The new Windows 11 will be available for download in late 2021 or early 2022. To install it, you need a PC or laptop that runs on licensed Windows 10 and meets all the system requirements – they are already published on the official website.
Windows 11 minimum system requirements:
- Processor : Dual 1GHz cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC;
- RAM : 4 GB;
- Storage : 64 GB;
- Video adapter : compatible with DirectX 12 / WDDM 2.x;
- Display : over 9 inches with HD (720p) resolution;
- System firmware : UEFI, with support for secure boot (Secure Boot);
- TPM : Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
| Processor: | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC) |
| RAM: | 4 gigabyte (GB) |
| Storage: | 64 GB or larger storage deviceNote: See below under “More information on storage space to keep Windows 11 up-to-date” for more details. |
| System firmware: | UEFI, Secure Boot capable |
| TPM: | Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 |
| Graphics card: | Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver |
| Display: | High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per colour channel |
| Internet connection and Microsoft accounts: | Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use. Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features. |
In terms of the main hardware, these requirements are quite modest, however, there are two conditions that make a huge number of devices incompatible with the new OS. In particular, the classic BIOS is not specified in the system firmware, but only a more modern UEFI shell. This means that old PCs with basic I / O will not be able to install Windows 11 (at least legally).
To check if your laptop or PC is using UEFI, open “System Information” (you can type in the Windows search) and find the line “BIOS Mode”.
The Secure Boot protocol in UEFI can be disabled, so it will need to be enabled for Windows 11. The same goes for TPM (Trusted Platform Module). This module for cryptographic keys and encryption often does not work by default.
To check if the TPM module is active, open the command dialog box using the Win + R combination, enter the tpm.msc command and press enter.
Checking compatibility with Windows 11
Microsoft has released a special utility PC Health Check, which allows you to determine if your PC meets all the requirements of Windows 11. You can download it from the official website of the company. It installs quickly enough and allows you to go straight to the test.
An alternative way of checking is through a special page on the Microsoft website, which is faster, but a little less reliable. There is no need to install the utility.
There may be additional requirements over time for updates, as well as requirements to turn on specific features within the OS.
Feature-specific requirements for Windows 11
Some features in Windows 11 have increased requirements beyond those listed above in the minimum requirements section. Below are some additional details regarding requirements for key features:
5G support requires a 5G capable modem.
Auto HDR requires an HDR monitor.
BitLocker to Go requires a USB flash drive (available in Windows Pro and above editions).
Client Hyper-V requires a processor with second-level address translation (SLAT) capabilities (available in Windows Pro and above editions).
Cortana requires a microphone and speaker and is currently available on Windows 11 for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States.
DirectStorage requires an NVMe SSD to store and run games that use the “Standard NVM Express Controller” driver and a DirectX12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support.
DirectX 12 Ultimate is available with supported games and graphics chips.
Presence requires a sensor that can detect human distance from the device or intent to interact with the device.
Intelligent Video Conferencing requires a video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output).
Multiple Voice Assistant (MVA) requires a microphone and speaker.
Snap three-column layouts require a screen that is 1920 effective pixels or greater in width.
Mute/Unmute from Taskbar requires a video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output). The app must be compatible with the feature to enable global mute/unmute.
Spatial Sound requires supporting hardware and software.
Teams require a video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output).
Touch requires a screen or monitor that supports multi-touch.
Two-factor authentication requires the use of PIN, biometric (fingerprint reader or illuminated infrared camera), or a phone with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capabilities.
Voice Typing requires a PC with a microphone.
Wake on Voice requires a Modern Standby power model and microphone.
Wi-Fi 6E requires new WLAN IHV hardware and driver and a Wi-Fi 6E capable AP/router.
Windows Hello requires a camera configured for near-infrared (IR) imaging or a fingerprint reader for biometric authentication. Devices without biometric sensors can use Windows Hello with a PIN or a portable Microsoft compatible security key.
Windows Projection requires a display adapter that supports Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.0 and a Wi-Fi adapter that supports Wi-Fi Direct.
Xbox (app) requires an Xbox Live account, which is not available in all regions. See Xbox Live Countries and Regions for the most up-to-date information on availability. Some features in the Xbox app will require an active Xbox Game Pass subscription.
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