How to identify if your computer can run Windows 11

How to identify if your computer can run Windows 11. Microsoft recently re-released its PC Health Check app, although it is not available to everyone. Here’s how to use the program, as well as two third-party alternatives, to determine a PC’s readiness to update to Windows 11.

How to identify if your computer can run Windows 11

Microsoft introduced Windows 11 in late June, noting that the forthcoming OS would have more severe hardware requirements than Windows 10, and releasing a program called PC Health Check to allow customers to assess their PCs’ upgrade readiness. However, just four days later, Microsoft yanked the tool from circulation, expressing concerns about its “degree of detail or accuracy.” In other words, it informed many people that their hardware couldn’t run Windows 11, but it didn’t explain why.

Microsoft announced more comprehensive minimum system requirements for Windows 11 to compensate for the loss of the PC Health Check tool, but it also highlighted that those needs may change after the firm took in comments from testers in its Windows Insider program.

The PC Health Check tool is back as of August 27, and there are plenty of third-party solutions for people who want a check on a PC’s compliance with – or violation of the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, which will be available in October 5. I’ll walk you through the current system requirements, as well as how to utilize the PC Health Check software and two alternative techniques to determine a PC’s readiness for Windows 11 update.

Microsoft Windows 11 Requirements

The following things, according to Microsoft’s Windows 11 overview website, outline the basic requirements a PC must meet in order for Windows 11 to install correctly on that machine. At the moment, Microsoft has eased those restrictions, allowing non-compliant PCs to run Windows 11 inside the Insider Program. However, when the official release of Windows 11 arrives later this year, those workstations will no longer be able to upgrade to higher versions.

Processor: 64-bit architecture at 1 GHz or faster; Intel: eight-generation or newer; AMD Ryzen 3 or better; Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or higher
RAM: 4 GB or higher
Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics card: Direct X12 or later capable; WDDM 2.0 driver or newer
Display: High-def (720p) display, larger than 9” diagonal in size, 8 bits per color channel (or better)
Internet connection/MSA: To complete device setup on the first usage, Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account (MSA). Switching out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also necessitates internet access. Internet access is required for all Windows 11 editions in order to receive updates and to download and use certain features. Some features also necessitate the use of an MSA.

Recently, the business relaxed its CPU limits to include certain high-end seventh-generation Intel CPUs, as well as certain Xeon processors, featured in some of its Microsoft Surface Studio 2 PCs. (See the Intel information link in the first list item above.) Otherwise, the above-mentioned restrictions remain in effect.

Microsoft PC Health Check

PC Health Check has been re-released as I write this, however it is presently only available to members of Microsoft’s Windows Insider program. You must be a registered Windows Insider and logged into the linked Microsoft account to download PC Health Check. Otherwise, Microsoft Software Download will respond with “To access this page, you must be a member of the Windows Insider program.”

After overcoming that obstacle, the download is easily available as a Microsoft Installer file called WindowsPCHealthCheckSetup.msi. When you run this file, the software will install itself.

To use the program, type PC Heal into the search box and then launch it from the Start menu. Click the Check now button inside the “Introducing Windows 11” pane at the top of the app window to run its built-in Windows 11 compatibility check.

After the compatibility check, the application returns one of three potential windows. Those who pass the check receive a “meets requirements” message (Figure 2, left); those who fail to receive a “doesn’t currently meet” message (center); and those from PCs running Windows Education, Enterprise, or another Windows version managed by an IT department receive a message reading “Your organization manages updates on this PC” (right), but no compatibility check. I’m using Enterprise on my production PC and have reported this as an error or problem to Microsoft through their Feedback Hub.

To see more information about both passing and failing PCs, click the See all results button. The malfunctioning PC is a Surface Pro 3 from 2014, which fails because its fourth-generation Intel CPU is not supported. A 2018 Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga with an eighth-generation Intel CPU and other essential components receives a passing grade. Figure 3 depicts some of the details for both devices.

Microsoft’s PC Health Check will function on the majority of Windows PCs. Windows 10 Education and Enterprise users may be out of luck. The same is true for Windows PCs that are centrally managed in an organization’s IT environment via Group Policy. As they say, YMMV. You may also choose not to participate in the Windows Insider program. As a result, I also propose the two third-party compatibility testing programs listed in the next section.