With Windows 10 being discontinued after October 2025, it is now more important than ever to prepare to switch over to the later version.
Windows 11 features a number of advantages over its predecessor in terms of performance updates, productivity features and security upgrades. Windows 11 includes extra features such as AI powered experiences and immersive workflows. The logins are faster, updates are smaller and the improved touchscreen interface is more responsive than in previous versions.
This document details how exactly to upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11, even if you are not eligible—and without having to pay for it.
To be eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11, there are pretty stringent upgrading requirements that may prevent you from being able to upgrade all the devices in your business or home.
If your computer does not meet these requirements, however, you can bypass these checks with a third party application called Rufus.
In order to meet the criteria your device would need to have all of the following:
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Trusted platform model 2.0 support
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Secure boot enabled in the BIOS
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Supported processor model
The TPM restriction may mean that older Windows 10 machines are not eligible.
How To Upgrade to Windows 11
Before starting the update, you should check if your computer will be compatible by running the PC health check tool. This can be downloaded from Microsoft's PC Health Check support page.
Once the tool has been downloaded and installed, you just need to select the appropriate category for Windows 11 compatibility and click “check now”.
A message will pop up to let you know the status of your device and if it will be eligible for the update.
Does Windows 11 Need to be Downloaded or Installed?
Before downloading the update file itself, it is worth checking if the update is already available on your computer.
To do this, simply go to Settings and Update and Security to check if any updates are available.
Under Windows Update, you can select Check for Updates and the Windows 11 upgrade should show up if available.
If not, you can download the updated file through the Installation Assistant.
Select Download Windows 11, then click on the box that says Download Now.
From here, you can run the Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe file.
Once you click Accept and Install, the computer will be upgraded to Windows 11.
How To Download the Disk Image for Windows 11
If you are looking to update to Windows 11 without needing the stated system requirements, you will need to download the disk image for Windows 11. To do so, go to the Windows 11 download page, click on the Download Windows 11 disk Image (ISO) and choose Windows 11 in the drop down menu.
Click Confirm then Download to get the disk image for Windows 11.
Customising the Windows Installation With Rufus—How To Skip the Requirements
If your PC is somehow not compatible or eligible for a Windows 11 upgrade for free, it is possible to get around these system requirements.
Normally, you would not be able to upgrade to Windows 11 without an online Microsoft account or without 4 GB+ of RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. Using the Rufus application, you can bypass these requirements, however.
In order to skip the system requirements for updating Windows 10 to Windows 11, take the following steps
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Download the Windows 11 Disk Image from the Windows 11 Download page
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Download and install Rufus and open the app
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Insert USB stick w2ith 8gb free space that will be reformatted
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In Rufus, select the Windows 11 ISO file and set it to Standard Windows Installation
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In the device field, select the USB drive you want to use
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Tick the box that says “Remove requirement for 4 GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0”
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Click OK to set up the USB drive
Once the setup has been completed, you can then use this USB drive for any device you want to update from Windows 10 to 11. Just insert it into the PC you want to upgrade and run the setup file through the File Manager. This will update to Windows 11 and skip the requirement for 4 GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0, as with a standard installation procedure.
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