How to Upgrade your PC to Windows 11 (4 Methods Explained)
Finally, the long-awaited and much-hyped operating system from Microsoft, i.e. Windows 11 is out for the general public. And it’s available as a free upgrade to PCs already running licensed versions of Windows 10. So, if you are already using Windows 10, you can easily upgrade your PC to Windows 11 if your PC meets system requirements.
However, system requirements for Windows 11 are quite strict in the case of CPUs. Microsoft has released the list of supported processors. So, if you don’t have a supported processor, you can’t install Windows 11 on your PC. In that case, you will have to stay on Windows 10 which has support till Oct 2025. But after that, your PC will stop receiving updates and you might have to purchase a Windows 11 compatible PC.
SEE ALSO:
1. How to Bypass TPM 2.0 and CPU Requirements for Windows 11 Upgrade?
2. How to Clean Install Windows 11 on an Unsupported PC?
Minimum System Requirements for Windows 11
When it comes to minimum system requirements for Windows 11, Microsoft has drawn a strict line for supported PCs. You can use the official PC Health Check app to check if your PC fulfills minimum system requirements. Microsoft has also shared system requirements for Windows 11 on its website, which are shown below.
| Processor | 1 GHz or faster having 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC). |
| RAM | 4 GB or more. |
| Storage | 64 GB or more. You might need more space for installing apps and programs. |
| System firmware | UEFI with Secure Boot. |
| TPM | Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 |
| Graphics card | Your Graphics Card must be compatible with DirectX 12 or later with the WDDM 2.0 driver. |
| Display | HD (720p) display bigger than 9 inches diagonally having 8 bits per color channel. |
Besides all these requirements, you must also have a Microsoft Account if you are installing the Windows 11 Home version.
TPM has been the most controversial requirement for Windows 11 so far. However, if your CPU is supported, it might already have TPM 2.0. But if you can’t see it, it might be because TPM is disabled by default. So, you will have to enable it in BIOS/UEFI settings just like virtualization. After that, you can upgrade your PC to Windows 11.
SEE ALSO:
1. Snipping Tool not Working in Windows 11? Here is the Fix.
2. How to Run Windows 11 on VirtualBox using Disk2Vhd?
How to Get Windows 11 Update on your Windows 10 PC?
Now, after your PC meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, it’s time to get the Windows 11 update. After the official release of Windows 11 on Oct 5, 2021, it is rolling out to users with supported PCs via Windows Update. So, if your PC meets system requirements, you will eventually get Windows 11 via Windows Update.
However, if you would not like to wait and want to install Windows 11 right now, there are other methods available for that. We will discuss all these ways one by one starting with the Windows update method.
Method 1: Upgrade to Windows 11 via Windows Update
So, if you have a supported PC already running Windows 10, you will automatically get Windows 11 via Windows Update. You won’t have to do anything from your end. When the Windows 11 update is available for you, it will show up on the Windows Update settings page.
So, to check if you have already got the Windows 11 update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on your Windows 10 PC.
Now, you can see a notification telling you about the available Windows 11 upgrade. Simply click the Download and Install button to proceed. After that Windows 11 download will start via Windows update. Download size will be around 5-6 GB, so, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi to avoid mobile data usage.
Once, Windows 11 is downloaded and installed, your PC will restart. And after the upgrade process, you will have your Windows 11 ready.
SEE ALSO: How to Fix Windows Update Errors in Windows 10?
Method 2: Upgrade your PC to Windows 11 using Windows 11 Installation Assistant
So, if you have not received the Windows 11 upgrade via Windows Update, you can still upgrade your PC using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant tool. Go to the Windows 11 download page and click Download Now under Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
After downloading, run the Windows 11 Installation Assistant app. It might ask you to install the PC Health Check app first. So, install the PC Health Check app and check the compatibility of your PC.
If your PC is compatible, you can upgrade your PC to Windows 11 using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant tool.
Method 3: Upgrade your PC to Windows 11 using ISO
Another method to get Windows 11 on your PC is via ISO file. You can download Windows 11 ISO using Media Creation Tool which is available on Windows 11 download page.
After downloading, run the Media Creation Tool. Using the Media Creation Tool you can download Windows 11 ISO to your PC.
Now, you can mount ISO or create a bootable USB for Windows 11. After that plug in the USB to your PC and launch Windows 11 setup to upgrade your PC.
ALTERNATIVE:
Besides the Media Creation Tool, you can also download Windows 11 ISO directly from the Microsoft Website.
SEE ALSO: How to Remap Keyboard Keys in Windows 11?
Method 4: Upgrade via Windows Insider Program
If you are upgrading your daily use PC, we do not recommend this method. However, if you want to try Windows 11 on your spare or test PC, you can proceed with this method.
To upgrade your PC to Windows 11 via the Windows Insider Program, you must have a Microsoft Account. Using that Microsoft account, you will have to enroll your Windows 10 PC in the Windows Insider Program. But before that, you will have to turn on Optional Diagnostic Data in Windows 10. After that go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program
Next, you will have to connect your Microsoft Account. So, click Link an account and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Now, you will have to select the Windows 11 insider channel. We recommend you select Release Preview Channel or Beta Channel as these two are more stable compared to Dev Channel.
After that, you will get the latest build on your PC via Windows Update. Finally, restart your PC to upgrade to Windows 11.
SEE ALSO: How to install Google Play Store and Android Apps in Windows 11?
Get Windows 11 Upgrade on your Windows 10 PC
The above tutorial explained 4 methods using which you can get Windows 11 on your Windows 10 PC. We recommend using the Windows Update method as it is the safest of all. However, Windows 11 Installation Assistant is also a good method and you won’t have trouble using it.
But when you upgrade using ISO, you will have to mount it first or create a bootable USB using Rufus or DVD to start Windows 11 installation. We only suggest using the Windows Insider method for your testing PC because Insider builds are prone to bugs and errors.
Well, that is all from us right now. In case you have any trouble upgrading to Windows 11, using any of the methods explained above, feel free to drop a comment. We will try to get back to you as soon as possible. We also suggest you subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates via email.
