A woman looking confused holding Windows 11 upgrade media

The termination of support for Windows 10 by Microsoft in October 2025 means that business leaders need to plan for the transition to Windows 11, and this means understanding the Windows 11 upgrade requirements. Upgrading from Windows 10 to 11 is free, however, Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements and not all computers that currently run Windows 10 can be upgraded and older systems may need to be replaced.

Therefore, it is crucial to understand the technical prerequisites to facilitate a smooth transition.

In this blog post, we will discuss the technical requirements of upgrading to Windows 11 so you can assess its impact on your business.

Technical Requirements

Processors

Windows 11 needs a compatible 64-bit processor with a clock speed of at least 1 GHz and 2 or more cores.

Intel processors will need to be 8th-generation processors or above.

For AMD processors, it is not as simple to determine, but you will find a list of supported processors here:

Windows processor requirements Windows 11 supported AMD processors | Microsoft Learn

RAM

A minimum of 4GB of RAM is needed for Windows 11 to run.

Storage

You will need 64GB or more of storage space to install Windows 11.

TPM (Trusted Platform Module)

Windows 11 mandates TPM 2.0 for security reasons. It is essential to ensure that your system’s BIOS or UEFI firmware has TPM enabled.

Secure Boot

Secure Boot must be supported and enabled in the system’s UEFI firmware. Secure Boot is a feature that ensures only trusted software is loaded during start up, enhancing security.

Graphics Card

Your system must be equipped with a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card and a WDDM 2.0 driver.

Internet Connection

An internet connection will be required to finalize the upgrade process and to carry out updates after installation.

How to check if your systems are compatible

Microsoft provides a PC Health Check app to ascertain whether your system complies with the Windows 11 requirements. Running this tool can help identify any potential compatibility issues. Blisstech Solutions can assist with running this across your environment to audit this automatically.

What if my systems aren’t compatible?

If your systems aren’t compatible, you will need to take action before October 2025 to address this.

If the issue blocking the upgrade is a processor or TPM, you will most likely need to replace the system, as upgrading these items is usually not an option.

If one of the other technical requirements is the issue, then a simple upgrade or configuration change may be all that is needed.

If you need help or advice with the transition to Windows 11, Blisstech Solutions are experts in this field and would be delighted to help. Just get in touch.

← Don’t sleep on this simple, effective security booster The Blue Screen of Death and how to avoid it →

How Much Should You Pay for IT Managed Service Costs in the UK?

If you are looking for managed IT services in the UK, you should understand there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. There are many managed service providers out there and they offer a huge range of prices. This can be overwhelming when trying to choose between them!...

Tech Tip: How to use cross references in Word

Today's Two Minute Tech Tip is another tip for Microsoft Word. If you use Word to write documentation, contracts or any other type of detailed document, then this tip is for you. Usually, when you write such a document, you need to refer to other places in the...

The secrets to make your laptop battery live longer

Ever been caught out by a low laptop battery at the worst possible time? Here’s our professional advice to prolong your laptop battery’s lifespan.

3 things you should do now to protect your business email

It's a fact, most cyber attacks start with an email. In fact, a frightening 91% of attacks begin with someone clicking on something they shouldn't in an email they received. Here are three things you can do now to protect your business and make it harder for...

Ransomware threats are surging – here’s how to protect your business

After years of decline, ransomware attacks are on the rise again. And more businesses are being targeted. It’s time to protect your data. Here we explain how.

Privacy alert: Change this setting in Edge, now

Attention! Microsoft Edge is recording information on the images you browse to improve their AI models. This is how to disable it.

Be more productive with these Microsoft Edge features

In the never-ending mission to be more productive, the latest Microsoft Edge browser could be a powerful ally. We’re telling you about 5 of its best productivity features.

5 steps to help recover from a cyber attack

Read this BEFORE you get hit with a cyber attack The worst time to decide how to deal with a cyber-attack is when you’re in the middle of one. Unfortunately, you’ll probably need to deal with it eventually—small and medium-sized businesses are prime targets for...

Tech Tip: Send quick Teams messages from anywhere

We all know that Teams messaging is a great way to communicate with others, but it can be disruptive if it interrupts our flow. Even though Teams messaging is a great way to communicate with colleagues, it can easily break your concentration and flow. You might find...

IT Managed Services for Law Firms

Over the years, technology has shaped and changed legal firms in the UK in many ways. Technology has helped legal firms to go digital and provide a streamlined client experience by allowing them to access case files online from anywhere. Technology has also helped...

Windows 11 Upgrade Requirements