Windows 10 reached the end of normal support on October 14, 2025, so an eligible PC should now be moving to Windows 11 rather than remaining on an unsupported Windows 10 installation indefinitely.
The upgrade is still free for eligible Windows 10 PCs. If Windows 10 is already activated and the computer meets Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements, you can normally move to the corresponding Windows 11 edition without buying another license.
For most people, Windows Update is still the best upgrade method. Microsoft recommends checking compatibility first and waiting until Windows Update says Windows 11 is ready for the device.
The main things to verify before starting are:
- supported processor
- TPM 2.0
- UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability
- at least 4 GB of RAM
- at least 64 GB of storage
- compatible graphics
- enough free space for the upgrade
- a reliable backup of important files
If your PC cannot officially run Windows 11, do not jump straight to an unsupported installation. Microsoft currently offers Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates as a temporary option for eligible Windows 10 PCs that need more time.
Is the Windows 10 to Windows 11 Upgrade Still Free?
Yes.
Microsoft still describes the Windows 11 upgrade as free for eligible Windows 10 devices.
Your edition normally remains the same:
- Windows 10 Home → Windows 11 Home
- Windows 10 Pro → Windows 11 Pro
Upgrading the operating system does not automatically upgrade Home to Pro.
To check the current Windows edition, press:
Windows + R
Type:
winver
and press Enter.
You can also open:
Settings > System > About
A properly activated Windows 10 installation normally activates Windows 11 automatically after a supported in-place upgrade.
Windows 10 Support Has Already Ended
Microsoft ended normal Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025.
The PC does not stop working because of that date. Your applications and personal files can continue to work.
The important change is servicing.
A normal Windows 10 installation no longer receives the same regular free security updates, feature updates, or technical support it received before end of support.
Microsoft recommends one of three paths:
- Upgrade an eligible PC to Windows 11.
- Replace a PC that cannot meet Windows 11 requirements.
- Use the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates program temporarily when you need more time.
Microsoft’s current end-of-support page says Consumer ESU can provide eligible Windows 10 devices with additional security coverage through October 12, 2027.
Official Microsoft information:
https://support.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/updates-lifecycle/windows-10-support-has-ended-on-october-14-2025
ESU is a bridge, not a permanent replacement for moving to a supported operating system.
Check Whether Your PC Can Run Windows 11
Microsoft’s current minimum requirements include:
- 1 GHz or faster compatible 64-bit processor with at least two cores
- 4 GB RAM
- 64 GB or larger storage device
- UEFI firmware
- Secure Boot capability
- TPM 2.0
- DirectX 12-compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver
- 720p display larger than 9 inches
The processor must also appear on Microsoft’s supported CPU list.
The easiest compatibility check for most people is PC Health Check.
Microsoft’s current Windows 11 requirements are available here:
https://support.microsoft.com/windows/experience/compatibility/windows-11-system-requirements
Run PC Health Check
Install Microsoft’s PC Health Check app and select:
Check now
The result should tell you whether the computer meets Windows 11 requirements.
If the PC passes, you can proceed with the upgrade.
If it fails, identify the exact reason before changing anything.
Common results include:
- TPM 2.0 is disabled
- Secure Boot is unavailable
- the processor is unsupported
- the PC is using Legacy BIOS mode
- another hardware requirement is not met
Do not assume the computer needs replacing just because TPM or Secure Boot appears disabled.
Those features may already exist in the hardware and simply need to be enabled.
Check TPM 2.0
Press:
Windows + R
Type:
tpm.msc
and press Enter.
Look for:
Specification Version
If it shows:
2.0
the TPM version meets the Windows 11 requirement.
If Windows says a compatible TPM cannot be found, the feature may be disabled in firmware.
Manufacturers can use names such as:
- TPM
- Intel PTT
- Platform Trust Technology
- AMD fTPM
- Firmware TPM
- Security Device Support
If you need to enter the firmware interface, use How to Open BIOS in Windows 11. The same BIOS/UEFI access methods apply when preparing a Windows 10 PC.
Do not change unrelated firmware settings.
Check UEFI and Secure Boot
Press:
Windows + R
Type:
msinfo32
and press Enter.
In System Information, find:
BIOS Mode
and:
Secure Boot State
For a normal supported Windows 11 configuration, the PC should use UEFI firmware and support Secure Boot.
If BIOS Mode shows Legacy, do not simply switch the firmware setting to UEFI.
Windows may have been installed using an older disk and boot configuration. Changing firmware modes without preparing the installation can make Windows unbootable.
Back up the PC and follow instructions appropriate to the exact hardware before converting a Legacy installation.
Check Windows Activation
Open:
Settings > Update & Security > Activation
Make sure Windows 10 is activated.
If activation is already broken, resolve that before the operating-system upgrade when possible.
You normally do not need to enter another product key during a standard upgrade from an activated Windows 10 installation to the corresponding Windows 11 edition.
Back Up Important Files
A supported in-place upgrade is designed to keep personal files and installed applications, but I would not perform a major operating-system upgrade without a backup.
Back up anything you cannot afford to lose, including:
- documents
- photos
- work files
- project folders
- browser data that is not synced
- password databases
- important downloads
- game saves that are not cloud-synced
Use an external drive, OneDrive, a NAS, or another trusted destination.
For important files, keep more than one copy.
Also save the BitLocker recovery key if the PC uses BitLocker or Device Encryption, especially before changing TPM or Secure Boot settings.
For a fuller preparation checklist, see 15 Things to Do Before Upgrading to Windows 11.
Prepare Windows 10 for the Upgrade
Before starting:
- Install available Windows updates.
- Restart the PC.
- Free up storage space.
- Connect a laptop to AC power.
- Disconnect unnecessary USB devices.
- Update only the drivers that are relevant to known compatibility problems.
- Check essential work software for Windows 11 compatibility.
Do not manually delete Windows system folders to make space.
Use Windows Storage settings to review temporary files and large files instead.
You also do not need to update every driver on the computer just because you are upgrading. Focus on devices with warnings, known compatibility issues, or manufacturer guidance.
Method 1: Upgrade Through Windows Update
This is Microsoft’s recommended route.
On Windows 10, open:
Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
Select:
Check for updates
If Windows 11 is ready for your PC, Windows Update should show the upgrade.
Windows Update showing the Windows 11 Download and install option on an eligible Windows 10 PC.
Select:
Download and install
Read and accept the license terms.
Windows downloads and prepares the feature upgrade.
When Windows says a restart is required:
- Save your work.
- Select Restart now.
- Let the computer restart as many times as necessary.
- Do not force the PC off because a progress percentage pauses for a while.
After Windows 11 loads, sign in and check:
- activation
- Windows Update
- sound
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- Bluetooth
- graphics
- important applications
- connected devices
If Windows 11 Is Not Offered
There are several possible reasons.
The PC may:
- fail a hardware requirement
- have pending Windows updates
- be under a compatibility safeguard hold
- use a driver or application with a known upgrade problem
- be managed by an organization
Run PC Health Check again.
If the computer recently had TPM or Secure Boot enabled, restart Windows before checking again.
A safeguard hold should not be bypassed casually. Microsoft uses these holds when a known compatibility issue could cause a poor upgrade experience.
Method 2: Use Windows 11 Installation Assistant
The Installation Assistant is useful when:
- the PC is eligible
- PC Health Check passes
- Windows Update is not yet offering Windows 11
- you want to start the supported upgrade manually
Microsoft still recommends Windows Update first.
Download the Installation Assistant only from Microsoft.
Run it and allow it to check the PC.
If the device meets the requirements:
- Select Accept and install.
- Let Windows 11 download.
- Save your work when restart is requested.
- Select Restart now.
- Allow Setup to finish.
Do not use third-party Windows upgrade utilities.
Method 3: Upgrade With Windows 11 Installation Media
Official Windows 11 installation media can also perform an in-place upgrade.
This method is useful when Windows Update or Installation Assistant is inconvenient or when you want reusable installation media.
Create the media using Microsoft’s official Windows 11 download tools.
Then, while still signed into Windows 10:
- Connect the Windows 11 USB drive.
- Open File Explorer.
- Open the installation media.
- Run:
setup.exe
- Approve User Account Control.
- Follow Windows Setup.
- At Ready to install, check what Setup says it will keep.
- Choose Keep personal files and apps for a normal in-place upgrade.
- Continue.
This is different from booting the computer directly from the USB drive.
Do Not Boot From USB for a Normal Upgrade
If your goal is to upgrade while keeping your installed programs, files, and Windows settings, run setup.exe from inside Windows 10.
Booting directly from Windows installation media is commonly used for a fresh installation.
A clean installation can erase applications, settings, and data depending on the choices you make.
Always read the Ready to install screen carefully.
What “Keep Personal Files and Apps” Means
During an in-place upgrade, Windows Setup may offer different retention options.
Keep Personal Files and Apps
This is normally the correct option when you want a standard upgrade.
Windows attempts to preserve:
- personal files
- installed applications
- Windows settings
Keep Personal Files Only
Personal data is kept, but applications and many Windows settings are removed.
Nothing
Files, applications, and settings are removed.
Do not choose this unless you intentionally want a fresh start and have already backed up the PC.
Will My Files Be Deleted?
A normal supported in-place Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade is designed to preserve personal files.
Windows Update and Installation Assistant normally keep both personal files and applications.
Installation media can also preserve them when you launch setup.exe from Windows 10 and choose Keep personal files and apps.
That does not eliminate risk.
Power loss, storage failure, software conflicts, or other problems can still cause an upgrade to fail, which is why a backup remains important.
Will My Programs and Drivers Still Work?
Many Windows 10 programs continue to work on Windows 11.
Pay extra attention to older or specialist software such as:
- accounting software
- old printer utilities
- VPN clients
- security tools
- audio production software
- old games
- virtualization software
- hardware-control applications
For drivers, Windows tries to migrate compatible devices and can install newer drivers through Windows Update afterward.
You usually do not need to manually reinstall every driver.
Check the manufacturer only when a device does not work correctly or has a known Windows 11 requirement.
What If the Upgrade Fails and Rolls Back?
The error code matters.
Write it down before trying again.
If you see an error beginning with:
0xC1900101
a driver or low-level compatibility problem is a strong possibility.
Use Install Error 0xC1900101: How to Fix It rather than repeatedly restarting the same upgrade.
Other useful checks include:
- removing unnecessary USB devices
- freeing more storage
- uninstalling incompatible low-level software
- updating a specifically problematic driver
- repairing Windows system files
- checking the system drive
Do not keep repeating a failed upgrade without identifying what changed.
What If the Processor Is Unsupported?
An unsupported processor is different from disabled TPM or Secure Boot.
There may be no firmware setting that makes an unsupported CPU officially supported.
Microsoft does not recommend installing Windows 11 on hardware that does not meet the minimum requirements.
An unsupported installation may have compatibility problems and is not guaranteed to receive normal support.
If your PC cannot officially run Windows 11, consider:
- Windows 10 Consumer ESU as a temporary bridge
- replacing the PC
- moving important work to another supported device
I would not present Windows 11 requirement bypasses as the default upgrade method for an everyday PC.
What If TPM 2.0 Is Missing?
First determine whether it is truly absent.
Many supported Intel systems use:
Intel PTT
Many AMD systems use:
AMD fTPM
If the firmware option exists, enable it, save the firmware settings, and restart.
Then run:
tpm.msc
again.
Do not update the BIOS simply because TPM is disabled.
Enable the existing feature first.
What If Secure Boot Says Unsupported?
Open:
msinfo32
and check BIOS Mode.
If it shows Legacy, the PC may need to be converted to UEFI before Secure Boot can be used.
Do not toggle Legacy/CSM to UEFI without confirming how Windows is currently installed.
If BIOS Mode already shows UEFI, Secure Boot may simply need to be enabled.
Back up important files and save the BitLocker recovery key before firmware changes.
After the Upgrade
Once Windows 11 is running:
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Install current updates.
- Restart when required.
- Check activation.
- Test important applications.
- Check Device Manager for obvious hardware problems.
- Verify Wi-Fi, sound, Bluetooth, graphics, printers, and other essential devices.
- Confirm your files are present.
Do not immediately delete rollback files.
Windows normally provides a limited period in which you can return to Windows 10 after an upgrade if the rollback files are still available.
Once you are confident Windows 11 is stable and your backup is safe, Windows Storage settings can remove old installation files when you no longer need the rollback option.
The safest upgrade path is still straightforward: verify compatibility, back up important data, use Windows Update first, and move to Installation Assistant or official installation media only when there is a reason. If the PC does not meet Windows 11 requirements, use a supported temporary alternative such as ESU rather than forcing an unsupported installation without understanding the tradeoffs.
