How to Install Windows 11 on an Unsupported PC

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Ankit Kumar
Windows 11InstallSystemSetupUpgrade

The Problem

Setup stops with This PC doesn't currently meet Windows 11 system requirements — usually because of TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or an unsupported CPU. Windows 10 support has ended, so staying put is not a long-term plan either.

There are official workarounds for some of this, and Microsoft-documented registry bypasses for the rest. Before using any of them, check whether your PC actually is unsupported — a large share of "unsupported" machines simply have TPM switched off in BIOS.

Read this first, honestly. An unsupported install works, but Microsoft states such PCs are not entitled to updates and displays a desktop watermark. In practice updates have continued to arrive, but that can change. Treat this as a stopgap, not a permanent plan. Alternatives are in Windows 10 end of support: what to do.

Step 1: Check Whether You Are Actually Unsupported

Most blocked PCs are supported once firmware settings are corrected.

  1. Press Win + R, type tpm.msc, press Enter. If it reports a TPM with Specification Version 2.0, that requirement is met.
  2. Run msinfo32 and check Secure Boot State and BIOS Mode. You want On and UEFI.
  3. Download PC Health Check from Microsoft for a plain-English verdict on which requirement fails.
  4. If TPM or Secure Boot is simply disabled, enable it and install normally — no bypass needed: enable TPM and Secure Boot for the Windows 11 upgrade.

Step 2: Back Up Everything First

  1. Copy Documents, Pictures, Desktop, and Downloads to an external drive.
  2. Note your app licence keys and browser sign-ins.
  3. Create a full system image if you might want to go back: back up your PC with Windows Backup and File History.
  4. Verify the backup by opening a few files from it. An unverified backup is not a backup.

Step 3: Create Windows 11 Installation Media

  1. Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool or the ISO from microsoft.com.
  2. If using the tool, create a USB drive of at least 8 GB. This erases the USB drive.
  3. If you downloaded the ISO and want to upgrade in place, just double-click to mount it.

Step 4: Choose Your Route

  • In-place upgrade (keeps files and apps) — mount the ISO, run setup.exe from inside Windows. Best if the PC currently works.
  • Clean install (erases the drive) — boot from the USB. Best if the current install is a mess. See how to clean install Windows 11.

Both routes need the same bypass below.

Step 5: Apply the Registry Bypass for TPM and CPU

Microsoft documents this key for PCs with TPM 1.2 that fail only the CPU or TPM-version check.

  1. Open Registry Editor (Win + R → regedit).
  2. Navigate to: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup
    Create the MoSetup key if it does not exist: right-click Setup → New → Key.
  3. Right-click in the right pane → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  4. Name it: 
    AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU
  5. Set its value to 1.
  6. Restart, then run setup.exe from the mounted ISO.

Step 6: Bypass the Checks During a Clean Install

Use this when installing from USB on a PC with no TPM at all.

  1. Boot from the USB. When the first setup screen appears, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
  2. Type regedit and press Enter.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup.
  4. Create a new key named LabConfig.
  5. Inside it, create these DWORD (32-bit) values, each set to 1: 
    BypassTPMCheck
BypassSecureBootCheck
BypassRAMCheck
BypassStorageCheck
BypassCPUCheck
  6. Close Registry Editor and Command Prompt, then click Next to continue setup.

Step 7: Handle the Microsoft Account Requirement

  1. Windows 11 Home pushes hard for an internet connection and a Microsoft account.
  2. At the network screen, press Shift + F10 and run: 
    start ms-cxh:localonly
  3. That opens the local-account dialog. Create your username and password there.
  4. If it does not appear on your build, connect to the internet, finish setup with a Microsoft account, then add a local account afterwards in Settings → Accounts.

Step 8: Finish Setup and Install Drivers

  1. Install chipset drivers first, from your motherboard or laptop manufacturer.
  2. Then graphics, network, and audio. On older hardware, the manufacturer may only publish Windows 10 drivers — those generally install and work fine.
  3. General method: how to update outdated drivers.
  4. Run Windows Update repeatedly until it reports no more updates.

Step 9: Confirm Updates Still Reach You

  1. Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.
  2. Install what appears and restart.
  3. Check again monthly. If quality updates ever stop arriving, download them manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog by KB number.
  4. A desktop watermark reading System requirements not met is expected and harmless.

What Not to Do

  • Don't use a third-party "Windows 11 bypass installer". The registry keys above are documented by Microsoft and free; repackaged installers from unknown sites are a malware risk. See avoid malware and fake downloads.
  • Don't skip the backup. Setup failing partway on unsupported hardware is a real possibility.
  • Don't do this on a work machine without permission — it usually breaks device-compliance policies.
  • Don't leave BitLocker on without saving your key first. See enable BitLocker drive encryption.

Still Not Working?

If setup fails partway on unsupported hardware, the safer options are: stay on Windows 10 with mitigations from Windows 10 end of support, add a compatible CPU/motherboard — see best PC upgrades — or use the machine for Linux or as a spare.

Related: how to check your PC specs, reinstall Windows without losing data, and activate Windows 11 and fix activation errors.

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