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MarlonSP's avatar
MarlonSP
Brass Contributor
May 29, 2026

How to upgrade to Windows 11 for free in 2026?

Running an older PC that's been on Windows 10 for years and starting to think about upgrading to Windows 11 before support runs out. The machine works perfectly fine for everyday tasks so replacing i...
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LunaScott's avatar
LunaScott
Iron Contributor
May 29, 2026

If your PC is running Windows 10, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free through Microsoft's official upgrade path.

Check if your PC is compatible first

Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements. Run the PC Health Check app (available from Microsoft's website) to verify compatibility. Key requirements include a 64-bit processor (1 GHz+, 2+ cores), 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, TPM 2.0, and Secure Boot capability.

How to upgrade to Windows 11 for free

1. Go to Settings → Windows Update

2. Click Check for updates

3. If your PC is eligible, you'll see "Windows 11 is ready" — click Download and install

4. Follow the prompts  to upgrade to Windows 11 for free and restart when prompted

If your PC doesn't meet the Windows 11 hardware requirements, Microsoft does have workarounds (like bypassing TPM checks via registry edits), but those are unsupported and not recommended for most user.