPUs terminate emulate TPM 2.0, so what looks like a nonstarter to meet Windows 11 requirements at the hardware tear down can be offset in software. I will explain further in the segment on the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script below.

WhyNotWin11

WhyNotWin11 is a GitHub project whose rootage code is publicly easy. The latest exit arsenic I write this story is version 2.4.0 (but you can ever click the "In style" button on the homepage to saltation to the most current vesion). Click the link labeled Download the latest unchanging release and you'll finish with a filing cabinet named WhyNotWin11.exe. Past default it resides in the Downloads folder (C:\Users\<username>\Downloads), where you can fulfill the program directly.

It takes a little while to download the WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation command-line utility) happening which it's based. When it completes its various checks, it displays their results every bit shown in Figures 4 (from an ill-sorted system) and 5 (from a compatible one).

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Image 4: WhyNotWin11 results for a PC functioning on a sixth-gen (i7-6700) Intel chip with nary TPM support. This PC will non support Windows 11.

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Figure 5: WhyNotWin11 results for a PC running on an eleventh-gen (i7-1180G7) Intel chip with TPM 2.0 support. This PC is continual Windows 11 and meets all requirements.

Understanding WhyNot11's output is peltate: green meets information technology meets a requirement, red substance it doesn't, and amber agency it may OR may not meet the final requirements but doesn't meet current requirements. At that place's been a lot of beat about where Microsoft should draw a line on CPU generations, so amber is a dowse to those with towering hopes for inclusion of older generations. A of the end of Lordly, a few select seventh-generation Intel Core and Xeon processors were allowed into the "meets requirements" mathematical group, but no further additions are on the table, according to Microsoft.

Windows 11 Compatibility Check handwriting

This tool, named Windows 11 Compatibility Chink, comes from the community website Windows ElevenForum. Its author, JB Carreon, offers his lic as freeware. IT comes in the form of a batch register named W11CompChk.bat. Downloads for this creature reside on its History page. Every bit I write this level, the most afoot version is numbered 1.4.1, for which dates and download links are readily visible.

Once it's loaded onto your Personal computer, you sack just right-click its entry in File IE while retention go through the left-hand Teddy key on the keyboard. From the resulting pop-up menu, select Imitate as path. This copies the wide-cut file route into your paste buffer. Next, open an administrative Prompt windowpane, paste in the string, and remove the leading and trailing quotation Simon Marks ("").

The batch file will then execute. It will show progress, and so a report when it finishes its different checks. Figure 6 shows results from an incompatible PC (the same ane as in Figure 4 preceding); Figure 7 shows results from a compatible Personal computer (the same one as in Name 5).

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Figure 6: Script output for a sixth-generation Intel i7-6700 CPU Microcomputer with no TPM. Again, this PC does non meet Windows 11 requirements.

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Bod 7: Script output for an eleventh-generation Intel system of rules with TPM 2.0 emulation, which Windows 11 Compatibility Check incorrectly identifies as version 1.3. Despite the hand's assessment, this PC is compatible with Windows 11.

Note in Figure 7 how the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script has been tripped up. While the tool does show up that TPM is enabled, it erroneously reports an outdated 1.3 version supported along the physical TPM chip present. That chip is emulating TPM 2.0 and therefore does fill the Windows 11 requirements.

Any of these tools will do, but...

Microsoft's PC Health Check up on gets the job done, except for those running Enterprise or Teaching versions, those whose PCs are under central IT management, or those who are not Windows Insiders. Both IT and WhyNotWin11 are smart enough to deterrent which version of TPM is fighting in the Windows runtime environment. Thus, they correctly discover the TPM atomic number 3 meeting the "translation 2.0 or higher" requirement.

If you lam the TPM.msc snap-in for the Microsoft Direction Cabinet on it PC (you must atomic number 4 logged in with administrative privileges), in fact, it shows you that its "Specification version" is indeed 2.0 (see Figure 8, lower right). That meets the expressed requirement and means that the Lenovo X12 ThinkPad dubitable (built in 2022) will happily and successfully run Windows 11.

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Figure 8: The important airfield is "Specification Version," which reads 2.0 and meets requirements.

Any tool covered Hera volition help you figure out if (and why) a PC meets or fails the Windows 11 system requirements. I like all threesome, but I give WhyNotWin11 a slight edge because it gets TPM right and runs on Enterprise, Education, and centrally managed Windows PCs.

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