It’s officially time to let go. Windows 10 has been over as we know it for some time now, only for Windows 11 to have taken over. To finalize things even further, Microsoft ended support for the previous OS in October 2025. If you’re stubborn, however, you don’t have to move on just yet. Microsoft has promised it will continue providing updates for one more year.
Plenty of users who had been dragging their feet are now ready to install Windows 11. However, there is a slight problem for many people. It seems their computers don’t quite match the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
But wait! It turns out many of those Windows 10 computers might actually be compatible with Windows 11 despite notifications that state otherwise. All you need to do is make some simple tweaks to a few settings. These fixes don’t require cracking open your computer and should only take a few minutes to complete.
In my case, Microsoft had said my 6-year-old computer wasn’t compatible, but I followed these steps and now it is. Broadly speaking, if your computer is roughly that age or newer, you should be able to upgrade using the steps below. If your PC is older than that, it’s less likely, but still possible. Here’s what you need to do.
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First, learn why Windows says your computer is incompatible
Before you start messing with settings, run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app, which is likely already on your computer. Just press the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Health Check.” If not, you can download PC Health Check for free. Open the app and check for Windows 11 compatibility. Specifically, why doesn’t it pass? If it says there are issues with Secure Boot and TPM, those might be fixable and what we detail below. If there are other issues, like an incompatible processor, that’s more of a challenge.
If it is a processor issue, you’re basically out of luck unless you plan to do a “clean install” of Windows 11 — by wiping your computer clean and reinstalling all your programs and files — that should bypass the CPU check. However, that method is not officially supported. Since you’ll still need Secure Boot and TPM compatibility, my guess is that there aren’t that many of you reading this who have a motherboard that is compatible but a CPU that isn’t. Again, if it is the processor that’s failing the Health Check, short of doing a clean install, you’ll either have to pay for extended support for Windows 10 or buy a new laptop (or a compatible processor for your desktop).
Enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
For myself, all I wanted to do was play Battlefield 6. Imagine my surprise and annoyance that Steam told me my computer was incompatible. Yes, like you, I’ve been kicking the can for Windows 11 down the road and now I’ve finally kicked the post of the dead-end sign. Turns out the same things BF6 needs are the same things that cause Windows 10 to assume your computer isn’t ready for Windows 11. There are two main things: Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module, or TPM.
Oh, and it’s worth noting, the adjustments detailed here won’t make computers with incompatible hardware magically compatible, such as those with ARM-based processors, some AMD processors and much older 32-bit systems. Don’t worry if you’re not sure; you’ll find out what’s inside your computer if you’ve forgotten in the next steps.
Checking Secure Boot and TPM
Press the Windows and R keys. Type msinfo32 and look for Secure Boot State. Chances are it’s off. Also, check BIOS Mode. This should say UEFI. More on all of these settings in a moment. While you’re in this program, note the manufacturer and model of your Baseboard, also called a motherboard. This will come in handy later.
Press Windows plus R again. Type tpm.msc and see if any information is displayed, as in it has manufacturer information and so on, you should be good to go. If not, all is not lost. You might just need to enable it, as detailed below.
BIOS settings you can change to improve compatibility
The most difficult part of this entire process is figuring out how to get into your computer’s BIOS, which stands for Basic Input/Output System. This is the simple programming your computer uses to boot up, before loading Windows. With most BIOS, there’s a button you can press on the keyboard to access the settings during the boot process. For example, with my computer, it’s Delete or F2 pressed during the initial (before Windows) loading screen. I tend to press it a lot during the boot process because I don’t know when the keypress will register, and back when I first started building computers in the dark ages of the late 20th century, that seemed to be the only way to make it work. If you can’t get into the BIOS, search for your motherboard’s model plus “access BIOS.”
Enable UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
Your computer is most likely already set to use UEFI instead of legacy BIOS mode. If not, you need to enable it and restart. There are too many motherboard manufacturers for me to describe exactly where this setting will be, but it should be fairly obvious. If not, check under Advanced settings. As above, searching for your motherboard and “enable UEFI” should help. Note that if you can’t enable UEFI, you won’t be able to do the steps that follow, nor can you upgrade to Windows 11.
Enable Secure Boot
Once you’re back in your BIOS after enabling UEFI, look for the setting for Secure Boot. Like UEFI, your system needs to be compatible with Secure Boot to work with Windows 11. You don’t have to enable Secure Boot; the option just has to be there. However, unless you plan on installing Linux or other non-Microsoft operating systems on your computer, and if you’re reading this guide, I assume you won’t, then you should enable Secure Boot, as it prevents some specific types of malware.
Enable TPM
Lastly, you want to enable TPM. Once again, if you can’t, you can’t upgrade to Windows 11. Versions of TPM have been mandatory on Windows machines since 2016. So, if your computer came with Windows 10 when new, it should have a version of TPM. If your computer’s hardware is older, it more than likely doesn’t have the necessary TPM compatibility.
Officially, you need TPM 2.0 to run Windows 11, but there is a workaround for PCs with TPM 1.2 as well as some older CPUs. However, it involves modifying your computer’s Registry. If you didn’t already know how to get into your computer’s BIOS, I do not recommend messing with the Registry. A mistake here can render your computer stone dead. This method was actually outlined on Microsoft’s own support page at one point. That page has since been replaced with one that essentially says, “Don’t install Windows 11 on an incompatible computer.” For most people, that’s probably the best advice. If you’re willing to risk potentially ruining your computer (back up all your personal data first), you can check out the Web Archive version of the Microsoft page.
With my computer, once I enabled UEFI, I could toggle on TPM security at the same time I enabled Secure Boot. I saved my settings, restarted my computer, and I was good to go. Hopefully, it goes just as smoothly for you, in which case all you need to do is re-verify Windows 11 compatibility.
One more cheap hardware solution if above steps didn’t work
If the above steps didn’t work, it’s likely because your motherboard itself isn’t compatible with Windows 11’s new security standards. Before you toss it to the great recycle bin in the sky (aka Best Buy or other local electronics recycler), there’s one last hope. Several companies make TPM modules that add TPM compatibility to certain motherboards. Don’t get your hopes up, however. There were only a few years between this compatibility being on the horizon and manufacturers not including it, but adding the connection to include it.
Search Google for your motherboard and “TPM compatibility” for more info.
Should you even bother checking your Windows 11 compatibility?
If your computer is fairly new (6 or fewer years old), it shouldn’t take long to get it ready for the Windows 11 upgrade. Is that time worth it? Absolutely. Without additional security updates, at least not without other steps, your computer will be vulnerable to malware and viruses. Since there are many millions of Windows 10 PCs, many of which also won’t get upgraded to Windows 11, it’s a safe bet hackers will be motivated to find and exploit newly found security issues.
The one exception is if you have an older computer that is never connected to the internet and never will be. Air gapped, as spy movies like to say. If you can’t download things to it, it can’t get infected. Only consider this if you’re sure it’s never going to be connected to the outside world.
If your computer is too old to upgrade, consider something new. Fortunately, with the holiday season around the corner, there should be some good discounts coming soon.
Next steps for upgrading to Windows 11
Once your computer is ready for Windows 11, it’s easy to upgrade, and shockingly, it’s free for most people.
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