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 →

A new zero-day vulnerability in Windows

Introduction A new zero-day vulnerability in Windows Search has been discovered which can be exploited to automatically open a malicious search window containing remotely-hosted malware executables. The vulnerability is triggered when a user launches a Word document,...

Outsourcing always beats DIY

Do you ever feel like you're juggling ten tasks at once to keep your business running? Marketing, sales, finances, IT… the list goes on! And somewhere in that chaos, your dreams for growth get lost. Enter Dave, a fellow entrepreneur who has created the same...

Why you will not be fine on this Cloud9

Fake Flash messages are being used as a cover for a new ‘botnet’ campaign. If you use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge you could be a target.

An AI-charged blast from the past

Microsoft Paint is all grown up, and it’s making a supercharged comeback thanks to AI. We have all the details

Unwrap the gift of knowledge: 5 free AI courses by Microsoft

Unwrap the gift of knowledge: 5 free AI training courses by Microsoft

Microsoft has a little business-boosting gift that you won’t want to miss out on… five free courses about AI. We have the details, and the links to the courses.

Tech Tip: How to search for files in Window and Microsoft 365

Welcome to a new Tuesday tech tip video where we will show you how to find your files using the powerful search features of Windows and Microsoft 365. Even if you are very organised with filing your data, sometimes, you just cannot find the file that you are looking...

Cut the Jargon! The top 3 things you should discuss with your IT partner

IT support involves technical tasks, and the language used in this field can be quite technical at times. Therefore, we have created a plain language guide that focuses on the three key areas you should discuss with your technology partner. Contact us if you want to...

Tech Tip: The Power of Microsoft To Do

Hello everyone and welcome to a new Tuesday Two Minute Tech Tip. 👉 Do you want to get more organised? 👉 Do you wish you could see all of the things that you need to remember all in one place? 👉 Do you need a tool...

Now AI can make your Teams meetings more productive

Microsoft Teams Meeting Recap will summarise your meetings and even make a list of the action points. We show you its other benefits

Don’t Overlook Home Worker Security

Protecting Home Workers and Your Business In the current work-from-home landscape, business security strategies often overlook one crucial aspect: home office security. This oversight creates vulnerabilities that cybercriminals are actively exploiting. With more...

Windows 11 Upgrade Requirements