On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop providing security updates to Windows 10 PCs unless they pay a (pretty hefty) fee to join the Extended Security Updates program. Upgrading to Windows 11 is also a way to continue receiving security patches.
However, if you try to upgrade to Windows 11 from a PC that’s several years old, you’ll be told your product isn’t eligible because your CPU isn’t on the compatibility list. Microsoft says it won’t change those requirements. You’ll also run into a roadblock if your PC doesn’t have version 2.0 of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
These annoying limitations prevent upgrading to Windows 11 using Windows Update or Windows 11 Installation Assistant. However, a newly shared trick suggests users how to upgrade Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 through the following instructions.
Change a key in the Windows Registry
This change will tell Windows 11 setup to skip checking for compatible CPUs and allow installation on PCs with older TPMs (version 1.2). Of course, the usual caveats apply, meaning users should back up the Registry before proceeding.
- Open Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup
- Select that key and then right-click any empty space in the right pane. Choose the option to create a value DWORD newly named AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU with the same value 1. The result will look like in the picture.
- Click OK to save changes, then restart your PC.
Download Windows 11 ISO and mount it in virtual DVD drive
On the PC you want to upgrade, go to Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page and select the option at the bottom of the page that says Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices. Save the ISO file to the folder Downloads on your system. Note that this is a large file. Depending on your internet connection speed, the download may take a while.
Once the download is complete, open File Explorer and double-click the ISO file to mount it as a virtual DVD drive in its own folder.
Windows Installation
In File Explorer, find the file Setup.exe and double-click that file to start the upgrade. Users will see a warning about compatibility issues, but after clicking OK on that dialog, the upgrade to Windows 11 will proceed without any major issues.
If you want more control over the upgrade process and don’t mind creating custom installation media, you can use the free open source utility Rufus.