Microsoft has officially begun the rollout of Windows 11 23H2 for eligible Windows 10 devices with a visual overhaul, a centered start menu, support for Android apps, Snap layouts, a new widgets section and a lot more. It’s available as a free upgrade for Windows 10 PC but your device must meet minimum system requirements for Windows 11 that are defined by the company. Here this post guide you, how to check if your device is eligible for Windows 11 23H2 free upgrade using the official PC health check tool. And How to upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 for FREE if your PC meets the hardware requirements.
Check Windows 11 compatibility
Microsoft officially defines that your device must fulfill the below system requirement to get a Windows 11 23H2 free upgrade.
- At least 4GB of system memory (RAM).
- At least 64GB of available storage.
- One of Windows 11’s officially approved processors (CPUs), with at least two cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC, Currently we found three lists for AMD models, Intel models, and Qualcomm models.
- A graphics processor that is compatible with DirectX 12 and Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.0 or greater.
- TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) support,
- The PC should be Secure Boot capable.
If you have a compatible device running a genuine version of Windows 10, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free using the Windows Update feature.
If you don’t know what device configuration you have, you can take the help of the Windows 11 PC Health Check app.
- Download the PC health check app from the given link here, and run as administrator.
- Once done, open the PC health check app and click on Check Now,
- This will tell your PC qualifies for Windows 11 free upgrade or if not it will display the reasons.
Upgrade Windows 11 23H2 free
The official way to install Windows 11 23H2 update is to check for Windows updates. If your device meets the hardware requirements it will prompt for free upgrade. But what if PC health check tool says the device is eligible for Windows 11 free upgrade but you won’t see any notification on Windows update? Don’t worry using the official Windows 11 Installation Assistant you can get the free upgrade right now.
Before Install Windows 11
- Temporarily disable or uninstall third-party antivirus applications from your PC,
- Make sure you have a stable working internet connection to download Windows 11 update files from the Microsoft server. And disconnect VPN if configured on your Device.
- Disconnect external devices that include the printer, scanner, USB flash drive or external HDD and more.
- And most importantly backup your important images, files and folders to an external device or cloud storage.
Check for Updates
Microsoft slowly rolling out Windows 11 23H2 for compatible Windows 10 devices. The company recommends checking for Windows updates to know if the Windows 11 free upgrade is available for your PC.
- On your Windows 10 computer open settings using the Windows key + I
- Go to update and security, windows update and hit the check for updates button.
- Check if Windows 11 is waiting for you, if yes then hit the download and install button,
- Accept license terms to start downloading Windows 11 update files from the Microsoft server,
- The download and installation may take some time depending on your Internet connection speed and system configuration.
- Once the process completes, restart your computer,
- Wait a few moments and the brand new Windows 11 presents with new exited features and improvements.
For Windows 11 devices:
If you are an existing Windows 11 user, You can download and install Windows 11 23H2 by heading to Settings > Windows Update, turning on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available, and clicking Check for updates.
Windows 11 Installation Assistant
Your system is compatible with Windows 11 free upgrade but checking for Windows update didn’t show the notification. Here is how to upgrade Windows 11 23H2 for free using installation assistance.
- Before using this tool make sure your device has Windows 10 version 2004 or higher installed,
- Your device must meet minimum system requirements for installing Windows 11.
- Ensure you have at least 16 GB of free disk space on your system to download Windows 11 update files on your local storage using the assistant.
- And most importantly, ensure that you run the installation assistant as an administrator.
Upgrade Windows 11 using the upgrade assistant
- Open the Download Windows 11 page and click the Download Now button under the Windows 11 Installation Assistant section.
- Locate the Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe, right-click on it select run as administrator,
- Click yes if UAC prompts for permission, and Wait for the Assistant to check your system for Windows 11 compatibility.
- The license screen prompts, and you must Click on Accept and Install to proceed.
- Next, it will start downloading update files from the Microsoft server, and then verify the update files downloaded completely.
- Finally, it will start installing, and once done it will prompt to restart the device.
My device isn’t compatible with Windows 11
If your computer does not qualify for Windows 11 free upgrade, don’t worry it’s not the end of the world. You have two different options, the first option is you could simply stay on Windows 10. Microsoft has stated that they are going to continue supporting Windows 10 through 2025.
But what if you really want Windows 11? You can get Windows 11 even if it states that your hardware is not capable for running it. And the workaround is tweak the registry editor, then download the Windows 11 ISO run the setup.exe as administrator. It will bypass these system requirement checks. So what is the downside of installing Windows 11 incompatible devices? Microsoft has stated that you might now get security or driver updates if you have installed Windows 11 on incompatible devices.
Also read:
- How to Quickly Fix Blue Screen of Death Errors in Windows 10
- Windows 10 computer slow not responding after update? let’s optimize it
- Windows 10 Laptop not recognizing headphones? Here is how to fix it
- Fix Windows 10 Laptop Overheating or shutdown Issues (3 Tips to Cooldown)
- How To Transfer Windows 10 license to a new computer / another hard drive