Microsoft is tightening system requirements for Windows 11 24H2. Only Intel CPUs of 11th generation or newer are still on the list of approved processors.
The system requirements imposed by Microsoft have been much talked about since the launch of Windows 11. Microsoft is holding firm and tightening the requirements even further. It has quietly updated the list of approved CPUs. From now on, you must have an Intel processor of 11th generation (Rocket Lake) or newer, whereas before, 8th generation was sufficient.
Critical factor
As usual, Microsoft’s explanations are sparse. “The processor is a critical factor for running Windows 11,” Microsoft kicks in an open door. The current version Windows 11 24H2 requires more processing power than previous versions to run all features smoothly. The addition of AI functionality in new Windows versions may also require more robust hardware.
Raising the system requirements means that devices older than 2021 may not be eligible to run the Windows 11 24H2 update. This is annoying, as older Windows 11 versions are also not supported forever. Support for Windows 11 23H2 expires this November, in fact 21H2 and 22H2 are already no longer supported. It will be no new information that support for Windows 10 ends in October.
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Loopholes
If you have an older device, first check carefully that it meets all the requirements. For example, the presence of a TPM 2.0 module is also very important for Microsoft. Information about your device can be found in the settings under System. There are loopholes to install Windows 11 on an unsupported device, but they are not recognized (and often quickly closed) by Microsoft and can cause compatibility problems in the long run.