If you have decided to upgrade your Windows 10 PC to Windows 11, there are multiple ways to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft offers a free upgrade to windows 11 through Windows Update, Clean Installation, and Windows 11 Installation Assistant. To upgrade to Windows 11, your system must have the following hardware requirements:
- Processor: at least one GHz with two or more Cores on a compatible 64-bit processor
- RAM: at least 4 GB
- Storage: 64 or larger storage
- System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
- TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
Before upgrading to Windows 11, download the PC Health Check on your system to check whether your PC is compatible with the Windows 11 requirements or not. If your PC does not meet the Windows 11 requirements, don’t worry! There is a workaround. Check how to bypass Windows 11 requirements article.
On the other hand, if your PC is compatible with Windows 11 requirements, you can use one of the three methods to upgrade to Windows 11. In this article, I will upgrade my Windows 10 Pro 20H2 to Windows 11 using Windows Updates or Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
- Note: If you also use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, make sure you use Windows 10 version 2004 or later!
Related: How to download Windows 11 ISO file
Check for Windows 11 Compatibility
As mentioned, you need to download the PC Health Check app to see if your PC can run Windows 11. To find out,
- Head to the following website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11#pchealthcheck
- Once you land on the website, you can either manually check the requirements or download the PC Health Check App. I download the PC Health Check App.
- After the download is completed, open it. Click on the Check Now button.
- You see, my PC meets Windows 11 basic requirements.
How to Upgrade to Windows 11 through Windows Update
Now that your PC meets Windows 11 requirements, follow the below steps to upgrade to the latest version of windows.
- Click on Start Menu and open Settings > Update and Security.
- Now check for Updates.
- If the Windows 11 upgrade is available, you will see the message to download and install. Click on Download and Install button.
- Follow the on-screen guidelines.
Upgrade to Windows 11 through Installation Assistant without losing files
Suppose you have not received the notification from Microsoft regarding the Windows 11 upgrade in the Windows Update, and your PC has the minimum requirements. In that case, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free via the Installation Assistant. This is the best option for installing Windows 11 on the device you are currently using without losing a single file.
- To install Windows 11 using Installation Assistant, head to the Microsoft website and download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
- After the download completed, open it and accept the license terms.
- Now the Windows 11 download is started, and it will pass three steps. The upgrading processing time depends on your network speed. You can use your PC while Windows 11 is downloading.
- The second and third steps do not take much time, and they will start right after their previous step reaches 100%. Make sure not to turn off your PC or disturb the network connections.
- You have thirty minutes to save your work when the third step completes. Then your PC will restart automatically. It is good to save your work and restart the computer manually before reaching that thirty minutes. To restart your computer, click on the restart Now button.
Finally, your computer restarts a few times, and it is good to keep your laptop power plugged in when it is finalizing the upgrade. After the restart, you will face the sign-in page and see the welcoming message.
Conclusions
To wrap up, if you decide to upgrade your PC to the latest version of Windows, you can do it using Windows Updates, Windows 11 installation assistant, and clean installation. The most convenient upgrading is through Installation Assistant, following the above steps. I hope you enjoyed the article and share your thoughts in the comment section.
Related: How to perform the clean installation of Windows 11
