How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - for free

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Most PCs from the past 15 years tin tally Windows 11.
PCs sold with Windows 10 tin usually upgrade aft a registry edit.
On older oregon unusually configured PCs, a third-party inferior tin work.

Are you the designated PC adept for your household and friends? The adjacent clip you get a telephone asking for assistance with a Windows PC, cheque to spot which mentation it's running. If the System > About leafage says Windows 10, past they truly request your help.

On Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended enactment for Windows 10. That aged PC no longer receives information updates unless you've enrolled it successful the Extended Security Updates program, which pushes the expiration day retired until October 2026. For anyone inactive moving Windows 10 who has ignored Microsoft's progressively strident warnings, they're already respective months behind, having missed the important monthly information updates starting successful November 2025.

Also: AI PCs aren't selling, and Microsoft's PC partners are scrambling

Trust maine -- you truly don't privation to beryllium doing thing connected a PC that's missing months of information updates. So, it's clip to upgrade, right? Unfortunately, that's not an casual assignment.

If you effort to upgrade to Windows 11 connected a PC that's much than 5 oregon six years old, you'll astir apt brushwood an mistake connection telling you -- successful nary uncertain presumption -- that that aged PC doesn't suffice due to the fact that its CPU isn't connected the official database of compatible processors. You volition besides deed roadblocks if the PC doesn't person a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) mentation 2.0, oregon if the TPM is not enabled.

Also: How to get escaped Windows 10 information patches connected your PC - from present to October 2026

That mightiness beryllium the authoritative policy, but -- arsenic with everything Windows-related -- it pays to work the good print. If that PC is little than 10 years aged and has capable representation and storage, past it's astir apt worthy keeping, and you can upgrade it.

Those pesky restrictions forestall you from automatically upgrading to Windows 11 utilizing Windows Update oregon the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Yet, as hundreds of ZDNET readers person reported conscionable successful the past year, determination are documented workarounds for astir PCs that were primitively built for Windows 10.

Over the past fewer years, Microsoft has played a cat-and-mouse crippled with enthusiasts, adding occasional velocity bumps that marque it much hard to bypass these compatibility checks. There are techniques that let you to bypass those restrictions connected astir modern PCs, but immoderate older devices, particularly those built utilizing AMD processors, mightiness beryllium retired of luck.

The instructions successful this nonfiction instrumentality each those developments into account.

Also: Windows 10 PC can't beryllium upgraded? You person 5 options - and indispensable enactment now

These instructions besides presume that you person a PC with an x64 CPU (not ARM and not 32-bit), moving a retail oregon OEM variation of Windows 10 (Home oregon Pro), and that you are signed successful arsenic an head connected the PC you privation to upgrade.

You besides request capable escaped abstraction connected your strategy drive. The authoritative requirements specify that you request 64GB of escaped space, but an upgrade should enactment with a minimum of 25-30GB free. If you don't person that abstraction free, you'll request to uninstall apps oregon region files to scope the minimum.

Which enactment should you choose?

Please don't skip implicit this section.

This nonfiction describes 2 upgrade options. To instrumentality vantage of the workaround described successful enactment 1 below, your machine indispensable conscionable each the different requirements for Windows 11.

It indispensable beryllium configured to commencement up utilizing UEFI, not a bequest BIOS configuration.
Secure Boot indispensable beryllium supported, though it does not request to beryllium enabled. (But seriously, folks, you should alteration Secure Boot.)
A TPM indispensable beryllium enabled; mentation 1.2 is OK, but a strategy without immoderate TPM oregon with the TPM disabled volition fail. Any PC that was primitively designed for Windows 10 should see a TPM 2.0.

To cheque these details connected a PC you're considering upgrading, tally the System Information utility, Msinfo32.exe, and look astatine the System Summary page. Pay peculiar attraction to the BIOS Mode value. If it says "Legacy," you'll request to reconfigure your strategy to UEFI mode (and convert your strategy disk from MBR to GPT partitioning) earlier you tin instal Windows 11 arsenic a mean upgrade.

Also: Windows 11 upgrade not working? Try my 5 favourite troubleshooting tricks

To spot whether your PC has a TPM enabled, tally the Trusted Platform Module Management tool, Tpm.msc.

If your machine includes a TPM and it's turned on, this app volition show accusation astir it. Under the TPM Manufacturer Information heading, cheque the specification mentation to corroborate that it is 2.0. If there's nary TPM, oregon if the TPM is disabled successful firmware settings, you'll spot a connection that says "Compatible TPM cannot beryllium found."

If you're incapable (or unwilling) to alteration from Legacy BIOS to UEFI, oregon if you person an older PC that doesn't person a TPM enactment astatine all, you'll request to usage the 2nd option, which takes vantage of an undocumented hack that allows you to bypass the compatibility checks and implicit the upgrade. Skip to the Option 2 conception of this station for details connected however to usage the escaped Rufus inferior to execute this upgrade.

Finally, enactment that Microsoft added a caller acceptable of restrictions opening with the Windows 11 mentation 24H2 update. These changes necessitate a CPU that supports circumstantial instructions -- SSE4.2 and PopCnt. Most PCs with Intel CPUs from 2009 oregon aboriginal volition conscionable this standard. AMD CPUs from 2013 oregon aboriginal should besides conscionable these requirements.

But it is intolerable to upgrade to a supported mentation of Windows 11 connected a PC that was built successful 2008 oregon earlier. For details, spot "Microsoft blocked your Windows 11 upgrade? This trusty instrumentality tin (probably) hole that."

Also: Microsoft said these 400 readers couldn't upgrade to Windows 11. They did it anyway

If you program to execute a cleanable installation of Windows 11, you tin footwear from installation media and tally Windows Setup. That enactment skips the CPU compatibility cheque wholly (but inactive requires a TPM and Secure Boot support). After the installation completes, you'll request to reinstall each your apps, reconstruct your information files, and tweak settings to personalize your strategy preferences.

Want to debar each that hassle? Choose the enactment that's due for your hardware.

Option 1: Use this elemental registry edit

With this registry edit, you tin bypass CPU checks and judge immoderate TPM version. Please beryllium alert that this enactment requires that you tally the Setup programme from wrong your existent Windows installation. You can't footwear from a USB flash thrust and upgrade to Windows 11 this way.

This process requires 4 steps.

You request to marque 1 tiny alteration to the Windows registry.

For much than 3 years, this alteration was documented astatine Microsoft's enactment website, but the institution removed those instructions successful December 2024. (Here's an archived mentation of that enactment article.) This alteration tells the Windows 11 Setup programme to skip the cheque for compatible CPUs and to let installation connected a PC with an older TPM (version 1.2). The accustomed warnings use erstwhile moving with the registry; I urge you marque a implicit backup earlier proceeding.

Open Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to the pursuing key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup

If the MoSetup cardinal doesn't exist, you request to make it. Right-click the node for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup successful the left-hand navigation pane, past take New > Key. Name it MoSetup and property Enter.

Also: Wiping your Windows laptop? Here's the simplest mode to erase each idiosyncratic data

Select the MoSetup cardinal and past right-click successful immoderate bare abstraction successful the pane connected the right. Choose the enactment to make a caller DWORD value. (Don't take the QWORD option!)

Replace the default sanction for that worth by typing the substance AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU, and past property Enter. Then double-click the caller worth and alteration the "Value data" container to 1. The effect should look similar this:

Check for errors earlier proceeding -- Windows is frustratingly literal astir the contents of the registry, and if you misspell the cardinal oregon worth name, oregon if you make the required worth successful the incorrect location, your upgrade volition fail. Click OK to prevention your changes, and past restart your PC.

On the PC you privation to upgrade, spell to the Windows 11 Download leafage (aka.ms/DownloadWindows11) and take the enactment astatine the bottommost of the page, "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices." Save the ISO record successful your Downloads folder.

Note that this is simply a large file. Depending connected the velocity of your net connection, the download could instrumentality a while.

Also: Your implicit Windows 11 upgrade guide: Everything to cognize - earlier you ditch Windows 10

For those moving Windows with a non-US language, you mightiness tally into problems during the installation process.

The default download is English (United States), but you besides person the enactment to take English (International) erstwhile prompted for a merchandise language. Several readers with Windows 10 PCs configured to usage different languages, including English (UK), person reported that choosing the incorrect connection results successful an upgrade that did not let them to support installed apps and information files. If that happens to you, backmost retired of the upgrade, download the different connection option, and effort again.

After the download completes, unfastened File Explorer and double-click the ISO record you downloaded successful the erstwhile step. Doing truthful mounts the record arsenic a virtual DVD thrust successful its ain folder, with its ain thrust letter.

If you've installed an alternate record compression app similar 7-Zip, you mightiness get an mistake connection complaining that the record 'Autorun.dll' cannot beryllium loaded. If you spot that error, right-click the ISO record and take Open With > Windows Explorer.

In File Explorer, find the Setup.exe record successful the virtual thrust you opened successful the erstwhile measurement and double-click it to statesman the upgrade. You'll spot a dialog informing you successful scary connection astir compatibility issues and the anticipation that performing an upgrade volition mean you are not entitled to aboriginal updates.

You tin safely click Accept to admit that you work this connection and proceed the upgrade. (For details connected what that informing connection truly means, see Is Microsoft truly going to chopped disconnected information updates for your 'unsupported' Windows 11 PC? Spoiler: They are not going to chopped disconnected information updates.) After you click OK connected that dialog, your upgrade should proceed without immoderate superior issues.

Also: Why Windows 11 requires a TPM - and however you tin get astir it

If you're upgrading from the aforesaid variation (Home oregon Pro), you'll person 3 options: You tin support your apps, settings, and files (Full Upgrade); support your information files but commencement caller with apps and settings (Keep Data Only); oregon commencement wholly caller (Clean Install). If you don't spot the Full Upgrade option, spot the enactment successful Step 2 astir connection selection. Download the Windows 11 ISO again, choosing the close language, and effort again.

One past portion of advice: Watch cautiously astatine the opening of Setup for an enactment labeled "Change however setup downloads updates." To summation your chances of a palmy upgrade, click that nexus and take the "Not close now" option. That should let Windows Setup to decorativeness faster -- you'll person a accidental to download those updates aft the upgrade is complete.

If you brushwood immoderate difficulties oregon if the upgrade fails, cheque this nonfiction for elaborate proposal connected what to bash to find and hole the problem: Windows 11 upgrade not working? Try my 5 favourite troubleshooting tricks.

Option 2: Use the escaped Rufus inferior

On older PCs without a TPM and connected PCs that don't enactment Secure Boot and UEFI, you'll request to usage an undocumented hack to bypass the compatibility checker. It is technically imaginable to bash this manually by replacing the Appraiserres.dll record (in the Sources subfolder connected the Windows 11 installer drive) with a zero-byte mentation and past making a bid of registry edits. But it's simpler to usage the free, open-source Rufus inferior to make installation media (on a USB flash drive) that includes these tweaks automatically.

To get started, download the latest mentation of Rufus. Versions earlier than 4.6 won't work, acknowledgment to changes Microsoft made successful October 2024 to its compatibility checking tools. For details of however the newer versions work, spot Microsoft blocked your Windows 11 upgrade? This trusty instrumentality tin (probably) hole that.

In addition, beryllium alert that utilizing Rufus volition not let you to bypass the restrictions connected precise aged PCs that were introduced with Windows 11 mentation 24H2. If you person a PC with a CPU that lacks enactment for SSE4.2 and PopCnt instructions, not adjacent Rufus tin help. (Of course, immoderate PC that fails that trial is astir apt 15-20 years aged and deserves to beryllium retired.)

Also: You tin inactive upgrade aged PCs to Windows 11, adjacent if Microsoft says no: Readers beryllium it

To get started, you'll request to download the Windows 11 ISO from aka.ms/DownloadWindows11. Choose the enactment astatine the bottommost of the page, "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices." (Although Rufus offers an enactment to download the ISO file, I urge that you get it straight from this authoritative leafage instead.)

Save the ISO record successful the Downloads folder of your Windows strategy thrust truthful you tin find it easily. You'll besides request a USB flash thrust of astatine slightest 16GB successful size. You volition reformat this thrust arsenic portion of the process, truthful backmost up immoderate information connected that thrust archetypal -- and do not store the Windows 11 ISO here!

Download Rufus from the developer's site oregon from the Microsoft Store and tally the app.
In Rufus, take your USB thrust and past take the "Disk oregon ISO image" option.
Click the Select fastener and take the Windows 11 ISO you downloaded earlier (hint: it's successful your Downloads folder). After you marque that selection, corroborate that the Partition Scheme and Target System options lucifer the strategy you program to upgrade. That's particularly important if you're upgrading an aged strategy with a Legacy BIOS alternatively than UEFI. (For astir PCs built successful 2015 oregon later, the default settings volition beryllium correct.)
Click Start.
In the Windows User Experience dialog, prime the archetypal checkbox to region hardware requirements, arsenic shown successful the screenshot below. (If you spot an mistake connection astir a revoked UEFI bootloader, download a caller ISO record and commencement over.) Adjust immoderate different settings arsenic you prefer.
Click OK to judge those changes and past click Start to statesman creating the bootable installation drive.

After Rufus successfully creates your installer, unfastened that USB thrust successful File Explorer, and double-click Setup. Do not effort to upgrade by booting from that USB thrust and performing a cleanable install; it won't work.

As is the lawsuit with the different option, you'll spot a informing astir compatibility issues, with the heading "What needs your attention." It's a scare tactic. (For details connected what the connection successful that informing connection really means, spot Is Microsoft truly going to chopped disconnected information updates for your 'unsupported' Windows 11 PC?) After you click Accept connected that dialog box, your upgrade should proceed without immoderate superior issues.

Several readers person reported that Setup failed prematurely and displayed an mistake connection ("An unsupported cognition was attempted") erstwhile tally from media created utilizing Windows 11 mentation 24H2 and the latest mentation of Rufus. The fix? Watch cautiously astatine the opening of Setup for an enactment labeled "Change however setup downloads updates." Click that nexus and take the "Not close now" option, arsenic shown here. That should let Setup to proceed without interruption.

My ZDNET workfellow Lance Whitney has much details connected the different options disposable with Rufus successful How to instal Windows 11 your mode (and debar Microsoft's restrictions).

Did your upgrade work?

If you've tried this upgrade, I privation to perceive astir your experience. If it worked, delight stock the details. If you tally into snags, nonstop maine an email truthful we tin fig retired what's going wrong. I've acceptable up a peculiar inbox conscionable for this feedback: Win11Upgrade [at] realworldwindows [dot] com.

Be definite to see details -- the marque and exemplary of your PC and screenshots of immoderate mistake messages. If you're capable to make a study utilizing the SetupDiag utility, delight see that arsenic good -- you'll find elaborate instructions successful my Windows 11 upgrade troubleshooting guide.

I can't reply to each submission, but I work them all, and I americium immensely grateful for the reports you provide. That accusation has been invaluable implicit the three-plus years I person been keeping this usher updated.

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