► In brief
- Windows 11 can be installed on old PCs
- It is necessary to respect certain prerequisites
- Risks are to be expected for the machines concerned
This is news that has made noise: from October 2025, that is to say in less than a year, Windows 10 will no longer benefit from updates or technical support. An announcement which therefore means the end of peace for many users who, faced with this change, could see their machines become completely obsolete.
Because if all PCs have not been entitled to Windows 11 until now, it is above all because the company had restricted its availability to devices equipped with a TPM 2.0 chip. A choice which therefore seems to block the deployment of the latest version of the OS: there are only 35% of machines equipped with the update, compared to 62% under Windows 10. So, to reverse the trend, Microsoft has just announce the relaxation of its installation rules.
Microsoft opens the door to old PCs
Thus, in new documentation, users discover that it is now possible to access Windows 11, as long as the PC benefits from components designed in 2008, or later. Excluded from the list, however, are computers without POPCNT and SSE 4.2.
For other compatible devices, it is therefore possible to access the latest OS update to benefit from its new features, without being equipped with a TPM 2.0 chip. But be careful: to do this, you will have to sign a disclaimer.
Beware of the risks!
Because yes, by carrying out this installation on one of the machines concerned, you also risk finding yourself faced with unforeseen technical problems, which Microsoft does not really seem to want to take care of. So, by installing Windows 11 on a machine without a TPM 2.0 chip, be aware that any problem related to the OS is in fact excluded from the manufacturer's warranty, in addition to the fact that security updates are not guaranteed. Good news however: it is possible to return to Windows 10 within 10 days after changing the version.
But on Microsoft's side, we will probably not make much more effort to encourage the updating of new machines. Because, as of October 2025, Windows 10 support does not really stop. In reality, the American company will offer you an update plan for Windows 10 next fall, billed at $30 per year. Clever.
