How can I upgrade or install Windows 11 26H1 on unsupported computer?

This is a powerful machine and no problem to run Windows 11 26H1 as far as I know.

Ventooy is a free, open-source bootable USB tool that lets you boot operating system ISOs directly without reformatting the USB each time.

You install Ventooy once on a USB drive, then simply copy ISO files (Windows, Linux, recovery tools) onto it. For Windows 11 26H1 on unsupported PCs, Ventooy is popular because it works well with registry-based requirement bypasses or preconfigured answer files, allowing you to install Windows 11 without TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or supported CPU checks.

Pros

No need to recreate the USB for each ISO

Supports multiple Windows versions and builds on one USB

Works with clean, unmodified Microsoft ISOs

Ideal for testing 26H1, 25H2, Insider, and recovery tools

Cons

No built-in GUI for automatic Windows 11 bypass

Requires manual registry edits or answer files

Slightly more technical than Rufus or Flyby11

In short, Ventooy is an excellent choice if you want maximum flexibility and reuse when installing Windows 11 26H1 on unsupported PCs, especially for advanced users or testers who work with multiple ISOs.

Using WinPE modification with WinBuilder is another advanced method to prepare a customized Windows PE environment that can bypass hardware checks during Windows 11 installation on unsupported hardware. This approach involves creating a bootable Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) with tailored modifications to skip TPM, Secure Boot, CPU, and other hardware requirements.

How to Install Windows 11 26h1 on Unsupported Hardware?

1. Prepare WinPE Environment  
   Use WinBuilder or similar tools like WinPE Creator to build a custom WinPE bootable image.
   Incorporate necessary drivers, scripts, and modifications to bypass hardware checks.

2. Integrate Windows 11 Setup Files  
   Copy the Windows 11 ISO contents into the WinPE environment.
   Modify the setup process within WinPE to skip hardware compatibility checks, often by injecting custom  scripts or registry modifications that are executed during setup.

3. Create Bootable Media  
   Export the customized WinPE as bootable USB or ISO.
   Boot your unsupported system from this media.

4. Run Windows 11 Setup from WinPE  
   Launch the setup within this environment.
   The custom modifications should allow the setup to proceed despite unsupported hardware.

Advantages of Install Windows 11 26h1 on unsupported hardware:
    More control over the setup process.
   Ability to automate bypassing hardware checks with scripts.
   Less risk of corrupting the ISO, as modifications are made within a controlled environment.

About upgrading or installing Windows 11 26H1 on unsuported hardware. Using "ISO Surgery" with 7-Zip is a common method to prepare a Windows 11 ISO for installation on unsupported hardware, such as older PCs that don't meet Microsoft's official requirements. Here's a general overview of the process:

1. Obtain the Windows 11 ISO

• Download the official Windows 11 26H1 ISO from Microsoft's website.

2. Open the ISO with 7-Zip

• Use 7-Zip to extract the contents of the ISO to a folder on your PC.

3. Modify the Registry Files or Remove Checks  

• Navigate to the Sources folder within the extracted files.
• Locate and edit the appraiserres.dll file: some guides suggest replacing or removing this file to bypass the hardware check.
• Alternatively, some users modify setup.exe or other files, or create a registry key during setup to bypass TPM, Secure Boot, and CPU checks.

4. Repack the ISO

• After modifications, use 7-Zip to create a new ISO image of the modified files.

5. Boot and Install

• Boot from this custom ISO and install Windows 11 26H1 on unsuported hardware. During setup, you might need to bypass hardware checks using commands like Shift+F10 to open Command Prompt and run regedit to disable checks.

Win11-Req-Bypass is a lightweight, script-based method used to bypass Windows 11 hardware requirement checks, including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, unsupported CPU, RAM, and storage limits during installation.

Unlike GUI tools, it works by injecting registry keys or using an AutoUnattend.xml answer file that tells Windows Setup to ignore compatibility checks. Because it relies on native Windows setup behavior rather than modifying system files, it remains effective even for newer builds like Windows 11 26H1, as long as Microsoft keeps the same setup logic.

How to install Windows 11 26H1 on an unsupported PC

Step 1: Get the official Windows 11 26H1 ISO from Microsoft (Release Preview / Insider, depending on availability).

Step 2: Use any standard tool to create a normal Windows 11 installer.

Step 3: Place a preconfigured AutoUnattend.xml file in the root of the USB drive.

Step 4:  Return to the installer, select your edition, partition the disk, and complete the Windows 11 26H1 installation as usual.

Win11-Req-Bypass is a clean, script-level alternative to Flyby11 that works well for installing Windows 11 26H1 on unsupported PCs. It does not require modified ISOs or third-party patching tools and can be reused across multiple machines. While it lacks a graphical interface, it offers maximum flexibility and remains one of the most future-proof ways to bypass Windows 11 hardware checks.

Using the Install.wim modification method to install Windows 11 26h1 on unsupported hardware is a viable approach, especially if you want a clean, customized installation that bypasses hardware checks. This method involves extracting, editing, and repacking the Windows image before installation, allowing you to disable or bypass TPM, Secure Boot, and other hardware checks.

Step-by-Step Guide: Modifying install.wim for Unsupported Hardware

1. Download the latest Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft or your Insider channel.
2. Mount the ISO or extract its contents using 7-Zip. And locate the sources\install.wim file.
3. Create a Working Directory

mkdir C:\Win11Work

    Copy the install.wim file into this directory.
4. Mount the install.wim Image
   Use DISM to list available images:

Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\Win11Work\install.wim

  Choose the image index you want (usually 1).
  Mount the image:

Dism /Mount-Wim /WimFile:C:\Win11Work\install.wim /index:1 /MountDir:C:\Win11Mount

5. Modify the Registry to Bypass Hardware Checks
  Create a registry script to disable TPM/Secure Boot checks.
  Create a file named bypass.reg with the following content:
  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\LabConfig]
"BypassTPMCheck"=dword:00000001
"BypassSecureBootCheck"=dword:00000001
"BypassRAMCheck"=dword:00000001
"BypassCPUCheck"=dword:00000001

  Save this file.
  Use DISM to add this registry key to the mounted image:

Dism /Image:C:\Win11Mount /Add-RegFile:C:\Path\to\bypass.reg

6. Commit the Changes and Unmount

Dism /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:C:\Win11Mount /Commit

7. Create a Bootable USB with Modified install.wim
  Replace the original install.wim in the ISO with your modified one.
  Use a tool like Rufus or Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB from the modified ISO.

8. Boot from the Modified USB and Install
  Boot your unsupported machine from the USB.
  Install Windows 11 26h1 on unsupported hardware; the hardware checks should be bypassed due to   your registry modifications.