Microsoft has finally unveiled the much-rumored Windows 11 at its event, and it looks really promising in terms of visual changes and feature set. It comes with a new Start menu, a centered taskbar, a brand new Microsoft Store, and Android app support on Windows 11, among other things. Along with that, Microsoft also released a PC Health Check app that lets you check if your PC can run Windows 11. That said, many users are reporting that even modern Windows 10 PCs are getting the “This PC Can’t Run Windows 11” error. So we looked into this issue and have come with a fix and a possible explanation behind this error. So without any delay, let’s jump into the guide.
Here, we have first discussed the issue and then provided a solution. In case the solution does not work for you, move to the last section for a possible explanation as to why this issue is popping up.
- Why is PC Health Check App Throwing “This PC Can’t Run Windows 11” Error
- Fix “This PC Can’t Run Windows 11” Error in a Few Easy Steps
- Windows 10 PC Still Incompatible with Windows 11 Even After Enabling TPM?
Why is PC Health Check App Throwing “This PC Can’t Run Windows 11” Error Even on Modern PCs
With Windows 11, Microsoft wants to tighten security on its operating system. And the work to build a secure Windows had started way back in 2017. Microsoft mandated OEMs to pack a TPM module (it’s a kind of security chip) on their laptops and desktops. TPM module is responsible for protecting passwords, managing Bitlocker, authenticating credentials, and more.
Apart from that, there seems to be confusion regarding the TPM version. Microsoft says the minimum requirement for running Windows 11 is TPM 2.0. However, the official Compatibility doc for Windows 11 says there are two Floors: Hard Floor and Soft Floor. Under the Hard Floor, even if the TPM version is 1.2, Windows 11 will still work.
First, you need to boot into the BIOS or UEFI interface of your PC. You can do this by pressing the boot key continuously while your computer starts up.
Finally, some users have reported that enabling “Virtualization” in the BIOS/ UEFI does the trick for installing Windows 11. So look for one of these options: “Intel Virtualization Technology” or “Virtualization Technology” or “Intel VT-x” or “AMD-V” or “SVM Mode” in your BIOS settings. Simply put, if you find anything along the lines of Virtualization, enable it.
If you meet all the hardware requirements for running Windows 11 and still get the same error, it’s most likely to do with the CPU. Microsoft has released a list of Windows 11-compatible processors for both Intel and AMD. From the looks of it, major Intel Core processors such as i3, i5, i7, i9, etc., are supported, but you must be running an 8th-Gen (released in 2018) or above CPU to install Windows 11, which is a shocker. Basically, if you have an Intel processor below 8th-gen, you won’t pass the Windows 11 compatibility test.
If you pass even the CPU test and still the app throws an error, it’s most likely a bug. Steve Dispensa, VP of Product Management at Microsoft, confirmed that a new update for the PC Health Check app is coming soon. Perhaps, you should wait for the update and check if your PC is compatible with Windows 11.
Sorry for the irritating experience! We’re going to improve the PC Health Check app over the next couple of weeks. Hopeful that the first update will be out tomorrow.
Microsoft will itself provide Windows 11 updates to Windows Insiders who don’t meet the requirements, so there is definitely a way to run Windows 11 on unsupported devices. We just need to wait and see if Microsoft decided to ease the restrictions as we go along or the developer community finds ways to install Windows 11 on unsupported machines (barring 32-bit PCs). As far as I can tell, older CPUs are more than capable to run Windows 11.
