Windows 11 Upgrade Assistant Tool

In addition to increased reliability, the supported processors increase security capabilities at the chip level. These processors provide virtualization extensions and virtualization performance improvements. Windows 11 supports virtualization-based security which enables several security capabilities, including memory integrity, also known as hypervisor-protected code integrity .

HVCI disables dynamic code injection into the Windows kernel. HVCI also provides driver control and ensures that all drivers loaded meet a policy of allowed drivers set by Microsoft and the user. The United States Department of Defense requires virtualization-based security on Windows 10 for their devices. In partnership with our OEM and silicon partners, we will be enabling VBS and HVCI on most new PCs over this next year. And we will continue to seek opportunities to expand VBS across more systems over time. Original equipment manufacturers can still ship computers without a TPM 2.0 coprocessor upon Microsoft's approval.

Some third-party software may refuse to run on unsupported configurations of Windows 11. Windows 11 is available as a free upgrade for compatible Windows 10 PCs, you can wait for the update to appear in the usual windows update section under settings on your computer. However, if the option isn't there yet, and you are excited to upgrade to Windows 11 now there are a couple of ways to force your computer to install it.

Or even Windows 11 ISO images available for download to create installation media and perform a clean install manually. Here this post we go through steps, How to Use Windows 11 Installation Assistant to Upgrade From Windows 10 to latest windows 11 version 21H2. If your existing Windows 10 PC is running Windows 10 20H1 or later and meets the minimum hardware specificationsit will be able to upgrade to Windows 11.

The upgrade rollout plan is still being finalized, but for most devices already in use today, we expect it to be ready sometime in early 2022. Not all Windows 10 PCs that are eligible to upgrade will be offered to upgrade at the same time. To see if your PC is eligible to upgrade, refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems. Once the upgrade rollout has started, you can check if it is ready for your device by going to Settings/Windows Updates. Similar to how end users are notified when updates are available in Windows 10, end users will see an indication in the notification areas of the taskbar in the bottom right, that the upgrade is available.

More information on how that is presented will be available at a later date. Additional desktop notification options may be also be added at a later date. If your device does not meet the new hardware requirements, the seeking experience will not be available. On unsupported devices, Microsoft will also block the update when you use Media Creation Tool or Update Assistant tool. However, you'll be able to bypass the upgrade blocks by modifying the installation media or registry. For those who are using a PC that won't upgrade, and who aren't ready to transition to a new device, Windows 10 is the right choice.

We will support Windows 10 through October 14, 2025 and we recently announced that the next feature update to Windows 10 is coming later this year. Whatever you decide, we are committed to supporting you and offering choice in your computing journey. If you want to see the full Windows 11 minimum system requirements, you can visit this page. He also acknowledged the expansion of Microsoft Store to include more "traditional" desktop applications.

Another option is to create installation media on a USB key and install the operating system using that. A final option is to download a Windows 11 disk image to create a bootable installation media such as a USB stick or DVD, or create a virtual machine to install the new Windows software. One of the best known and most universally used tools to update Windows is called Media Creation Tool. The Microsoft tool always downloads the latest version of Windows 11 which is the operating system installation image containing the latest feature update. Windows 11 Media Creation Tool is an official free tool by Microsoft to upgrade your edition of Windows 10, 8 or 8.1 to an 11 edition.

The application, easy to use, is in the form of a wizard that allows you either to perform the update directly or to create a USB drive or a bootable DVD to install the new version of the operating system. So, what is Windows 11 Media Creation Tool and how it can help to create installation media? This post show students and new users steps to upgrade a Windows 10 PC using Windows 11 installation assistant. If you have had the same installation for a long time, you might need to analyze and repair the current setup to fix missing or damaged files. Otherwise, during the upgrade process, the chances of running into issues will be high. However, if you plan to proceed with a clean installation using a bootable USB flash drive, then you can't skip this suggestion since the previous installation will be erased during the process.

For example, even though Windows 11 is available as a free optional update for Windows 10, the device must meet the new system requirements. You need to ensure that the Trusted Platform Module and Secure Boot are enabled on the computer. You also need to make sure the device has enough space and there are no problems before continuing with the upgrade. Furthermore, you want to create a backup in the case you need to roll back, check the activation status, and create installation media.

Actually installing Windows 11 is a very simple process. Once you have created installation media, you can simply launch the setup file in your flash drive, then click through the installing process. Once the installation process is finished, you'll be running Windows 11. If you want to do it this way, it's pretty much the same as having an ISO file. According to the support document, Microsoft has released a Windows 10 OOBE update titled "KB " to enable a new upgrade experience to Windows 11 Home or Professional.

However, there's a catch – this process requires users to reset the device or clean install Windows 10. Furthermore, if you plan to upgrade with a clean installation, you will also need to make sure the computer can start from a USB flash drive. Windows 11 continues our strong commitment to compatibility.

This means that devices can upgrade to Windows 11 and critical apps and devices will simply work. Raising the Windows 11 minimum system requirements enables us to better support apps and hardware for drivers and devices. Feedback also shows us that unsupported hardware is more likely to have older drivers that are incompatible with new OS features such as VBS. Supported hardware also comes with modern drivers, which helps ensure not only the reliability we mentioned earlier, but also great hardware compatibility. Windows 10 updates take so long to complete because Microsoft is constantly adding larger files and features to them.

The biggest updates, released in the spring and fall of every year, usually take upwards of four hours to install. Besides, it's also relevant to the small available space, hard drive fragments, software conflicts, and other factors. After you complete the steps, repeat the instructions to back up the files on the remaining accounts .

In addition to making a copy of your files, it's also recommended to create a list of the installed programs with their respective product keys to know what you need to reinstall in the new setup. If you usually do not sync passwords and bookmarks with an online service, this is a good time to export your browser credentials and links. As part of the minimum system requirements, Windows 11 only runs on devices with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 security coprocessor. According to Microsoft, the TPM 2.0 coprocessor is a "critical building block" for protection against firmware and hardware attacks.

In addition, Microsoft now requires devices with Windows 11 to include virtualization-based security , hypervisor-protected code integrity , and Secure Boot built-in and enabled by default. The operating system also features hardware-enforced stack protection for supported Intel and AMD processors for protection against zero-day exploits. Citing security considerations, the system requirements for Windows 11 were increased over Windows 10.

While the OS can be installed on unsupported processors, Microsoft does not guarantee the availability of updates. Windows 11 also drops support for 32-bit x86 CPUs and devices which use BIOS firmware. This will not erase any of your personal files and is similar to an OTA (over-the-air) update – however, it's always advisable to have backups. Similarly, you can create a bootable USB drive or a disk image to perform a clean install. "The upgrade to Windows 11 is available for devices running Windows 10, version 20H1 or newer, on eligible hardware. The Windows 11 download and install will likely take longer than a typical Windows 10 feature update," the company's Twitter handle said in a tweet posted on June 30.

Microsoft makes it easy for you to opt into beta testing, but not as easy to opt out. Complicating matters somewhat, if your computer meets the Windows 11 hardware requirements, you might additionally see that OS as available for installation in Windows Update. Once you complete the steps, the tool will download the files and create an installation media, which you can then use to upgrade a compatible computer to Windows 11. After you complete the steps, the device should be able to boot from a USB installation media and pass the minimum system requirements check. Alternatively, you can download an ISO file directly from Microsoft's upgrade page, should you want to create bootable installation media or create a virtual machine before you install Windows 11. At least 16GB of RAM The basic system requirements of Windows 11 differ significantly from Windows 10.

Windows 11 only supports 64-bit systems such as those using an x86-64 or ARM64 processor; IA-32 processors are no longer supported. Thus, Windows 11 is the first ever consumer version of Windows not to support 32-bit processors and 16-bit software . The minimum RAM and storage requirements were also increased; Windows 11 now requires at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. S mode is only supported for the Home edition of Windows 11. The compatibility list includes the Intel Core i7-7820HQ, a seventh-generation processor used by the Surface Studio 2, although only on devices that shipped with DCH-based drivers. After the download, double-click the ISO file and then double-click the setup.exe file.

Click Next at the initial install screen to check for and download any updates to Windows 11. At the Ready to Install screen, you will see that Windows 11 will be installed and personal files and apps will be kept by default. Click the advanced options link during the installation process and choose to run the install without online assistant or updates. We want to install from the file we copied over and not from a file stored in the cloud. This means there will be updates to download and install after the initial process is completed.

Microsoft has made it abundantly clear that it wants to limit Windows 11 installations to certain PCs with appropriate hardware security features. Unfortunately, those requirements block many older, yet still useable, PCs from the Windows 11 upgrade. The implication is that users will need to buy new hardware to accommodate Windows 11 sooner rather than later.

Microsoft doesn't recommend installing Windows 11 on devices that don't meet the system requirements, but you'll still be able to do so. It's worth noting that you might not get Windows 11 updates on PCs with unsupported processors. For downloading the Media Creation Tool an internet connection is mandatory, preferably of very good quality because the file to download is very heavy. The Windows 11 Media Creation Tool can be downloaded from the official page by clicking on the Download tool now button.

It allows you to create Windows 11 installation media from any version of Windows. I always use the release of a new feature update to be the sign that I need to ensure that all of my main computers are on the prior release. I prefer to stay one release behind, as it typically provides me with a stable system with full Microsoft support, and I'm able to identify what issues I may face. So I'm using this time to ensure I have a copy of Windows 10 21H1, which was released in May, saved on a flash drive or on a storage location on a hard drive.

Knowing that some users will want to install Windows 11 on systems that don't meet all of its hardware requirements, Microsoft has provided a registry hack that loosens them up somewhat. Using this hack, you can install on a system that has at least TPM 1.2 and has an unsupported CPU. That said, we recommend the scripts above because they don't require you to have TPM of any kind. Upgrade to Windows 11 using Windows 11 Installation AssistantThe Windows 11 installation assistant tool now starts to download files required for Windows 11 upgrade.

Run Windows 11 installation assistantI have purposely added this screen to show you know that a Windows 11 PC health app is required by Windows 11 installation assistant tool. If you have already installed the health check app, you shouldn't see this screen. This Windows 11 ISO option is for users that want to create a bootable installation media or create a virtual machine (.ISO file) to install Windows 11. You can refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems to determine if your device eligible to upgrade to Windows -11. Many PCs that are less than four years old will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. They must be running 20H1 or later version of Windows 10 and meet the minimum hardware requirements to receive the Windows 11 upgrade.

Windows 11 Home may be restricted by default to verified software obtained from Microsoft Store ("S Mode"). Windows 11 Home requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account in order to complete first-time setup. Internet Explorer has been replaced by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge as the default web browser, and Microsoft Teams is integrated into the Windows shell. Microsoft also announced plans to allow more flexibility in software that can be distributed via Microsoft Store, and to support Android apps on Windows 11 . Click Next to have Windows 11 check for any updates, then accept the license terms. The Ready to install screen shows that Windows 11 will be installed and that your personal files and apps will be kept.

You can then elect to keep personal files and apps, personal files only, or nothing. Windows 10 updates often take up a lot of hard drive space, so you need to make sure there is enough room for them to speed up the installation. This means deleting junk files and unnecessary large files. If there are a lot of files waiting for removing, manual deletion can be cumbersome and time-consuming. In this case, you can use cleanup software to help delete large amounts of files at once automatically. After the announcement of the launch of Windows 11, there was a lot of fuss about the devices that could support it.

Windows 11 officially requires a Trusted Platform Module 2.0, UEFI, and Secure Boot in order to run on a machine, and if yours doesn't meet those requirements, you will not be able to install it. The easiest way to check whether your hardware is eligible is by installing Microsoft's own PC Health Check application. Similar to Windows 10, you can install Windows 11 through Windows Update , Update Assistant, Media Creation Tool, and via ISO files. Microsoft has also shared a list of known issues that may disrupt the update process or post-update experience. Do make sure to check that out before upgrading to Windows 11.

It's not imperative that you upgrade your system to Windows in the next couple of weeks, or even months. For many people, that's about the time to upgrade to a newer device, one that will come with Windows 11 already installed. To assure we are all on the same page, the following procedure will update an existing unsupported Windows 10 PC to Windows 11. On qualifying hardware, this upgrade is performed automatically as part of the standard security update process. On hardware failing to meet the requirements, the installation must be performed manually.

There are many users who, after the release of Windows 11, went ahead and checked whether their PC is eligible to be upgraded with Windows 11. Sadly, they found out that their PC does not meet the minimum requirements to install Windows 11. In this case, the question arises what options are left then? To put it simply, the best option here is to buy a new PC before the deadline, i.e. 2025. Many games that use Anti-cheat tools also have started relying on Windows 11 security features to provide fair gameplay.