On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will cease security updates for Windows 10 PCs unless users enroll in the Extended Security Updates program. Users attempting to upgrade to Windows 11 on older machines may face compatibility issues, particularly if their CPU is not listed among the officially supported processors. Microsoft has firmly stated that it will not alter these requirements. Additionally, a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 is necessary, and it must be enabled for a successful upgrade.
Despite these restrictions, many users have discovered workarounds that allow for the upgrade of PCs originally designed for Windows 10. Over the years, Microsoft has made adjustments to complicate these bypasses, yet there remain viable options for most modern PCs. However, older devices, especially those with AMD processors, may encounter more significant challenges.
Which option should you choose?
Please don’t skip over this section. This article outlines two upgrade paths. To utilize the first option, your computer must meet specific prerequisites for Windows 11:
- It must be configured to boot using UEFI rather than a legacy BIOS.
- Secure Boot support is required, although it does not need to be enabled.
- A TPM must be enabled; version 1.2 is acceptable, but systems without a TPM or with it disabled will not succeed. Most PCs designed for Windows 10 should include TPM 2.0.
To verify these settings, run the System Information utility (Msinfo32.exe) and examine the System Summary page. Pay close attention to the BIOS Mode value; if it indicates “Legacy,” a reconfiguration to UEFI mode is necessary. To check TPM status, use the Trusted Platform Module Management tool (Tpm.msc) to confirm its presence and version.
If transitioning from Legacy BIOS to UEFI is not feasible, or if your older PC lacks TPM capabilities, the second option involves using an undocumented hack to bypass compatibility checks. Details for this method are outlined in the subsequent sections.
Option 1: Use this simple registry edit
This registry edit allows users to bypass CPU checks and accept any TPM version. Note that this option requires running the Setup program from within the current Windows installation, not from a USB drive. Follow these four steps:
- Open the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to HKEYLOCALMACHINESYSTEMSetup.
- If the MoSetup key is absent, create it by right-clicking on Setup, selecting New > Key, and naming it MoSetup.
- Right-click in the empty space on the right pane, select New > DWORD (not QWORD), and name it AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU. Set its value to 1.
- Download the Windows 11 ISO from the official site and save it in your Downloads folder.
For users with English (UK) settings, be cautious during installation as language mismatches can lead to issues retaining apps and data. If problems arise, revert and download the correct language version.
Option 2: Use the free Rufus utility
For older PCs lacking TPM or Secure Boot support, employing the Rufus utility offers a simpler method to bypass compatibility checks. This open-source tool automates the creation of installation media that includes necessary tweaks. Begin by downloading Rufus version 4.6 or later, as earlier versions are incompatible with recent Microsoft changes.
To proceed:
- Download Rufus from the developer’s site or the Microsoft Store.
- Select the USB drive in Rufus and choose the “Disk or ISO image” option.
- Click Select, choose the Windows 11 ISO, and then click Start.
- In the Windows User Experience dialog, check the box to remove hardware requirements, and adjust other settings as desired.
- Click OK to confirm and then Start to create the bootable installation drive.
After Rufus completes the process, open the USB drive in File Explorer and double-click Setup. Avoid upgrading by booting from the USB drive, as this method may lead to errors. When prompted at the beginning of Setup, select “Change how setup downloads updates” and choose “Not right now” to facilitate a smoother upgrade.
As with the first option, users will encounter compatibility warnings, which are largely precautionary. After accepting the terms, the upgrade process should proceed without significant issues.
Did your upgrade work?
If you’ve attempted the upgrade, your feedback is valuable. Share your experiences, whether successful or not, including details about your PC’s make and model, and any error messages encountered. For those who can generate a report using the SetupDiag utility, please include that as well. A dedicated inbox has been established for this feedback: Win11Upgrade [at] realworldwindows.com.
This article was originally published on April 9, 2022, and has been updated multiple times to incorporate new information and reader feedback, with the latest update on September 25, 2025.
