Windows 11 Supported Intel Processors List (24H2 and 25H2): Every Generation Checked

Windows 11 officially supports Intel 8th generation Core processors and newer: Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 from the 8th through the 14th generation, Core Ultra Series 1, 2 and 3, the non-Ultra Core Series 1 and 2, the Core N300 and Intel Processor N-series, newer Pentium, Celeron and Atom x6000E chips, and newer Xeon families. A few 7th-generation chips are also on the list: Core X-series and Xeon W-series desktop chips, and the Core i7-7820HQ on select devices. Intel 6th and 7th generation Core processors are otherwise not supported. The list is the same for versions 24H2 and 25H2. To check yours, open Settings, System, About and read the processor name: the first digit or two after "i5-" or "i7-" is the generation, so an i5-8250U is 8th generation (supported) and an i7-7700 is 7th (not supported).

Ethan has two family PCs: his own desktop with a Core i7-7700K he built in 2017, and his daughter's laptop with a Core i5-8250U. When Windows 10 support ended, the laptop upgraded to Windows 11 without a fuss, but the desktop, faster in every benchmark, was flatly refused. Ethan could not understand how the slower PC passed and the faster one failed. Jake explained the line Microsoft drew at the 8th generation, showed him how to read the model numbers, and laid out his real options for the desktop. This page is that explanation, plus the full family-by-family list for Intel processors, how to check yours in a minute, what changed in 24H2 and 25H2, and what to do if your CPU is not on the list.

The Windows 11 Intel baseline: 8th generation and newer

When Microsoft announced Windows 11 in 2021, it drew a line through the Intel processor range: 8th generation Core and newer would be supported, older chips would not. That line has stayed in place through every version since, including 24H2 and 25H2, with newer processor families added as Intel released them.

The 8th generation arrived in late 2017 and covers several Intel designs sold under the same "8th gen" badge, including Coffee Lake desktop chips such as the Core i7-8700, Kaby Lake Refresh and Whiskey Lake laptop chips such as the Core i5-8250U and i7-8565U, and Amber Lake chips such as the Core m3-8100Y. If your processor's model number starts with an 8 after the brand, such as i5-8xxx, it is on the list.

Why there? Microsoft's stated reasons were security, reliability and drivers. Windows 11 turns on security features such as virtualization-based security and memory integrity on many PCs, and newer processors have hardware support that makes them run with much less slowdown. Microsoft also pointed to its crash and reliability data, and to the newer driver model that PC makers use for these generations. You can agree or disagree with where the line sits, and many people with fast 7th-generation PCs disagree, but it is the line, and it decides whether Windows Update offers your PC the upgrade.

The processor is one of several requirements. Windows 11 also needs a 64-bit processor with at least 2 cores at 1 GHz or faster, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability, and TPM 2.0. On Intel PCs, TPM 2.0 is usually provided by Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT) built into the processor platform, and it may need switching on in the firmware settings. A supported processor with TPM switched off still fails the check; our guide to "This PC doesn't meet Windows 11 system requirements" walks through every check, including TPM and Secure Boot.

Windows 11 supported Intel processors: the full family list

Microsoft's list for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 covers the following Intel families. Since 25H2, Microsoft presents the list by processor series and links to Intel's own pages for the individual models, rather than listing every model number itself, but the supported processors did not change.

For a specific model that is not in the examples, the quick rule works for Core i-series chips: 8 or higher after the brand modifier means supported. For Pentium, Celeron and Xeon, the generation is less obvious from the name, so check the model on Microsoft's or Intel's list. Processors sold after Windows 11's launch, such as every Core Ultra chip, are supported.

Intel generations at a glance: names, years and Windows 11

Intel's marketing names and code names can make it hard to tell what you have, especially when a PC's sticker says only "Intel Core i5". This table lines up the generations with their approximate launch years and code names, so you can place a processor quickly.

A practical shortcut: an Intel PC bought new with Windows 10 from 2018 onward usually has an 8th-generation or newer chip, and a PC bought before 2018 usually does not. That is only a rule of thumb, because stores sold older stock for a long time, so always confirm with the model number.

How to check which Intel processor you have

It takes less than a minute, and you do not need administrator rights.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select System, then About (on Windows 10, scroll down in the left menu).
3. Read the Processor line under Device specifications. It looks like Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz.
4. Find the model number after the dash, here 8250U, and read the generation from it using the table below.

Other ways to see it: open Task Manager, select Performance, then CPU, and the name is at the top right; or press Windows + R, type msinfo32 and read Processor. In PowerShell, Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name prints it. The PC Health Check app checks every Windows 11 requirement at once and tells you whether the processor passes.

PC Health Check is the official checker, and its result is the one that matters for Windows Update. If it says the processor is not supported, select See all results to confirm that the processor is the only failing item; often TPM or Secure Boot fails alongside it. The free, open-source tool WhyNotWin11 shows every requirement in one window with a pass or fail for each, which some people find clearer, but treat Microsoft's checker as the final word when the two disagree.

How to read Intel model numbers

The letters at the end tell you the type, not the generation: U and P are thin-laptop chips, H and HX are high-performance laptop chips, K is an unlocked desktop chip, F is a desktop chip without built-in graphics, G followed by a number indicates the graphics level on some laptop chips, and V marks the Core Ultra 200V laptop chips. None of them affect Windows 11 support.

Two naming traps catch people. First, the brand number and the generation are different things: a Core i3-8100 is 8th generation and supported, while a Core i7-7700K is 7th generation and not, even though i7 sounds better than i3. Second, from 2023 Intel dropped the "i" and the generation number from many names, so a "Core 5 120U" or "Core Ultra 5 125H" has no 8, 9 or 10 to read; every one of those newer chips is supported.

Intel 7th generation and Windows 11: the exceptions

The 7th generation is where most of the confusion is, because some 7th-generation chips are supported and most are not. After the original announcement, Microsoft reviewed the 7th generation and added a small group to the list in August 2021:

• Intel Core X-series desktop processors of that era, such as the Core i7-7800X and Core i9-7900X.
• Intel Xeon W-series workstation processors of that era.
• Intel Core i7-7820HQ, but only on select devices that shipped with modern drivers, such as Microsoft's Surface Studio 2.

Everything else from the 7th generation, including the hugely popular Core i5-7200U, i5-7400, i7-7700 and i7-7700K, remains unsupported. Microsoft has not added any more since, and with Windows 11 now several versions in, it is reasonable to assume it will not.

That is Ethan's desktop exactly. His i7-7700K is faster than his daughter's i5-8250U in almost every task, but it sits on the wrong side of the line. The upgrade is refused not because the chip is too slow, but because it is the wrong generation.

Do newer Intel chips run Windows 11 better?

Support is a yes-or-no question, but how well Windows 11 runs is a separate one, and it depends a lot on the generation.

• 8th to 11th generation: Windows 11 runs about as well as Windows 10 on the same PC. The extra security features cost little on these chips, which is part of why Microsoft chose them as the baseline. An SSD and 8 GB of RAM matter more than the processor for how fast it feels.
• 12th generation and newer desktop and laptop chips: these have two kinds of cores, faster performance cores and smaller efficient cores. Windows 11 includes scheduling improvements that work with Intel's Thread Director to put the right work on the right cores. Windows 10 does not have the same level of support, so these chips are generally better matched to Windows 11, especially for background work while you game or create.
• Core Ultra: these add a neural processing unit for AI tasks. Windows 11 uses it for features such as background blur in video calls, and the Core Ultra 200V series qualifies for the Copilot+ PC features. On Windows 10, the NPU goes largely unused.

So if you are on the fence about an upgrade on a 12th-generation or newer PC still running Windows 10, the case for moving is stronger than just support dates. On an 8th-generation laptop, it is mostly about staying supported.

Gamers on Intel: TPM, Secure Boot and anti-cheat

For gamers, the Windows 11 requirements have started to matter beyond the operating system itself. Some competitive games now use anti-cheat systems that rely on the same security features Windows 11 checks for. Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat for Valorant requires TPM 2.0 on Windows 11, and some recent big releases, such as Battlefield 6, require Secure Boot to be switched on. On a supported Intel PC, that usually means only switching on Intel PTT and Secure Boot in the firmware settings, which you may already have done for the Windows 11 upgrade.

On an unsupported 7th-generation gaming PC running Windows 11 through a workaround, these games may refuse to start if TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot is missing, even though the processor is fast enough. That is another quiet reason gamers on older Intel desktops end up planning a platform upgrade. If a game's anti-cheat complains, check tpm.msc and the Secure Boot State in msinfo32 before anything else.

Home, Pro and other editions: the same Intel list

The supported processor list is the same for every Windows 11 edition: Home, Pro, Education and Enterprise. Buying Pro does not unlock support for an older processor, and Home does not need a newer one. The editions differ in features such as BitLocker management, Group Policy and Hyper-V, not in hardware requirements.

The one difference worth knowing at setup is accounts: Windows 11 Home pushes hard for a Microsoft account during setup, while Pro offers more options for work or school accounts and domain joining. That has nothing to do with the processor, but it is the next surprise many people meet right after their supported Intel PC passes the check.

What changed in Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2

Two things changed with recent versions, and they are often mixed up.

1. The CPU list stayed the same. The supported Intel processor list for 25H2 is the same as for 24H2. The only change was presentation: Microsoft now lists processor series and points to Intel's pages for model details. If your processor was supported on 24H2, it is supported on 25H2, and 25H2 arrives on supported PCs as a small update rather than a full reinstall.

2. Version 24H2 added a hard instruction requirement. From 24H2, Windows 11 needs a processor that supports the SSE4.2 and POPCNT instructions, or it will not start at all. This is different from the supported list: it is a technical requirement of the operating system itself, and no registry setting or installer trick gets around it. For Intel, it matters only for very old processors. Every Core i3, i5 and i7 since the first generation in 2008 supports both instructions, so a 6th or 7th-generation PC installed with a workaround still boots 24H2 and 25H2. Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors, and some very old Pentium and Celeron chips, lack POPCNT and cannot run 24H2 or newer at all.

In early 2025, some forum posts claimed Microsoft had dropped 8th, 9th and 10th-generation Intel chips from Windows 11. That came from a change in how one of Microsoft's list pages was organized, not from any change in support. Those processors remain supported on every Windows 11 version, including 25H2.

Your Intel CPU is not supported: what are your options?

If your processor is 7th generation or older, you have four real choices. None of them is urgent the way it was in late 2025, because Microsoft extended the free consumer Extended Security Updates program.

1. Stay on Windows 10 with ESU. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Home PCs enrolled in the consumer Extended Security Updates program keep getting security updates, and in June 2026 Microsoft extended that coverage to October 12, 2027. Enroll from Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update when the offer appears. This is the safest choice for an unsupported PC that works well today. Our page on Windows support end dates has the details.
2. Replace the processor or the PC. On a desktop, a newer motherboard and processor is sometimes cheaper than a new PC, but a 7th-generation desktop needs both, since 8th-generation chips use different motherboards even though the socket looks the same. On a laptop, the processor is soldered, so the choice is a new laptop.
3. Install Windows 11 anyway, unsupported. A registry setting lets the upgrade proceed on unsupported processors when the PC has at least TPM 1.2. The PC then runs Windows 11 without Microsoft's guarantee of updates, shows a "System requirements not met" notice, and you accept that a future update could stop it. It works on many PCs, but you are on your own if it does not.
4. Move to a different operating system. For an older PC used mainly for browsing and documents, a Linux distribution or ChromeOS Flex can give it years of safe use. This suits a spare or family PC better than a main work machine.

Ethan chose the first option for now. His desktop is enrolled in ESU, safe until October 2027, and he plans a new motherboard and processor next year, when he will also get a Core Ultra chip with the newer features. That is a calm, planned upgrade instead of a panic purchase.

About the registry workaround

The documented setting is a DWORD value named AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU set to 1 under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup, used when upgrading from Windows 10 with the Windows 11 installation media. It still requires TPM 1.2 or newer, and it does not get around the 24H2 SSE4.2 and POPCNT requirement. Before using it, back up your files, make sure you can return to Windows 10 within the rollback period, and understand that "unsupported" is real: Microsoft can choose not to deliver updates to such PCs. Third-party tools that strip out all checks exist, but they go further than Microsoft's documented route, and we do not recommend them on a PC you depend on.

Your Intel PC is supported: how to upgrade safely

If your processor is on the list and PC Health Check passes, the upgrade itself is free and usually simple. Do it in this order.

1. Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage. Upgrades keep files by default, but a backup turns any surprise into a minor delay.
2. Free up space. The upgrade needs room on drive C: to download and unpack. Our guide to how much free space Windows 11 needs gives the numbers.
3. Update drivers and firmware from the PC or motherboard maker, especially graphics and chipset drivers on older 8th-generation PCs.
4. Use Windows Update first. Open Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update. If the Windows 11 upgrade is offered, select Download and install.
5. If it is not offered, use Microsoft's Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool, both free. Our guide to upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11 covers all three ways.
6. Check after the upgrade: Windows Update for driver updates, Device Manager for any warning icons, and your main apps.

For ten days after the upgrade you can go back to Windows 10 from Settings, System, Recovery, if something important does not work. After that, going back means a reinstall. If the upgrade fails partway, our guide to Windows 11 updates that fail to install lists the fixes in order.

Buying an Intel processor or PC for Windows 11

If you are shopping, the good news is that you cannot easily buy an unsupported Intel processor new any more. Everything Intel sells today is supported. The questions are about value and features:

• Cheapest supported options: mini PCs and budget laptops with an Intel Processor N100 or N150, or a Core i3-N305, run Windows 11 well for browsing, office work and video. They are the cheapest way into a supported Intel PC.
• Used and refurbished PCs: 8th to 10th-generation Core i5 business PCs are widely available refurbished at low prices and are fully supported. Check that the exact model number is 8th generation or newer, not just the "Core i5" badge.
• Mainstream desktops: 12th to 14th-generation Core i5 and Core Ultra 200S desktop chips are strong all-round choices for home and gaming.
• AI features: Copilot+ PC features in Windows 11 need a processor with a neural processing unit rated at 40 or more TOPS, such as the Core Ultra 200V series. That is not a Windows 11 requirement, only a requirement for those extra AI features.

Whatever you buy, check that TPM (Intel PTT) and Secure Boot are switched on in the firmware, which they are on almost every PC sold with Windows 11. If you build your own, check the motherboard's firmware settings after assembly.

When buying used, ask the seller for the exact processor model or a screenshot of Settings, System, About, not just "Core i5" or "Core i7". Listings for 6th and 7th-generation business laptops are common and often priced like 8th-generation ones, and the difference decides whether the PC can run Windows 11 with full support. A refurbisher that installs Windows 11 Pro on the machine before sale is a good sign that the hardware passed the checks.

Windows 11 on Intel Macs and Boot Camp

Many Intel-based Macs have 8th-generation or newer processors, so people reasonably ask whether they can run Windows 11 through Boot Camp. The processor is not the obstacle; the security chip is. Intel Macs do not provide the TPM 2.0 that Windows 11 checks for, and Apple's Boot Camp officially supports Windows 10, not Windows 11.

That leaves three paths. Keep Windows 10 in Boot Camp and enroll in ESU for security updates until October 2027. Install Windows 11 anyway using a method that skips the TPM check, accepting that it is unsupported on that hardware, and that Apple's Boot Camp drivers were made for Windows 10. Or run Windows 11 in a virtual machine on macOS with software that provides a virtual TPM. For most Mac owners who need Windows occasionally, a virtual machine is the most convenient, and for those who need full speed for games, Windows 10 in Boot Camp with ESU is the safest for now.

Checking many Intel PCs at once

If you look after a small office, checking PCs one by one is slow. A short PowerShell command run on each PC, or remotely by an administrator, gives the processor name, and you can sort the results by generation:

Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name, NumberOfCores

Run it with Invoke-Command against a list of computer names to collect everything in one place, where remote PowerShell is enabled. Add Get-Tpm to see TPM status at the same time. For businesses with device management, endpoint analytics and Windows Update readiness reports can show Windows 11 eligibility for every managed PC without scripts.

Then sort the PCs into three groups: supported and ready, supported but needing TPM or Secure Boot switched on, and unsupported. The first group upgrades now. The second needs a visit to the firmware settings. The third goes on a replacement plan, with Windows 10 kept safe through ESU or the paid business ESU program in the meantime. Ethan did exactly this for a friend's office of twelve PCs: eight were ready, two needed Intel PTT switched on, and two were 7th-generation machines that went on next year's budget.

A supported Intel CPU still fails the Windows 11 check

If your processor is on the list but PC Health Check or Windows Update still says no, the processor is rarely the real problem. The usual causes, in order:

1. TPM is switched off. On Intel PCs, enable Intel PTT (sometimes labeled Platform Trust Technology or Security Device Support) in the firmware settings. Press Windows + R, type tpm.msc, and check that a TPM with specification version 2.0 is listed.
2. Secure Boot is off or the disk uses MBR. Secure Boot needs UEFI mode and a GPT disk. Check System Information (msinfo32): BIOS Mode should be UEFI and Secure Boot State On or at least supported.
3. Old firmware. Some 8th-generation PCs need a firmware update before TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot work properly. Our guide to finding your BIOS version helps you check before visiting the maker's support page.
4. A 32-bit Windows 10 installation. Windows 11 is 64-bit only, and a 32-bit Windows 10 cannot be upgraded in place even on a supported processor; it needs a clean installation. Check with our guide to 32-bit or 64-bit Windows.
5. The check is out of date. Update PC Health Check, restart, and run it again; older versions gave vague results.

Ethan's daughter's laptop needed none of this; it had Intel PTT switched on from the factory. That is typical of 8th-generation laptops. Desktops built by their owners are the ones most likely to have TPM switched off.

The Intel side of the Windows 11 list comes down to one line: 8th generation and newer is in, 6th and 7th generation are out, with a handful of 7th-generation exceptions. Read the model number, check TPM and Secure Boot if a supported chip fails, and if yours is on the wrong side of the line, enroll in ESU and plan the upgrade calmly. Ethan's daughter is on Windows 11, his desktop is safe on Windows 10 until 2027, and he finally understands why the slower PC won.

Revision note. Written October 3, 2026, replacing our 2021 table of Intel model numbers with a complete guide for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. It covers every supported Intel family through Core Ultra Series 3, the 7th-generation exceptions, how to read model numbers, the SSE4.2 and POPCNT requirement, options for unsupported PCs including the ESU extension to October 12, 2027, buying advice, and fixes when a supported chip fails the check. Our AMD list covers the other half. May your next upgrade be an easy one.