How to Upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11: Free, Safe, 3 Ways

To upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates — if your PC is eligible, the upgrade appears as an optional install, you click Download and install, and Windows 11 installs as an in-place upgrade that keeps your files, apps, and settings. But here is the counterintuitive part that explains the #1 search complaint: Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025 — it is no longer receiving security updates without ESU — yet the free upgrade to Windows 11 still has no deadline. And the #1 reason a Windows 10 PC is told “this PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements” is TPM 2.0 being disabled in the BIOS, not missing from the hardware. On most laptops from 2018 and later, TPM 2.0 exists in the firmware but is switched off by default. One BIOS setting, one reboot, and a “not compatible” PC becomes eligible.

The Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade is an in-place upgrade — Windows 11 installs over Windows 10 on the same drive, keeping your files, installed apps, desktop wallpaper, browser bookmarks, and even your taskbar layout. It is not a clean install, it is not a new license purchase, and it does not require a USB drive. The entire process runs from Windows Update, takes 60–90 minutes, and the result is a Windows 11 desktop that looks and feels like your old one with a new Start menu. The only things you lose are the Windows 10-specific settings that Windows 11 replaced (the old Start menu layout, the classic taskbar alignment, some Control Panel pages that moved to Settings).

Jake’s customer this week was a teacher with a 2019 laptop running Windows 10. The “Your Windows 10 PC will soon be out of support” notification had been appearing for months. She tried the upgrade, got “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements,” and assumed she needed a new laptop. Jake was about to recommend a $600 replacement when Ethan asked one question: “Did you check the BIOS for TPM?” The laptop had TPM 2.0 in the firmware — disabled. One setting, one reboot, one successful upgrade. The customer kept her $600 and her laptop.

Should You Upgrade? (The Windows 10 EOL Reality)

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. That date has passed. Without Extended Security Updates (ESU), a Windows 10 PC receives no security patches — every new vulnerability discovered after that date goes unpatched on your machine. Microsoft’s consumer ESU program extends coverage to October 2027 for enrolled devices (free if you sync settings via Windows Backup, or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30). But ESU is a bridge, not a destination — it buys you time to plan the move, not a permanent alternative to upgrading. Our Windows 10 ESU guide covers the enrollment steps in detail.

So should you upgrade? The honest answer has three parts:

• If your PC is eligible for Windows 11: Yes, upgrade. The in-place upgrade is free, keeps your data, and moves you to a supported operating system. Waiting doesn’t make the upgrade easier — it just extends the period during which your PC is unprotected.
• If your PC is not eligible but is otherwise working well: Enroll in ESU (free with Windows Backup, or $30). This buys you up to October 2027 to save for a new PC. The ESU guide covers the enrollment steps.
• If your PC is not eligible and is struggling: A new PC with Windows 11 preinstalled is the honest recommendation. A 2015-vintage laptop that fails the CPU check and has 4 GB of RAM will not have a good Windows 11 experience even if you bypass the requirements.

Is the Upgrade Still Free? (And What It Costs If It Isn’t)

Yes, the upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is still free, and there is no announced deadline. When Windows 11 launched in 2021, Microsoft said the free upgrade from eligible Windows 10 PCs had no end date — and that position hasn’t changed. Articles claiming “the free upgrade ends [date]” are clickbait, not Microsoft policy. The free upgrade uses your existing Windows 10 digital license: when Windows 11 installs, it contacts Microsoft’s activation servers, matches your hardware, and activates automatically. No product key is entered at any point during the upgrade.

What you are actually “buying” when you upgrade for free: nothing. The Windows 10 license you already own covers Windows 11 on the same hardware. If you bought a retail Windows 10 license (a boxed copy or a purchased key), that license follows the upgrade. If your Windows 10 license came pre-installed on the PC (an OEM license), it stays tied to that hardware, and the Windows 11 upgrade inherits it. Edition carries over: Windows 10 Home upgrades to Windows 11 Home, Pro upgrades to Pro, Enterprise to Enterprise.

The only scenario where you pay: your PC is not eligible for the upgrade, you buy a new PC with Windows 11 preinstalled, and the cost is part of the hardware price. Or you build a new PC and need to buy a Windows 11 license ($139 for Home, $199 for Pro from Microsoft’s store) because there is no existing license on the new hardware.

Check If Your PC Can Run Windows 11 (Before You Start)

Windows 11 has hardware requirements that are stricter than any previous Windows release. The minimum specs, per Microsoft’s documentation:

Microsoft’s PC Health Check app verifies all of these at once. Download it from Microsoft’s Windows 11 page, run it, and it tells you either “This PC can run Windows 11” or lists the specific requirements that fail. The app is more useful than the Windows Update check because it names which requirement failed, not just a generic “not compatible” message.

If you want to check manually without the app: open tpm.msc (Win+R → tpm.msc) to check TPM status, and msinfo32 to check BIOS mode (should say “UEFI” not “Legacy”). These two checks catch 90% of the upgrade blockers.

The TPM 2.0 Trap: When “Not Compatible” Means “One BIOS Setting”

This deserves its own section because it is the single most common upgrade blocker and the single most commonly misdiagnosed one. TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip that stores encryption keys and verifies boot integrity. Windows 11 requires it. Most CPUs from 2018 onward include TPM functionality in the firmware — Intel calls it PTT (Platform Trust Technology), AMD calls it fTPM (firmware TPM) — but many PC manufacturers ship it disabled in the BIOS because it wasn’t required for Windows 10.

1. Restart the PC and press the BIOS key during boot: F2 (Dell, Lenovo, ASUS), F10 (HP), Del (many custom builds), or Esc (some others).
2. Look under Security, Advanced, or Trusted Computing (the location varies by manufacturer).
3. Find the TPM setting: Intel PTT, AMD fTPM, TPM 2.0, or Security Device.
4. Set it to Enabled / On.
5. Save and exit (usually F10). The PC reboots.
6. Re-run the PC Health Check app or check Windows Update. The TPM requirement now passes.

If the BIOS has no TPM setting at all, the hardware genuinely doesn’t have it, and the PC is not eligible for the standard upgrade. For those PCs, the options are: buy ESU time, buy a new PC, or use the unsupported-hardware bypass (which works but is not recommended by Microsoft — and is covered in our requirements fix guide).

Method 1: Upgrade via Windows Update (The Standard Path)

This is the recommended method and the one most people should use. Windows 11 appears as an optional update on eligible PCs:

1. Open Settings (Win + I) → Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If the PC is eligible, a banner appears: “Windows 11 is ready — and it’s free!” or similar, with a “Download and install” button.
4. Click Download and install. Windows downloads the Windows 11 installation files (about 4–5 GB).
5. When the download completes, Windows prompts to restart. Click Restart now (or schedule it for later).
6. The PC restarts into the Windows 11 installation. Progress bars appear; the PC restarts several times. This phase takes 60–90 minutes.
7. When it finishes, you see the Windows 11 sign-in screen. Sign in with the same account you used on Windows 10. Your desktop, files, and apps are exactly where you left them.

If the banner doesn’t appear after checking for updates, the PC may not be eligible (run the PC Health Check app), or Windows Update may not have flagged the upgrade yet (use Method 2 or 3 below).

Method 2: Upgrade via the Installation Assistant (When Windows Update Doesn’t Offer It)

If Windows Update doesn’t show the upgrade banner but you know the PC is eligible (PC Health Check says it passes), the Windows 11 Installation Assistant forces the upgrade:

1. Go to Microsoft’s official Windows 11 download page (microsoft.com/software-download/windows11).
2. Under “Windows 11 Installation Assistant,” click Download Now.
3. Run the downloaded file (Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe). Accept the license terms.
4. The Assistant checks eligibility, downloads the installation files, and starts the upgrade. The PC restarts and installs Windows 11 as an in-place upgrade, same as Method 1.
5. Total time: 60–90 minutes plus download time.

Method 3: Upgrade via Media Creation Tool / ISO (Manual Control)

For maximum control — or when Methods 1 and 2 fail — the ISO route performs the same in-place upgrade manually:

1. Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s download page (under “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)”). The ISO is about 6 GB.
2. Locate the ISO in File Explorer. Double-click to mount it as a virtual drive.
3. Open the mounted drive and run setup.exe.
4. Windows Setup opens. Click Next, accept the license, and on the “Choose what to keep” screen select “Keep personal files and apps.”
5. Click Install. Setup performs the in-place upgrade — same result as Methods 1 and 2, but you control the timing.

Alternatively, use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB drive with the Windows 11 installation media. Boot from the USB and run setup from there. The USB method is useful when the PC is in a boot loop or when you want to upgrade multiple PCs from one USB drive. For the full USB walkthrough, our reinstall guide covers the Media Creation Tool step-by-step.

Upgrade Without Losing Data (What Survives, What Doesn’t)

The in-place upgrade is specifically designed to preserve your data. Here is the exact list:

The honest recommendation: even though the in-place upgrade preserves data, create a backup before you start. The upgrade process has a failure mode (power loss, disk error, a corrupted system file) that can leave the PC in a boot loop or at a recovery screen. If you have a backup, the worst case is a restore; if you don’t, the worst case is data loss. An external hard drive, a cloud backup, or a system image — any of the three — is sufficient insurance for the 60–90 minutes the upgrade takes.

When the Upgrade Fails (Troubleshooting)

And the when-nothing-works paragraph: if the upgrade fails repeatedly and the PC meets all requirements, the last resort is a clean install from USB — back up your data, create installation media with the Media Creation Tool, boot from USB, and install Windows 11 from scratch. The clean install loses your apps but gives you a factory-fresh Windows 11 that activates with the same digital license. Our reinstall guide covers the full process. And if the PC simply cannot run Windows 11 (pre-2018 CPU, no TPM in hardware), the ESU bridge or a new PC are the honest answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free?

Yes. The upgrade from an eligible Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 is free, with no announced deadline. Your Windows 10 digital license converts to a Windows 11 license automatically — no product key needed. Edition carries over: Home to Home, Pro to Pro.

How long does the Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade take?

60–90 minutes for the in-place upgrade itself, plus 15–30 minutes for the download depending on internet speed. Budget two hours total. The PC restarts several times and is unusable during the installation phase.

Will I lose my files upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

No. The in-place upgrade keeps personal files, installed apps, and most settings. Your desktop, browser bookmarks, and installed programs are where you left them after the upgrade. Create a backup anyway — the upgrade has a rare failure mode that can require a clean install.

Why does it say my PC can’t run Windows 11?

The most common cause is TPM 2.0 being disabled in the BIOS, not missing from hardware. Enter BIOS/UEFI (F2 or Del at boot), look under Security or Advanced for TPM/PTT/fTPM, enable it, save and reboot. If the CPU is not on Microsoft’s approved list (roughly Intel 8th gen+ or AMD Ryzen 3000+), the PC is not eligible for the standard upgrade.

Can I upgrade to Windows 11 without TPM 2.0?

Not through the supported path. TPM 2.0 is a hard requirement. However, on most PCs from 2018+, TPM 2.0 exists in the firmware (Intel PTT or AMD fTPM) but is disabled in BIOS. Check the BIOS before assuming the hardware is missing. For truly unsupported PCs, bypass methods exist but are unsupported by Microsoft.

Should I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in 2026?

If your PC is eligible, yes. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025 — no security updates without ESU (which extends to October 2027). Upgrading moves you to a supported OS for free. If your PC isn’t eligible, enroll in ESU and plan the hardware transition.

How do I check if my PC supports Windows 11?

Download and run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app from the Windows 11 download page. It checks CPU, TPM, Secure Boot, RAM, storage, and GPU in one pass and tells you which specific requirement fails if any. Or check manually: tpm.msc for TPM status, msinfo32 for BIOS mode.

Do I need a product key to upgrade to Windows 11?

No. The upgrade uses your existing Windows 10 digital license. When Windows 11 installs, it contacts Microsoft’s activation servers, matches your hardware, and activates automatically. You never enter a product key during the in-place upgrade.

What is the minimum RAM for Windows 11?

4 GB minimum. 8 GB is the practical minimum for a usable experience — Windows 11 with 4 GB on a spinning hard drive will be noticeably slow. 16 GB is comfortable for most users.

Can I upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 11 Pro?

Not directly for free. The free upgrade preserves the edition: Home to Home, Pro to Pro. To go from Home to Pro, first upgrade to Windows 11 Home for free, then purchase the Pro upgrade ($99 from Settings → System → Activation → Upgrade your edition of Windows).

Can I go back to Windows 10 after upgrading to Windows 11?

Yes, within 10 days. Settings → System → Recovery → “Go back” (previously “Previous version of Windows”). After 10 days, Windows deletes the rollback files, and returning to Windows 10 requires a clean install from installation media.

Is Windows 11 slower than Windows 10?

No, once settled. The first 24–48 hours after the upgrade feel slower because Windows is indexing, updating drivers, and running background optimization. After that, performance is comparable. On a PC with 4 GB RAM and a mechanical hard drive, Windows 11 is slower than Windows 10 was — but that hardware is marginal for both.

How much disk space does the Windows 11 upgrade need?

64 GB minimum storage to install, and at least 20 GB free for the upgrade process itself. The download is about 4–5 GB. Windows keeps the old Windows 10 files in Windows.old for 10 days (for rollback), which takes additional space.

Can I upgrade to Windows 11 without a Microsoft account?

The upgrade itself doesn’t require a Microsoft account — your existing local account carries over. But Windows 11 Home and Pro require a Microsoft account during the out-of-box experience (OOBE) for personal setups. If you use a local account, it still works after the upgrade; the Microsoft account is only forced during initial setup on a new install.

What happens to my Windows 10 license after upgrading?

It becomes a Windows 11 license. The digital license tied to your hardware is updated on Microsoft’s activation servers. If you later perform a clean install of Windows 11 on the same hardware, it activates automatically. Your Windows 10 license is not lost — it’s upgraded. If you roll back within 10 days, the Windows 10 license is still there.

Revision note. Updated September 2026, covering the Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade path on Windows 10 22H2 (build 19045) to Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9445). Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025 — ESU extends to October 2027. The free upgrade has no announced deadline. The hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, approved CPU list, Secure Boot) have been stable since Windows 11’s launch and are unchanged in 25H2. If you have been putting off the upgrade because a dialog said “not compatible,” take heart: on most PCs from 2018 and later, the blocker is a BIOS setting, not a hardware wall — and now you know exactly which key to press to check.