Goodbye to old devices Microsoft insists on Windows 11 operating system requirements
Microsoft has definitively confirmed that the stringent operating system requirements for Windows 11 , most notably support for Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, are “non-negotiable.”
This comes as Windows 10 support is set to end in October 2025, indicating the company's determination to enhance security standards in future operating systems.
In an official post titled “TPM 2.0 – A technology essential to the security and future sustainability of Windows 11,” Microsoft explained that these requirements aim to ensure identity and data protection, and achieve advanced security on Windows devices.
“TPM 2.0 plays a vital role in strengthening identity and data protection, and ensuring system integrity,” said Stephen Hawking, product manager at Microsoft. “It also future-proofs Windows 11 by protecting sensitive information, while increasing AI capabilities in cloud and server infrastructure.”
TPM 2.0 technology helps support advanced system security features, such as Credential Guard and Windows Hello for Business, in addition to disk encryption using BitLocker technology, and securing the boot process using “Secure Boot” technology.
Microsoft says TPM 2.0 support is a key requirement for the future of Windows, along with support for virtualization-based security (VBS). As a result, Windows 11 only supports processors released in 2018 and later.
In light of these strict requirements from Microsoft, solutions have emerged to circumvent them and run Windows 11 on unsupported devices. Microsoft has tightened the procedures for checking device compatibility in the 24H2 update, which has made it more difficult for tools to be available to bypass the system installation requirements.
As Windows 10 support nears its end, Microsoft is urging users to purchase new devices that support Windows 11, with full-screen warning messages.
The company is repeating this strategy that it previously used with Windows 10 years ago, in an attempt to accelerate adoption of the new system, and ensure a smooth transition before Windows 10 support ends.