Windows 11 Logo with Wallpaper

Windows 11 is now available. If you've decided you desire to upgrade from Windows 10, here's how you can go the gratuitous upgrade—even if Windows Update doesn't offer information technology. This works if Windows 11 doesn't officially support your PC, besides.

How to Cheque if Windows 11 Supports Your PC

To cheque if Windows eleven officially supports your PC hardware, download and run Microsoft'south PC Health Bank check app.

Click the "Check Now" push and the tool will tell you whether Windows 11 officially supports your PC. If it doesn't, the tool volition requite you information about why. If the problem is lack of TPM 2.0, for example, you may exist able to plough TPM 2.0 on in your PC'due south UEFI firmware (BIOS.)

Hither'south the proficient news: Even if your PC isn't officially supported, y'all can even so upgrade to Windows 11 anyway. It'south up to y'all, simply Microsoft warns you may experience issues and won't guarantee future updates for Windows on your hardware.

The PC Health Check app saying a PC meets Windows 11's requirements.

The Safe and Slow Manner: Windows Update

For the safest possible update process, get to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on your Windows x PC. (You can press Windows+i to speedily open the Settings app.)

Click the "Check for updates" button to run into if any updates are available. If Microsoft thinks your PC is ready for Windows 11, yous'll see an "Upgrade to Windows 11 is ready—and it'due south free!" banner here. Click "Download and install" to get it.

Notation: Microsoft is slowly offering this update to more and more than PCs over time. If you don't run into the banner offering yous the update here yet, you lot may encounter it in a few weeks—or a few months. For the best possible update experience on your hardware, Microsoft recommends waiting for Windows Update to offer the update to your PC. When Microsoft is confident your PC is gear up, y'all'll get the update.

If Windows 11 doesn't officially back up your PC, you will never come across the update offered via Windows Update. (Merely don't worry, Windows 10 will still be officially supported until October 2025.)

Windows Update offering Windows 11 on Windows 10.
Microsoft

The Fast Fashion: Download Windows 11

Microsoft offers a variety of tools for downloading Windows 11 immediately. These will skip the irksome, careful upgrade process and let you skip the line and install Windows eleven right now—even if your PC doesn't officially back up Windows xi.

To get started, visit Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page. Nosotros recommend y'all download and run the Windows 11 Update Assistant. Information technology volition update your current PC to Windows 11 for you. (You can too use the Create Windows 11 Installation Media tool to create installation media on a bootable USB or DVD, or download a Windows 11 ISO for apply in a virtual motorcar.)

Warning: Past installing Windows 11 immediately, you're skipping Microsoft's wearisome-and-steady rollout procedure. You may encounter bugs with Windows 11 on your hardware. If that's a deal-breaker for you, we encourage you to wait a few months earlier you're offered the upgrade.

If you lot encounter a problem, note that you can downgrade dorsum to Windows 10 within the first ten days afterwards upgrading.

RELATED: How to Strength the Windows 11 Update and Upgrade Immediately

If Your PC Isn't Officially Supported

If your PC isn't officially supported and you want to upgrade anyway, you volition take to exercise some legwork to figure out why. Hither's how to install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC.

In some cases, you lot will be able to make your PC officially supported. In other cases, you may accept to accept the risk of bugs and issues with future updates if you'd like to upgrade.

Whether you actually want to accept the hazard of problems is upwards to you lot, but we encourage you to keep older PCs on Windows 10 unless y'all're enthusiastic near upgrading them for a item reason.

RELATED: How to Downgrade from Windows xi to Windows 10

If Y'all're Running an Insider Build of Windows 11

Past the mode, if y'all're already running a Windows Insider build of Windows 11, we encourage you to switch to the stable version of Windows xi—unless you want to proceed testing Windows 11 updates, of grade.