Windows 11 has been around for over a year now, but the first big feature update has arrived. The original OS brought with it a new UI, a whole new Microsoft Store, Snap Layouts, and even Android apps by way of the Amazon Appstore. But now, you're probably wondering what the system requirements are so you can see if your PC can even run Windows 11, or if those requirements have changed as a result of Windows 11 version 22H2.
Luckily, Microsoft already has a support document ready. And yes, the system requirements increased for the original version of Windows 11, although in fairness to the Redmond firm, it really hasn't raised system requirements in any significant way since the Windows 7 era. The Windows 11 system requirements did not change with version 22H2.
First of all, RAM requirements went up. You need 4GB of RAM to run Windows 11, double that of a 64-bit Windows 10 machine and quadruple that of the 32-bit requirement for Windows 10. You'll also need 64GB of storage instead of 32GB.
You're going to need a 64-bit processor to run Windows 11. 32-bit support is out, and it was even out for new Windows 10 PCs, although they were still getting updates. The CPU also needs to have two or more cores, and that includes everything sold in the modern era.
However, none of those listed CPU requirements matter, and it's unclear as to why Microsoft even lists them. The firm actually has a specific list of CPUs that are supported. If you don't want to look up yours, it's pretty simple. For Intel, it's eighth-gen or newer; for AMD, it's Zen 2 or newer; and for Qualcomm, it's Snapdragon 850 or newer.
Microsoft had promised to reconsider its position on Intel seventh-gen and AMD Zen 1 processors, but not much changed. Seventh-gen Core X and Xeon processors were added, as well as one single mainstream chip: the Core i7-7820HQ, also known as the processor in the Surface Studio 2.
The other key change is TPM 2.0, although if you've got a supported processor, you should have TPM 2.0. It's been a requirement for new PCs since Windows 10 version 1607. You can check and see if your PC has it, and if not, you might even be able to enable it in the BIOS.
Windows 11 System Requirements
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 color 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. Learn more about S mode here.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. |
If you'd like, you can take a look through the full requirements of Windows 11, which gets a lot more granular. One thing that's not listed here is that PCs will require a Precision touchpad, something that may be an issue with older PCs, and even some newer HP laptops.
If you aren't sure if your PC meets the Windows 11 minimum requirements, you can also run Microsoft's PC Health tool, which will check your PC's compatibility for you.
Note that since this article was originally written, there have been various workarounds published for these requirements. As it turns out, you won't need a workaround. Microsoft will just let you install Windows 11 via an ISO if you don't have a supported CPU, although you might not get updated.