How to Upgrade an 'Incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - 2 Free Options

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On Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop delivering security updates to your Windows 10 PC unless you enroll that PC in the Extended Security Updates program. If you try to upgrade to Windows 11 on a PC that's more than five or six years old, you'll probably encounter an error message telling you -- in no uncertain terms -- that your old PC doesn't qualify because its CPU isn't on the official list of compatible processors.

Microsoft has stated, forcefully, that it will not revise those requirements. You will also hit roadblocks if your PC doesn't have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, or if the TPM is not enabled. Those pesky restrictions prevent you from automatically upgrading to Windows 11 using Windows Update or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.

Yet, as I detail in ZDNET's Windows 11 FAQ, there are documented workarounds for most PCs that were originally built for Windows 10. Over the past few years, Microsoft has played a cat-and-mouse game with enthusiasts, adding occasional speed bumps that make it more difficult to bypass these compatibility checks.

There are workarounds for most modern PCs, but some older devices, especially those built using AMD processors, might be out of luck. The instructions below take all those developments into account. Also: Can your old PC handle the Windows 11 upgrade? How to find out - before you try These instructions also assume that you have a PC running a retail or OEM edition of Windows 10 (Home or Pro) and that you are signed in as an administrator on the PC you want to upgrade.

Option 1: Use this simple registry edit

This registry edit, you can bypass CPU checks and accept any TPM version. Please be aware that this option requires that you run the Setup program from within your current Windows installation. You can't boot from a USB flash drive and install Windows 11 this way.

1. Change one key in the Windows registry

You need to make one small change to the Windows registry. For more than three years, this change was documented at Microsoft's support website, but the company removed those instructions in December 2024. (Here's an archived version of that support article.) This change tells the Windows 11 Setup program to skip the check for compatible CPUs and to allow installation on a PC with an older TPM (version 1.2). The usual warnings apply when working with the registry; I recommend you make a complete backup before proceeding.

Open Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to the following key:

If the MoSetup key doesn't exist, you need to create it. Right-click the node for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup in the left-hand navigation pane, then choose New > Key. Name it MoSetup and press Enter.

Also: Wiping your Windows laptop? Here's the simplest way to erase all personal data Select the MoSetup key and then right-click in any empty space in the pane on the right. Choose the option to create a new DWORD value. (Don't choose the QWORD option!) Replace the default name for that key by typing the text AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU and then press Enter.

Then double-click the new value and change the "Value data" box to 1. The result should look like this: Use this registry tweak to override the Windows 11 CPU compatibility check. You must have a TPM (any version) and Secure Boot must be enabled. Check for typos before proceeding -- Windows is frustratingly literal about the contents of the registry, and if you misspell the key or value name, your upgrade won't work.

Option 2: Use the free Rufus utility