Windows 11 is a massive upgrade over Windows 10, and for most businesses, the answer to the question of “should we upgrade?” is an emphatic yes.
We’ll get to why, but first we need to talk about why we can’t just say a blanket “yes”: in a few important situations, upgrading could create big problems.
Here’s what you need to know.
Windows 11 and Hardware Requirements
Every new piece of software or operating system upgrade comes with some system requirements: you need this amount of storage, that amount of RAM, and a certain level of processor.
Windows 11 is no different — except the requirements found with Windows 11 are more precise and exacting. Windows 11 has some very specific hardware requirements related to digital security. In fact, when Windows 11 was first released, you couldn’t even install it on machines that didn’t have certain hardware features.
These days, there are ways to ignore these requirements and upgrade anyway, but watch out: doing so could leave you with computers that don’t operate as intended and can’t be updated properly. You may even be exposed to a whole range of dangerous security vulnerabilities because your PCs can’t handle the necessary security updates.
TPM 2.0: A Crash Course
The biggest requirement (and the one that trips up the most customers) is something called TPM 2.0. TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a hardware chip that lives inside the device (on the motherboard or SoC). This little piece of hardware enables certain types of on-device security. Windows Hello, Bitlocker, and some other similar protocols use the TPM chip to do their magic.
In Windows 10, these technologies — and the hardware powering them — were entirely optional. But in Windows 11, Microsoft moved to make them required, a core part of the OS experience.
The Problem
The problem with making TPM a hard requirement is that you can’t just install a TPM chip in a computer that doesn’t have one. So older machines without this chip just…don’t have it, and never will. Plus, lots of businesses use virtual machines that run a version of Windows. These aren’t even physical devices, so they can’t have the requisite physical piece of hardware.
The Workaround
Since there are legitimate scenarios where TPM 2.0 just isn’t possible (on devices that can otherwise run Windows 11 just fine), Microsoft relented — sort of. There are legitimate if complicated ways to bypass this requirement.
But doing so means you’re more or less on your own: Microsoft won’t guarantee things will work properly and may not provide support.
So unless you’re absolutely sure about it, using this workaround is a risky move.
Plot Twist: You Don’t Want to Stick with Windows 10, Either
Here’s where things get even trickier: sticking with Windows 10 isn’t a good option, either. That’s because the OS is reaching end of support later this year. Microsoft won’t be pushing any more feature updates or hotfixes. Emergency security updates will still be available — but only to customers that specifically pay for extended support. And even those will only be good for one more year.
The Right Path Forward
If you’re using hardware that doesn’t meet Windows 11’s minimum requirements, it’s time to get serious about upgrading. In most situations, it just doesn’t make financial sense to pay extra so that old, slow machines can work for just one more year. It’s better to put those funds toward device upgrades. Windows 11 itself will enhance security and help with productivity, and your team will benefit further from faster, more powerful hardware.
Even better, start working with a managed services provider to get on a predictable upgrade cycle without the spiky costs of replacing all devices at once. Questions? We’re happy to help — reach out anytime!