
Processor: 64-bit architecture at 1 GHz or faster Intel: eight-generation or newer ( details) AMD Ryzen 3 or better ( details) Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or higher ( details). But when the official release goes out later this year, those machines will no longer be able to upgrade to newer Windows 11 versions. At present, Microsoft has relaxed those restrictions, so that out-of-compliance PCs can run Windows 11 within the Insider Program. I’ll walk you through the system requirements as they stand now, as well as how to use the PC Health Check app and two alternative tools to check a PC’s Windows 11 upgrade readiness.Īccording to Microsoft’s Windows 11 overview page, the following items delineate the basic requirements a PC must meet for Windows 11 to install properly on that machine. To partially make up for the loss of the PC Health Check app, Microsoft published more detailed minimum system requirements for Windows 11, but it also noted that those requirements might change after the company factored in feedback from testers in its Windows Insider program.Īs of August 27, the PC Health Check tool is back, and there’s no shortage of third-party options available to those who’d like a report on a PCs’ compliance with - or violation of - the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, which will begin rolling out on October 5. Just four days later, however, Microsoft withdrew the tool from circulation, citing issues with its “level of detail or accuracy.” In other words, it was telling many users that their hardware couldn’t run Windows 11, but it wasn’t telling them why. Check the option to accept the license agreement option.In late June, Microsoft announced Windows 11, noted that the upcoming OS would have more stringent hardware requirements than Windows 10, and released a utility named PC Health Check to permit users to assess the upgrade readiness of their PCs. Double-click the setup file to install the PC Health Check app. Open the Microsoft support page (opens in new tab). The only caveat using this app is that it will only tell you if your hardware configuration will support the new OS, but it will not show any details about the processor available on your device.
How to check CPU compatibility using PC Health CheckĪlternatively, you can also use Windows PC Health Check to determine if your processor is compatible with Windows 11.
If you have an AMD processor, check this Microsoft support page (opens in new tab) to determine if the chip is on the compatibility list.Īfter you complete the steps, you will confirm if the processor may prevent you from upgrading to the next version of Windows.If you have an Intel processor, check this Microsoft support page (opens in new tab) to determine if the chip is on the compatibility list.Type the following command to determine if the system is 64-bit and press Enter: wmic computersystem get systemtype.Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)