Windows 10 reached end of support on Oct. 14, 2025. Microsoft no longer provides ordinary free Windows 10 security updates, feature updates, or technical support, although enrolled Extended Security Updates devices continue receiving eligible security fixes.
If your PC meets Windows 11's hardware requirements, Microsoft's free upgrade path is still open. A supported in-place upgrade can preserve your personal files, installed apps, and Windows settings, although backing up anything important first is still worth doing.
Microsoft's current Windows 10 end-of-support guidance says eligible Windows 10 version 22H2 PCs can still upgrade to Windows 11 for free.
The first step is checking whether your hardware qualifies, because that determines whether you can use the supported upgrade process or need to choose between Windows 10 Extended Security Updates and replacing the PC.
Check whether your PC qualifies for Windows 11
Start with Microsoft's PC Health Check app.
Install it, open it, and select Check now.
If the PC passes, the app confirms that the device meets Windows 11 requirements.
The core hardware requirements include:
A compatible 64-bit processor running at 1 GHz or faster with two or more cores
4 GB of RAM or more
A storage device of at least 64 GB
UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability
TPM 2.0
DirectX 12-compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver
A 720p display larger than 9 inches diagonally
Microsoft's Windows 11 requirements also say Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use require an internet connection and Microsoft account during initial setup.
For the current free upgrade from Windows 10, Microsoft says the PC should be running Windows 10 version 22H2 and meet the Windows 11 hardware requirements.
If the machine is still on an older Windows 10 release, update Windows 10 first before treating it as ready for the standard migration.
TPM or Secure Boot failures may be fixable
A failed PC Health Check does not always mean the PC physically lacks the required hardware.
TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot can sometimes exist but be disabled in the UEFI firmware.
If PC Health Check specifically flags either requirement:
Note the exact failure message.
Check the PC or motherboard manufacturer's support documentation.
Confirm whether TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot can be enabled.
Run PC Health Check again afterward.
Do not enable unfamiliar firmware settings blindly.
If the processor itself is not on Microsoft's supported processor list, changing a BIOS setting will not make that CPU officially supported.
Check Windows activation before upgrading
Before starting the upgrade, confirm Windows 10 is activated.
Open:
Settings > Update & Security > Activation
Microsoft says a free Windows 11 upgrade from an eligible device running a genuine Windows installation receives a digital license.
That means you normally do not need to buy another Windows license or manually type the old product key during the upgrade.
Microsoft's activation documentation says the Windows 11 digital license is associated with the device hardware and can also be linked to a Microsoft account.
Make sure you are moving to the matching edition, such as Windows 10 Home to Windows 11 Home or Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro.
Back up before you upgrade
A supported in-place Windows 11 upgrade is designed to retain your personal files, apps, and settings.
That does not make a backup unnecessary.
Before upgrading, copy irreplaceable documents, photos, project files, and other important data to an external drive or cloud storage.
Microsoft also provides the Windows Backup app, which can save supported folders, settings, credentials, app information, and other preferences to your Microsoft account.
Microsoft recommends backing up important files before major changes or recovery operations.
If BitLocker or Device Encryption is enabled, make sure you can access the recovery key before changing the operating system.
How to upgrade to Windows 11 for free with Windows Update
Windows Update is the simplest supported method.
If PC Health Check says the machine is compatible:
Open Settings.
Go to Update & Security > Windows Update.
Select Check for updates.
If Windows 11 appears, select Download and install.
Accept the license terms.
Let Windows complete the installation and restart the PC as required.
Microsoft still describes Windows Update as the preferred route for eligible Windows 10 machines.
The upgrade itself is free.
Once setup is complete, your files, compatible applications, and existing settings should remain in place.
What if Windows 11 doesn't appear in Windows Update?
A compatible PC does not always receive the Windows 11 offer immediately.
Microsoft can delay an upgrade on particular devices when it detects a known compatibility issue, and Windows Update's eligibility status can also take time to refresh after a firmware or hardware-setting change.
If PC Health Check passes but Windows Update still does not offer Windows 11, first install any available Windows 10 updates and restart.
If the PC remains eligible and no safeguard hold is blocking it, the Windows 11 Installation Assistant is the next supported option.
Use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant
Microsoft provides the Installation Assistant on its official Windows 11 download page.
To use it:
Go to Microsoft's Windows 11 download page.
Download Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
Run the tool as an administrator.
Let it verify the PC's compatibility.
Accept the license terms.
Follow the prompts to download and install Windows 11.
The PC will restart during installation.
This is an in-place upgrade, so it is intended to preserve your personal files and applications.
If the Installation Assistant says the PC does not meet the requirements, stop there rather than trying to force the supported installer through.
You can also upgrade with an official Windows 11 ISO
An ISO gives you another supported in-place option on a compatible computer.
Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's official download page, then:
Right-click the ISO and choose Mount, or double-click it.
Open the mounted drive.
Run setup.exe from inside Windows 10.
Follow the setup prompts.
At Ready to install, confirm that Keep personal files and apps is selected.
Microsoft says Keep personal files and apps is the default option for this upgrade path. (Microsoft Support)
You can also choose to keep only personal files, but that removes installed applications and Windows settings.
If your goal is a normal upgrade, check this screen carefully before starting installation.
Mounting an ISO vs. booting from USB
These two procedures are not the same.
Running setup.exe from Windows 10 starts the in-place upgrade workflow.
Booting the computer directly from Windows 11 installation media takes you into the installation environment commonly used for a clean installation.
A clean installation can remove apps, settings, partitions, and personal files depending on the choices made during setup.
If preserving the current installation is the goal, launch Windows Setup from inside Windows 10 rather than booting directly from the USB drive.
How much free storage do you need?
Windows 11 requires a storage device of at least 64 GB, but that does not mean a 64 GB drive with almost no free space is ready for an upgrade.
Setup needs working space to download installation files, unpack the operating system, migrate data, and preserve the previous Windows installation temporarily.
Microsoft does not give one universal amount of additional free space that fits every upgrade.
If Windows Update or Setup reports insufficient storage, free space before continuing.
Start with:
Temporary files
Recycle Bin contents
Downloads you no longer need
Large files that can be moved temporarily to external storage
Do not treat a fixed number such as 20 GB as a guarantee for every PC.
You normally have 10 days to roll back
After upgrading, Windows normally keeps the previous installation for 10 days.
During that period, go to:
Settings > System > Recovery > Go back
to return to Windows 10 if the option is still available.
Microsoft says going back keeps personal files but removes apps and drivers installed after the upgrade and reverses settings changes made since then.
The rollback depends on Windows retaining the necessary previous-installation files.
If you delete Windows.old or use storage cleanup to remove the previous version, the Go back option disappears.
That is why rollback should be treated as a useful safety net rather than the backup itself.
What if your PC does not support Windows 11?
This is where the original upgrade path stops.
Microsoft does not recommend installing Windows 11 on a PC that fails the minimum system requirements.
Its current warning says unsupported installations:
Are not supported by Microsoft
May experience compatibility problems
Are not guaranteed to receive updates, including security updates
Can cause compatibility-related damage that is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty
Microsoft's unsupported-device guidance specifically recommends against installing Windows 11 on ineligible hardware.
Manual bypasses do exist, but they do not turn the PC into an officially supported Windows 11 device.
This guide does not recommend or walk through those bypasses.
Windows 10 ESU is now a real option for unsupported PCs
The choice is no longer simply "install unsupported Windows 11 or replace the computer."
Microsoft now offers Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates for eligible personal PCs.
As of September 2026, Microsoft says the consumer ESU program can protect Windows 10 devices through Oct. 12, 2027.
ESU provides critical and important security updates.
It does not restore ordinary Windows 10 support, feature development, non-security improvements, or full technical support.
Current ESU enrollment also requires Windows 10 version 22H2 and the necessary licensing preparation updates.
Microsoft's September 2026 ESU preparation package confirms that enrolled Windows 10 22H2 systems continue receiving monthly security updates.
For a PC that cannot officially run Windows 11, ESU is the supported temporary bridge while deciding whether to replace the hardware.
Confirm Windows 11 activated correctly
After setup finishes, open:
Settings > System > Activation
The status should show Windows 11 as activated, usually with a digital license.
If activation does not carry over:
Make sure the installed Windows edition matches the old edition.
Connect the PC to the internet.
Sign in with the Microsoft account linked to the digital license if applicable.
Run the Activation troubleshooter if Windows offers it.
A major hardware change, particularly replacing the motherboard, can interfere with automatic activation.
Run Windows Update again after the upgrade
Once Windows 11 is running:
Open Settings > Windows Update.
Select Check for updates.
Install available cumulative updates and drivers.
Restart if required.
Check again until no important updates remain.
Then test the hardware and applications you actually depend on.
Check:
Printer
Scanner
Dock
Bluetooth accessories
Audio devices
VPN software
Security software
Work applications
Games and controllers
It is better to find a compatibility issue while the 10-day rollback window is still open.
The simplest upgrade path
Start with PC Health Check.
If your PC is running Windows 10 22H2, passes the Windows 11 requirements, and is activated, back up your important files and use Windows Update first.
If Windows Update does not offer the upgrade but the hardware is eligible, use Microsoft's Installation Assistant or mount the official ISO and run setup.exe from inside Windows 10.
If the PC fails the hardware check, do not treat a bypass as equivalent to the supported free upgrade.
Microsoft's supported choices are now clearer: keep the Windows 10 PC protected temporarily through Consumer ESU where eligible, or move to hardware that officially supports Windows 11.
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