Microsoft Kills Any Hope of Installing Windows 11 on Older Hardware

If you own an older PC and were hoping to avoid buying new hardware capable of running Windows 11, then I have some bad news for you. Microsoft isn't budging on the hardware requirements needed to install Windows 11 on existing hardware. No TPM 2.0? No Windows 11 for you!

Microsoft Refuses to Budge on Windows 11 Support

As a reminder, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025, and many people still running the OS will need to buy new hardware. This is due to the requirements Microsoft instituted to even run Windows 11, rendering millions of old PCs obsolete. Requirements that include Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, a dedicated chip that provides hardware-level security services on your device.

In a Windows IT Pro Blog post titled "TPM 2.0 – a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11", Steven Hosking spells out the case for the defense. Hosking, a senior product manager at Microsoft, explains what TPM 2.0 is, and why it's a necessity for running Windows 11.

Hosking states that, "By instituting TPM 2.0 as a non-negotiable standard for the future of Windows, we elevate the security benchmark. It allows you and us to better align with the growing need for formidable data protection in the modern digital sphere."

He goes on to say that "TPM 2.0 is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity for maintaining a secure and future-proof IT environment with Windows 11."

While Understandable, Microsoft's Stance Is Frustrating

Everything Hosking says may be true, and Microsoft's stance on requiring hardware which supports TPM 2.0 is, ultimately, the right call. However, it closes the door on anyone with an older PC that Microsoft deems ineligible for Windows from upgrading to the newer operating system. At least officially. Forcing them to buy new hardware instead.

This comes hot on the heels of Microsoft planning to add a watermark to the Windows 11 desktop of anyone installing the OS on unsupported hardware. So, anyone looking to use a workaround to upgrade to Windows 11 before Windows 10 support comes to an end will be shamed, essentially.

I get the feeling that Microsoft is starting to feel the pinch a little here, as 62% of PCs are still running Windows 10, with Windows 11 currently stuck at 34%. So, it's no wonder that Microsoft is offering to extend Windows 10 support for an extra year (for a price).