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Free Upgrade to Windows 11 for Windows 10 Users

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Free Upgrade to Windows 11 for Windows 10 Users
Go to Deal
[Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 10:23 blogs.windows.com (7292 clicks)
Last edited 05/10/2021 - 10:52 by 2 other users

Microsoft is suggesting this is only for a limited time – mirroring the upgrade strategy it used to entice Windows 7 users to make the leap to Windows 10.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/windows-11-specifica…
Requirements are listed here: Main things are TPM2.0 and i9 7th gen, 8th Gen Intel or 2nd Gen Ryzen or newer
Clear stated:Still possible to use Windows 11 without meeting the TPM requirements with steps documented here: https://winbuzzer.com/2021/08/09/how-to-install-windows-11-w…
Check compatibility with this program: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/windows-11#pchealthc…
Windows 11 Installation Assistant, Create Windows 11 Installation Media, Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Microsoft has announced that it will allow users to install Windows 11 on all modern hardware, including 1st Gen Ryzen and 6th and 7th Gen Core processors. There is a catch, though. You won’t be able to upgrade your PC directly from Windows 10 to 11 if you are running older hardware, not in the official requirement list. Instead, you’ll have to download the Windows 11 ISO from the official Microsoft website and do a clean install.

The upgrade will then roll out over time to in-market devices based on intelligence models that consider hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, age of device and other factors that impact the upgrade experience. We expect all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022.

Here are 11 highlights of this release

  1. The new design and sounds are modern, fresh, clean and beautiful, bringing you a sense of calm and ease.
  2. With Start, we’ve put you and your content at the center. Start utilizes the power of the cloud and Microsoft 365 to show you your recent files no matter what device you were viewing them on.
  3. Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops provide an even more powerful way to multitask and optimize your screen real estate.
  4. Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar provides a faster way to connect to the people you care about.
  5. Widgets, a new personalized feed powered by AI, provides a faster way to access the information you care about, and with Microsoft Edge’s world class performance, speed and productivity features you can get more done on the web.
  6. Windows 11 delivers the best Windows ever for gaming and unlocks the full potential of your system’s hardware with technology like DirectX12 Ultimate, DirectStorage and Auto HDR. With Xbox Game Pass for PC or Ultimate you get access to over 100 high-quality PC games to play on Windows 11 for one low monthly price. (Xbox Game Pass sold separately.)
  7. Windows 11 comes with a new Microsoft Store rebuilt with an all-new design making it easier to search and discover your favorite apps, games, shows, and movies in one trusted location. We look forward to continuing our journey to bring Android apps to Windows 11 and the Microsoft Store through our collaboration with Amazon and Intel; this will start with a preview for Windows Insiders over the coming months.
  8. Windows 11 is the most inclusively designed version of Windows with new accessibility improvements that were built for and by people with disabilities.
  9. Windows 11 unlocks new opportunities for developers and creators. We are opening the Store to allow more developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) to bring their apps to the Store, improving native and web app development with new developer tools, and making it easier for you to refresh the look and feel across all our app designs and experiences.
  10. Windows 11 is optimized for speed, efficiency and improved experiences with touch, digital pen and voice input.
  11. Windows 11 is the operating system for hybrid work, delivering new experiences that work how you work, are secure by design, and easy and familiar for IT to deploy and manage. Businesses can also test Windows 11 in preview today in Azure Virtual Desktop, or at general availability by experiencing Windows 11 in the new Windows 365.
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Comments

        • HairyChickens on 23/09/2021 - 12:06

          Oh nah I meant like applications haha.
          Wish I knew how program

          • Mr Bargain on 23/09/2021 - 12:15

            @HairyChickens: This is not about the version of Windows you are using right now but the machine you bought in 2005. HeHe

    • RobBoss on 23/09/2021 - 12:03
      +4

      I've been running Windows 11 for about 2 months now (since the announcement), never had an issue. TBH, from a consumer's perspective, it feels more like a reskin. Of course, there are some under the hood improvements and there are still a lot of inconsistency like the multiple layers of context menus

    • xenoic on 23/09/2021 - 13:10

      Still waiting from Windows ME

    • rekuhs on 23/09/2021 - 16:50

      I've been using it as my daily for the last couple of months (on a Gen 4 i5) and haven't had any issues

    • abctoz on 23/09/2021 - 21:30

      games run fine

      only problem is sweetlow mouse overclock driver doesn't work, mouse stuck on 125hz :/

    • Franc-T on 24/09/2021 - 00:19

      I miss win95

    • JPMelb on 24/09/2021 - 08:12

      Disagree - Been running W11 Beta for a few weeks with zero problems. All the shops Steam Epic etc run fine as do the games and drivers.

    • BrendaEagles on 26/09/2021 - 09:18
      +1

      I tried it and went back, games kept crashing but hopefully the nvidia drivers will help in the future

      • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2021 - 09:33

        Yeah I have a lot of stuff that I expect would have driver issues. Kinda niche peripherals such as a full sim racing setup, flight sticks etc

    • Topdog on 29/09/2021 - 10:51

      No games have had issues for myself I'm using the insider preview build

      • [Deactivated] on 29/09/2021 - 11:21

        I'm more concerned about peripherals, shield tv streaming (I use an ultrawide on my PC and 4k tv with very different resolutions and it took time and hardware solutions to work around that) etc but that said, it sounds like W11 is well ahead of the usual releases in terms of bugs going by the comments here. It's almost like it's just built on top of W10 rather than a complete new build.

    • mtfbin11 on 13/10/2021 - 20:53

      hi.. im using the ASUS AMD laptop.. is it okay if I can upgrade to Win 11 as well? and would it be affected/ or have any issues after grade my laptop?
      also ive read the article with AMD system to grade to Win 11..
      https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-windows-11-slows-cpus-…

  • HappyJoyJoy on 23/09/2021 - 10:25
    +6

    IMO, wait, the UI is just FUGLY, and MS still have a-lot to work on with regards to W11
    So, no need to rush into it , or find a older device that you can test on and make up your own mind (for the time being)

    • Clear on 23/09/2021 - 10:35
      +21

      I actually like the UI and find it to be more streamlined and functional than Windows 10. Having the taskbar centred is certainly nice too but I feel a lot of people see the taskbar as 'Microsoft copying Apple'.

      • PeelThis on 23/09/2021 - 10:52
        +1

        I like the UI better too, especially the layout and the icons of the settings menu. Much more readable.
        The taskbar centred is the default view but you can change it back to the traditional bottom left start button and taskbar.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 14:00
          +1

          Windows has degraded in UI horribly ever since the monstrosity that was Windows 8. Surely 11 can't be that bad.

          • syousef on 23/09/2021 - 17:29
            +2

            @[Deactivated]: They've taken away a lot of useful options.

            And to change your web browser you have to do it for one extension at a time.

            So yes it can be that bad.

            Windows 7 was the pinnacle.

      • JPMelb on 24/09/2021 - 08:13

        I actually think it feels more like Chrome OS in some regards.

    • shabaka on 23/09/2021 - 10:42
      +16

      that's what everyone said about Vista

      and 7 and 8

      and 10

      • orangetrain on 23/09/2021 - 10:55
        +7

        And XP.

        Where's the DOS gang?

        • shabaka on 23/09/2021 - 11:02
          +5

          yeah. we all preferred the command line! who needs that GUI anyway

          some people still use Norton Commander FFS

        • Nugs on 23/09/2021 - 12:22
          +1

          XP, the most pirated OS?
          .

        • Ugly on 23/09/2021 - 12:58
          +1

          Careful - removing full DOS from Windows was a traumatic event that still haunts some to this day. Many old programs died unnecessarily with that decision (may they Rest In Peace)

        • neonlight on 02/03/2024 - 13:33

          Here 6.22 fan. I still use batch files and exes. Not to mention it helps using modern cmd which most don't

          At least I know how to rebuild my son's laptop from scratch via recovery and cmd

          They got zero idea wanted to just buy a new one

    • Ma77mc on 23/09/2021 - 10:52

      Within 14 days, Windows 11 will allow you to revert back without needing to format and reinstall.
      having run Windows 11 Beta for about 5 months, there have only been 2 times where I have had a compatibility issue, 1. Nord VPN wouldn't connect (a quick configuration change fixed that) and;
      2. one program I have still been unable to install (it was the software to make changes to my universal remote, I ended up using an old laptop and getting it done)

    • ATTS on 24/09/2021 - 17:17

      @HappyJoyJoy on 23/09/2021 - 10:25

      just curious what is the deadline for the free upgrade from win 10 to 11?

  • Deals For Days on 23/09/2021 - 10:25
    +7

    I saw in a preview the right click menu in finder has loads of nested menus. Will this be fixed? Seems like it will massively slow down productivity if I have to wait for nested menu animations every time I want to rename a file and such

    • EchoEcho on 23/09/2021 - 10:30
      +5

      As someone that uses the 7zip menu a lot, I won't be touching Win11. I get they're trying to use a new API to make the context menu better in the long term but they can make the transition better, they're just not trying.

      • Dogstar on 23/09/2021 - 10:51
        +2

        The context menu is one of the few things I don't like about W11. I haven't bothered to check if there's a way to use the old style menus by default yet but here's hoping that's an option M$ give us.

        • Ma77mc on 23/09/2021 - 10:54
          +2

          I got used to it pretty quickly but, yes, you can revert to the Windows 10 taskbar and start menu if you prefer.

          My only annoyance with the new taskbar is that the windows button is A) the same size as all the other icons and B) not centred which gets my OCD going.

          • Dogstar on 23/09/2021 - 12:40

            @Ma77mc: YES! Thank you. I'm in the same boat as you.

      • ky1975 on 23/09/2021 - 10:55

        I dont see any difference with the context menu for 7zip on Windows 11,which is much nicer and simpler
        You have the "Show more options" which basically gives you the old right-click context menu, if this was what you alluded to.

        • tomlut on 23/09/2021 - 12:01

          Yeah, so rather than being in the top level it is now buried in a sub menu.

        • Agret on 23/09/2021 - 12:04

          I use a ton of context menu options. For 7zip, winrar, 010 hex editor, open in notepad++, play with mpc-hc, play with vlc, FastCopy context options (copy,move,delete). Having to click on "show more options" is super annoying. I don't want the new fancy right click menu i'm happy with the old one which comes up faster and has all my options without an extra click. I can see how the new menu is nicer experience for a casual user but would like the option to disable it entirely on my own PC.

          • NingNangNong on 24/09/2021 - 14:11

            @Agret: Just make a macro on your mouse that right clicks and hits F10, that's what I do (when not gaming) - one click to get into the context menu. Worth it if you use it regularly. Should just give us the bloody option to customise it tbh (or delete like you say and just use the useful one haha).

            I will add, I'm finding the cut, copy, paste side of it pretty useful and quick, i.e. the icons.

    • nismo on 23/09/2021 - 10:30
      +13

      Finder? Lol, you must be a Mac user

      • Deals For Days on 23/09/2021 - 11:28
        +1

        Lol slip of the tongue. I use pc at home but do use a mac at work.

        File Explorer infinitely better than finder

        • LegionGT on 23/09/2021 - 12:57
          +3

          Why are you typing with your tongue?

          • vchoy on 23/09/2021 - 14:01

            @LegionGT: Getting the spinning beach ball of death

        • skittlebrau on 05/10/2021 - 16:39

          I just wish File Explorer supported tabs natively. I really dislike using third party shell enhancement apps.

    • incipient on 23/09/2021 - 10:32
      +2

      Yeah they've really messed up the right click menus from what I've seen. I mean the previous one was very dated, but the ux of the new one looks atrocious.

    • Hawxy on 23/09/2021 - 12:20

      Seems like it will massively slow down productivity if I have to wait for nested menu animations every time I want to rename a file and such

      FYI there's a new icon right at the top of the right click menu for renaming files.

    • DemocracyManifest on 23/09/2021 - 19:11

      Yeah it’s quite annoying, and you can’t turn it off

  • AsukaST on 23/09/2021 - 10:26
    +1

    Definitely not going to upgrade mine in the first 12 months lol

  • RSmith on 23/09/2021 - 10:26
    +1

    My computer does not qualify for upgrade.

    • jimojr on 23/09/2021 - 10:44
      +5

      You can always find a way to install it. I deleted the file 'appraiserres.dll' in the folder 'sources' to install Windows11 Insider Preview.

      • RSmith on 23/09/2021 - 10:45

        Thanks will try once it is available.

    • juki on 23/09/2021 - 10:46
      +4

      same, my pc is only 7 years old…

      • uvbunny on 23/09/2021 - 10:54
        +12

        Does it have a wind up spring powered mechanism or did you get one of the early steam powered models?

        • juki on 23/09/2021 - 10:56
          +6

          i believe at some point it was marketed as a steam machine :)

      • brotherfranciz on 23/09/2021 - 11:36
        +1

        Mine is ~8 years old and I was struggling to find DDR3 RAM for it a few months ago (needed to upgrade the 8GB of RAM… Google Chrome eats up so much memory, and Zwift kept crashing if I had World Community Grid running in the background).

        • juki on 23/09/2021 - 12:16
          +1

          i dont use chrome and i never have any issues, i just gave away ddr3 ram clearing a drawer, i know why it went so quick. i dont play many games but crusader kings 2 and assassins creed black flag run ok

  • MS Paint on 23/09/2021 - 10:27
    +11

    More of a PSA for the forums than a bargain.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 10:30
      +1

      Microsoft is suggesting this is only for a limited time – mirroring the upgrade strategy it used to entice Windows 7 users to make the leap to Windows 10.

      • plmko on 23/09/2021 - 10:33
        +30

        In other words the upgrade timeline will be indefinite.

      • Cheapha on 23/09/2021 - 10:34
        +1

        "This end date will be no sooner than one year from general availability." - https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/windows-11

        • ChickenAdobo on 23/09/2021 - 10:54
          +9

          So October 5 2022? I will wait and see next September then

      • FireRunner on 23/09/2021 - 10:56
        +1

        The upgrade tool only worked for 1 years or so but you can still install Windows 10 on any PC with a Windows 7 or 8 license and it will activate

        • s0805 on 23/09/2021 - 11:14

          Can you pls share some details on how we can still upgrade Windows 7 to Win 10 free?

          • FireRunner on 23/09/2021 - 11:18
            +1

            @s0805: Create a Windows 10 installation media (on a USB stick). Download the tool from Microsoft
            Boot into it and follow the prompts to install Windows 10.

            • Agret on 23/09/2021 - 12:07
              +3

              @FireRunner: Creating a USB and booting off it will wipe your Windows install. To do an upgrade from Win7/Win8 just download the tool and pick to upgrade the machine and it will do it.

              • FireRunner on 23/09/2021 - 12:25

                @Agret: The upgrade tool still works? I guess if you don't want a fresh install then go for that

              • ATTS on 24/09/2021 - 17:26

                @Agret: when upgrading windows versions, does it only replace operating system files? and all your other personal files and stuff is still there?

                • greatlamp on 28/09/2021 - 22:43

                  @ATTS: Yes, but your installed software won't be there.

                  You should upgrade only to register your machine for an online serial. Then clean install

                  • ATTS on 29/09/2021 - 19:30

                    @greatlamp: After registering the online serial how does it remember your serial when you do a clean install afterwards?

                    • greatlamp on 30/09/2021 - 08:35

                      @ATTS: When you activate the first time, Microsoft generates based upon the serial number of each piece of hardware in your pc.

                      https://www.zdnet.com/google-amp/article/microsoft-quietly-r…

                      You can then wipe the entire OS, the next time you install Windows you can activate automatically without a serial at all, it will be provided by Microsoft when it recognises your hardware.

                      So if you do an upgrade from a copy of Windows 7 which appears activated, when Windows 10 first tries to activate it will confirm your Windows 7 copy has the 'activated' flag, then capture your hardware IDs and generate a Windows 10 serial. You no longer need any serial after that. The Windows 7 serial doesn't matter, as long as it shows activated in the My Computer page.

      • Salzberger on 23/09/2021 - 23:38

        Even after MS ended their free upgrade for 7 to 10 you could still do it. You can still do it today.

      • soob on 24/09/2021 - 08:32

        Limited time? I 'upgraded' to Win10 this year, it's still free if you google it, they just don't make it obvious.

  • Quachii on 23/09/2021 - 10:28
    +3

    I got 4th Gen CPU GG :(

    aww man i dont even need to upgrade any time soon the GPU prices are dumb atm

    • InsertCrow on 23/09/2021 - 10:36

      3770 here, not too fussed about going to 11 anyway I guess.

    • iridiumstem on 23/09/2021 - 10:49
      +1

      Me too.

      I am hoping MS has to pull XP on us and have to support the OS for longer because of the amount of people who cannot upgrade to 11.

      • Jamiea on 23/09/2021 - 10:52
        +3

        Windows 10 is supported until 2025 so you have plenty of time

        • iridiumstem on 23/09/2021 - 10:57

          I guess I had a good run (since it'd be over 10 years old by then). I might resign the PC to something else probably.
          I am kinda hoping the OS supports last til the PC is no longer useful, since I really don't want to delve into Linux stuff.

      • NingNangNong on 24/09/2021 - 14:19

        I just realised I re-installed Win11 without secure boot and with TPM disabled, simply using the insiders iso on a GPT bootable USB. I didn't think it would work/I'd get an error but I didn't.

        Edit: Ryzen 5 3600, so have TPM 2.0 (turned on again now, not that it matters I guess?)

  • muwu on 23/09/2021 - 10:29
    +2

    So wait, my CPU (1600) is too old for the upgrade?

    • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 10:31
      +4

      Yes my Ryzen 1920x Threadripper is not eligible as well

    • wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww on 23/09/2021 - 10:53
      +3

      In the same situation here.. 3-4 year old CPU not supported lol

    • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 11:39
      +3

      Microsoft has announced that it will allow users to install Windows 11 on all modern hardware, including 1st Gen Ryzen and 6th and 7th Gen Core processors. There is a catch, though. You won’t be able to upgrade your PC directly from Windows 10 to 11 if you are running older hardware, not in the official requirement list. Instead, you’ll have to download the Windows 11 ISO from the official Microsoft website and do a clean install.

      • spb on 23/09/2021 - 12:35
        +2

        The processors still aren't supported though and they've given a vague "you might not get updates" comment

      • ATTS on 24/09/2021 - 17:29

        if you have a genuine windows 10 key and do a clean install of windows 11 can you then activate windows 11 with that key? or does that only work when "upgrading" ( rather than clean install)

  • sangohan on 23/09/2021 - 10:30
    +3

    it's not an upgrade (for your computing experience) if you go to windows 11.

    Windows 10 is acceptably good enough - don't upgrade until microsoft stops giving out free security patches for win10. Stability of the OS is important, and by collectively not upgrading to 11, it will force microsoft's hand to maintain and keep windows 10 (it would've been good to have done this for windows 7, but of course, that didn't work…)

    • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 10:32
      +2

      Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025. It will mark just over 10 years since the operating system was first introduced. Microsoft is suggesting free upgrade to Windows 11 is limited time only, mirroring the upgrade strategy it used to entice Windows 7 users to make the leap to Windows 10.

      • meeowth on 05/10/2021 - 12:56
        +2

        As I am sure tons of people have already told you, Microsoft never ended the free windows 7 to 10 upgrade, I did it last week on an old pc.

    • MagnamoniousRex on 23/09/2021 - 10:50
      +1

      How to tell somebody has PTSD from 00's Windows upgrades haha

      W11 already had a soft release to insiders and it's been fine for most people. This is just expanding that to everyone else.

    • bgbrendan on 23/09/2021 - 10:57
      +4

      I mean if i wasnt for direct x on new games requiring win 10 i dont think a lot of gamers running 7 would have folded

      • chihaeru on 23/09/2021 - 12:08
        +1

        Yeah I was staying on Windows 7 until newer games and some software had me install Windows 10 again… still have 7 in dual boot for the times I need it. Won't even be bothering with 11 until there comes a time I'll be "forced" into it.

        • soob on 24/09/2021 - 08:35

          This computer is still W7, and there is nothing I miss though I don't game on it. In fact it's interesting that it feels (and looks) better than my W10 machines and yet the hardware is so much older.

  • ce5himm on 23/09/2021 - 10:30
    +5

    I am fine with win10.

    • DarkOz on 23/09/2021 - 10:46

      I am still fine with Win XP. 3 of 6 PCs we have are still using XP due to legacy software.

      • ozbargainer88 on 23/09/2021 - 10:53
        +2

        oof you ever heard of security updates?

        • [Deactivated] on 23/09/2021 - 11:11
          +3

          Most of ATMs you used in your life are still using Windows XP embedded variant. No drama.

    • atwilliams on 23/09/2021 - 10:50

      Win10 supported until October 2025, so no need to rush to Win11.

      Both of my PC's are too old to support it anyway (no TPM), so I'll be waiting for them to die before considering updating to Win11.

  • Fixit on 23/09/2021 - 10:31
    +2

    Very Fussy, You Must Have A TPM Chip (Trusted Platform Module) fitted to your computer, seems this is only the very latest computers have this.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module

    • joelmuzz on 23/09/2021 - 10:35
      +1

      It is built into any reasonably modern CPU and just needs to be enabled, it's a non issue.

      CPU support is a whitelist though and many aren't enabled yet so that is the bigger hassle.

      Win11 needs at least another 6 months in Insider though so everyone needs to be aware the thing only delivers headaches for now.

    • Dogstar on 23/09/2021 - 10:53

      I couldn't do the automatic update with my 7th Gen cpu but I was able to update after downloading an ISO. There are ways around Check your BIOS for a TPP/TPM setting. Mine had one even tho my computer was technically 'incompatible'.

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