Microsoft warns against installing Windows 11 on incompatible PCs

Not long ago, Microsoft doubled down on its policy that requires PCs to have TPM 2.0-compatible hardware in order to install Windows 11. On another support page, Microsoft acknowledges the possibility of installing Windows 11 on incompatible devices, which begins with a direct warning against it:

“Installing Windows 11 on a device that doesn’t meet Windows 11 minimum system requirements isn’t recommended. If Windows 11 is installed on ineligible hardware, you should be comfortable assuming the risk of running into compatibility issues.”

The risk alluded to here includes system crashes and the lack of crucial security updates that would otherwise keep the PC safe and protected against malware, hackers, and scammers.

Therefore, anyone wishing to install Windows 11 like this must first accept the following disclaimer:

“This PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 — these requirements help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience. Installing Windows 11 on this PC is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won’t be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren’t covered under the manufacturer warranty. By selecting Accept, you are acknowledging that you read and understand this statement.”

And as of December 12th, the support page has been updated with more explicit messaging that Microsoft doesn’t endorse or condone the installation of Windows 11 on incompatible systems:

“This support article was originally published on October 4, 2021, when Windows 11 was first released to the public. At the time of publication and still today, the intention behind this support page is to detail considerations for customers to understand the implications of installing Windows 11 against Microsoft’s recommendation on devices that don’t meet system requirements for Windows 11. If you installed Windows 11 on a device not meeting Windows 11 system requirements, Microsoft recommends you roll back to Windows 10 immediately.”

Installing Windows 11 on incompatible PCs

With Windows 11, Microsoft’s chief requirement is the availability of a TPM 2.0 chip. We previously explained what a TPM is, and we also wrote about how you might not actually need to buy a TPM for Windows 11. But for a valid installation, you do need TPM 2.0 for Windows 11.

That said, it’s certainly possible to force-install Windows 11 on proper-hardware-lacking systems using workarounds (although Microsoft does tend to block such workarounds when they get popular).

After installing Windows 11, if your device doesn’t meet the requirements, you’ll see a watermark added to the desktop and you’ll see a notification in the Settings app. These can only be removed with registry tweaks.

Going back to Windows 10 afterwards

For anyone who updates to Windows 11 despite not meeting the requirements, Microsoft offers the opportunity to return to Windows 10. However, this is only possible for 10 days after upgrading.

The option to revert can be found in Settings under System > Recovery > Recovery options. The step-by-step process will then take you back to Windows 10. However, you should create a backup before upgrading to be on the safe side in case something goes wrong.

Further reading: Want to stay on Windows 10? It’ll cost you

Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated that Microsoft’s incompatible hardware instructions were issued shortly after the company said it would not open up older hardware to Windows 11. That page was published long before Microsoft’s new statement, as reflected in the update above. PCWorld regrets the error and we’ve rewritten this article to clarify matters.