Upgrade to Windows 11: Microsoft finally launched its new version of the operating system known as Windows 11, but the initial roll-out is going to be slow. The good thing is that you can bypass the roll-out schedule and upgrade right away using a lesser-known path to upgrade that does not require joining the Windows Insider program, as long as you have eligible hardware.
Additionally, you can check if your device is eligible, by downloading the PC Health Check app and checking to see if your machine is compatible with Windows 11. If not, the app will show you what’s wrong and, if possible, the steps to fix it.
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How To Manually Download Windows 11 OS
Here is how to download Windows 11 operating system with the Installation Assistant:
All Microsoft PC has the Installation Assistant available to download now. This tool allows users to upgrade to the release version of the Windows 11 operating system without having to wait for the update to roll through.
Keep in mind that you may encounter bugs and crashes if you go this route, as Microsoft may not have finished testing the device you are using.
Furthermore, the Installation Assistant has a built-in hardware check, so before the installation begins, it will automatically scan your PC to make sure your hardware has the minimum requirement for the spec.
However, Windows 11 requires an Intel 8th-gen processor or newer, or an AMD Ryzen 2000 processor or newer. It also requires TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. The app will tell you if your PC supports Windows 11, or you can run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app.
But if your device does not meet the minimum requirement, you are not totally out of luck. The good news is that Microsoft is still offering Upgrade to Windows 11 through its Media Creation Tool. This tool does not run hardware checks, so you can use it to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. You might not want to, though.
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However, Microsoft has not been clear on this point, even in several attempts to get a straight answer. As it stands now, it seems that unsupported installations won’t receive critical security updates. They may not receive driver updates, either, so you will need to seek out all of the drivers for your machine on your own.
If you have an eligible device, you can upgrade to the Windows 11 operating system now through the Installation Assistant, or you can wait until Microsoft rolls out the update to your device in the coming months.
It is recommended to back up your device data, files, and documents before upgrading. Upgrade to Windows 11 will not erase it — unless you use the Media Creation Tool, that is — but it’s a good idea to back everything up if you want to do a clean install of Windows 10 down the line.
Would you like to read more Windows 11-related articles? If so, we invite you to take a look at our other tech topics before you leave!
