Install Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware without Data Loss (3 Ways)

User case: install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware

“The new Windows 11 system from Microsoft looks great and I want to try it. So I decided to install it on my computer and try out the new OS. But I found that my computer doesn't support it as I received the message “This PC can't run Windows 11” while installing. Can anyone tell me how I install windows 11 on unsupported hardware? Many Thanks!”

With the launch of Windows 11, many users want to install the system because of its efficient new features. But not all PCs support the update. Thus, some users want to install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC. However, Microsoft does not recommend this operation, since it may cause compatibility or others issues (out of manufacturer waranty). And it is not guaranteed to receive updates, including but not limited to security updates.  

Thus, it's suggested to check if your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 and then upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. If not, and you are comfortable with them, you can skip this program and continue to install Windows 11.

Processors/CPUs: 1 (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC).

RAM: At least 4 GB.

Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device.

System firmware: UEFI firmware and Secure Boot are capable on your computer.

TPM: TMP 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 account: For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required, besides, Windows 11 Home edition requires a Microsoft account.

Install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware step by step 

If your computer meets the system requirement for Windows 11, the upgrade process is quite easy, you can directly upgrade Windows 10 with the help of  Windows Update feature.

Directly click Settings and select Update & Security > Windows Update, then tap on Check for updates, you will see all the available update including Windows 11. Click it and start the installtion. 

The most important aspect is to ensure your computer meet the system requirement, you could use free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard to help you. It adds a new tool - Windows 11 Update Checker, which helps you check all the hardware requirement and link you to related information. 

Also, it still helps you ensure data security if your computer does not meet these requirements but you want to install Windows 11 on it. It supports all the backup solutions (system, disk, partition and file backup), and allows you to run it automatically. Besides, it offers you many features to save disk space.

No matter what your situation is, it can help you. Please download it to have a try！

After determining if your computer meets the system requirement for Windows 11, you can continue to see below and install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC.

Method 1: Install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware No TPM and Secure Boot

If you can’t afford a new compatible computer but still would like to try Windows 11, you could install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware with help of Registry Editor. It helps you walk around the requirement check of Microsoft, but still requires a device with at least TPM 1.2 and UEFI firmware with Secure Boot enabled. 

Bypass TPM 2.0 and CPU requirement check

Step 1. Press Windows+R and type regedit in the Run dialog, then click OK.

Step 2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MoSetup and right-click it. Then, select New and choose the DWORD (32-bit) Value option.

Step 3. Create a new entry named AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU. Then, double-click on it, and set its value as 1.

Bypass TPM or Secure Boot check

Step 1. In the Registry, navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > Setup. Right-click on the blank on the right, select New, and then Key to create a new registry named LabConfig.

Step 2. Select the LabConfig key, right-click the blank space and then create two DWORD (32-bit) Value options from the New option. Then, name them BypassTPMCheck and BypassSecureBootCheckrespectively, and set their value data to 1.

After this process, close the Registry Editor and reboot your PC. Now you can install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware with no TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

Method 2: Install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware from bootable USB

If you don’t want to edit the Registry, you can choose to create a bootable media and install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware from USB. You need to use a bootable USB drive creation tool like Rufus or other similar products. Here I will take Rufus as an example.

Step 1. Plugin a USB drive on your PC and then launch the Rufus app. It will automatically select the USB device. Now, click Select and choose the Windows 11 ISO image.

Step 2. The Image option will appear and you should select Extended Windows 11 Installation.

Step 3. Since upgrading to Windows 11 requires GPT partition, please choose GPT in the Partition scheme. And select START to create a bootable USB drive so that you can also install Windows 11 on unsupported TPM.

★Tip:

If you are using an MBR disk, you should convert the MBR disk to a GPT disk.      

Method 3. Edit Windows 10 bootable USB drive to install Windows 11

This method is difficult and error prone, but it's the only way for very old PCs with legacy BIOS. You will edit the Windows 10 bootable USB drive and install Windows 11 on unsupported PC. And the installer will think it's installing Windows 10 and check for the same requirements. Note it's only suitable for current version of Windows. 

Step 1. Please prepare Windows 10 and 11 ISO file. And create a bootable USB for Windows 10 with media creation tool.

Step 2. Right-click Windows 11 ISO file and select Mount. Then, you will see the mounted folder in the Windows Explorer, go to the source folder and copy the install.wim file. 

Step 3. Open the Windows 10 bootable USB and its source folder. Then, delete the install.esd file and then paste the install.wim file to its source folder. 

Note: If it tells you the file is too big to move, you need to convert USB frive from FAT32 to NTFS first. FAT32 only copy files smaller than or equal to 4GB. 

Step 4. Go back to the root folder and click the setup file in it. 

Step 6. Click Change how Windows Setup downloads updates and Not right now. Then, click Next. 

Step 7. Then, it will ask you to accept terms and conditions and then tell you what to keep. Confirm them and click Install to install Windows 11 on unsupported PC.

Step 8. It will restart your PC and ask you to either upgrade the current Windows or install it on a new drive. Select upgrade current Windows here!

Backup Windows 11 after installing it on unsupported PC

As mentioned earlier, you may experience compatible or other issues if you install Windows 11 on unsupported PC or hardware. it's suggested to backup system to ensure data security. And you will not panic if your computer fails to boot. 

To complete the backup process, you need the help of free backup software -AOMEI Backupper Standard. Below are some advantges of it: 

Complete backup solutions. It supports backing up system, disk, partition or file. 

Flexible backup frequency. It allows you to schedule backup them with daily, weekly, monthly, and more specific, you can set backup date, time and intervals.

Smart backup strategies. It helps to save disk space with multiple features, such as, incremental backup, compression, splitting, intelligent sector backup, etc. 

Fast recovery tool. It is capable of creating bootable USB or CD/DVD to boot computer and restore system in the recovery environment. 

Various backup destinations. You can choose to back up to local path, external disks, USB flash drives, or network devices.

Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper after installing it. Then, click Backup > System Backup to get started. 

Step 2. It will automatically select the system disk and other partitions needed for booting, you just need to select a destination path. 

 Step 3.  Considering data security, it's suggested to schedule backup system with daily, weekly, monthly backup. And then, click Start Backup to backup your system.

★Tips:

By default, this software backup only changed files in a scheduled task with the help of incremental backup. But it's more demanding on backup intact and recovery, thus it's a better choice to try differential backup. 

To prevent backup disk full issue due to accumulated backups and limited space, you could consider using automatic backup cleanup method (By quality, By  time, By daily/weekly/monthly). It will delete old backup images based on the selected method.

Go back to previous version of Windows 10 within 30 days 

Besides, you can still choose to go back to previous version of Windows 10 if you experience the compatible or other issue in Windows 11. It only works within 30 days. 

Step 1. Open Settings, select System and Recovery option. Then, you will see the Recovery options - Previous version of Windows, click Go back button at the right side. 

Step 2. In this window, choose any of the options and click Next.

Step 3. When prompted to check for updates, click No, thanks.

Step 4. Click Next in the following two screens and then click Go back to earlier build to get the process started.

Summary

Microsft says the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience, but not all computer meets, thereby some users want to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. If you are willing to take the risk of compatibility or other issues, try the above 3 methods to do so. 

After installing Windows 11, it's suggested to backup system to protect data on it safely. After all, almost all of them are not downloadable and are unique for users. Try all-in-one backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard and it allows you to keep all the changes made later with help of it schedule backup and incremental backup. 

In its advanced edition, you can enjoy easy backup method - differential backup and delete image file automatically to free up disk space. Thus, you can keep enough space on the backup drive to store new backups. For more practical features, download and explore more in it!