Can I Upgrade Windows 8.1/8 to Windows 11? 2022 Step-By-Step Guide
Can I upgrade my Windows 8 to 11? Can I upgrade my Windows 8.1/8 to Windows 11 for free like what Windows 10 users do? Sure! According to some professionals, it would be possible to get a free upgrade in Windows a bit complex.
Don't worry if you are not sure if your Windows 8 computer supports Windows 11 or not, or you don't have access to install the new update. Follow the step-by-step guide below, you'll learn how to get the new update installed on your old computer without losing any data. Let's get started.
Before You Start: We still suggest that you take a backup of important files and data to an external hard drive in advance.
Guide 1. Learn Windows 11 Requirements
As Microsoft made some changes in Windows 11, it has some system requirements and hardware requirements for getting the newest OS. To start the Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 11 upgrade process, we suggest that you first learn the minimum system requirements.
Here is a list of Windows 11 minimum requirements:
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
- System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
- TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
- Graphics card: DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x
- Display: >9" with HD Resolution (720p)p)
- Internet connection: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use.
You can go and follow Windows 11 specifications to learn more details about Windows 11 requirements.
So how to learn if your computer meets the requirements of Windows 11? Go and follow Guide 2.
Guide 2. Run Windows 11 Checker, See If Your PC Is Compatible with Windows 11
There are many Windows 11 compatibility checking apps available online and you can download one for help. Although Microsoft is said to produce its own Windows 11 checker, named as PC health check, however, it is not available yet.
Here we'll show you how to check the compatibility of your computer for Windows 11 with Windows 11 Upgrade Checker.
Step 1.Download Windows 11 Upgrade Checker.
Step 2.Click the Check Nowbutton to start.
Step 3. The Windows 11 compatibility result window will soon appear. All the incompatible and compatible configuration items will be listed.
Note that all you need is to focus on the incompatible configuration section. And if you see any one of the issues shows up in the result, it means that your computer currently doesn't support Windows 11:
- Disk Partition Type
- Boot Method
- Secure Boot
- TPM
So can I fix these issues and make Windows 8/8.1 ready for Windows 11 upgrade? Sure. Follow the next part, you'll learn how to get rid of these 4 major issues that block your computer from Windows 11.
Guide 3. Fix Windows 11 Compatibility Issues in Windows 8.1/8 PC
This part contains 3 fixes for you to follow and respectively get rid of the above issues and make Windows 8 computer support Windows 11. Let's see the details.
#1. Convert OS Disk from MBR to GPT
Windows 11 requests the OS drive to be GPT for UEFI and Secure Boot Modes. So you can open Disk Management and right-click OS disk to check its disk type now. If it's MBR, you'll need to convert it into GPT for Windows 11 upgrade.
To do so, you can try Disk Management or CMD to delete all partitions for disk conversion to GPT. Yes, this is not a user-friendly solution as both methods require data and partitions deletion.
Fortunately, you have a third way out. It is to turn to reliable partition manager software - Qiling Partition Master for help. It converts your disk to MBR or GPT type without losing any data.
Note that, to make your computer boot up from GPT and get ready for Windows 11, you'll need to fix the Boot Method and Secure Boot Issues next.
#2. Enable UEFI Boot Mode and Secure Boot
Note that if your computer doesn't support UEFI mode, your computer won't support secure boot nor can update to Windows 11.
So how to check if the computer supports UEFI mode? Here are the steps:
Step 1. Restart PC and press F2/F10/F12/Del to enter BIOS.
Step 2. Go to the Boot Menu, click the Boot Mode section, see if your computer supports UEFI mode.
- If you see a UEFI mode, it means your computer supports this boot mode.
- If it's currently disabled, move to the next guide to enable UEFI and Secure Mode.
Enable UEFI Mode:
Step 1. Restart PC and press F2/F10/F12/Del to enter BIOS.
Step 2. Go to the Boot Menu, click Boot Mode, and switch the mode from Legacy to UEFI.
Step 3. Save the changes and exit to restart the PC.
Enable Secure Boot:
Step 1. Restart PC and re-enter BIOS settings.
Step 2. Go to the boot menu, and click "Secure Boot" and switch it from Disabled to Enabled.
Step 3. Save the changes and exit to restart the PC.
#3. Enable TPM 2.0 Chip for Windows 11
Another hardware requirement for Windows 11 update is that the computer must support a TPM 2.0 chip. Mostly, a TPM is required to be enabled to secure a computer and use encryption features like BitLocker.
To get Windows 11 update, you'll also need to ensure that your computer supports TPM 2.0 and enable it.
Guide to Check If Your Windows 8 PC Supports TPM 2.0:
Step 1. Press Windows + R keys, type tpm.msc in the Run dialog, and click "OK".
Step 2. Once the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) utility pops up, check if the TPM is in use.
If yes, you'll see it under the Status section, marked as The TPM is ready for use.
Step 3. Check the TPM version under the TPM Manufacturer Information section.
If it's not or even an older version, please stay with Windows 8 for OS stability.
If it's TPM 2.0, your computer is good to install and run Windows 11. Move to the next guide to enable it.
Enable TPM 2.0 Chip for Windows 11 Upgrade:
Step 1. Restart PC and press F2/F10/Del key to enter BIOS.
Step 2. Go to the Security section > Advanced > Click TPM Support.
Step 3. Check the TPM State and if it's Disabled, change it to Enabled.
Step 4. Save the changes and exit BIOS.
After fixing these issues, your computer is now good to go and install the new Windows 11 update.
Guide 4. How to Install Windows 11, Upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11 for Free
So how do I get Windows 11? Currently, as we know that there are two major ways for Windows users to access beta version of Windows 11:
And here, we bring you the third way - using Qiling Win11 Builder which will automatically check and download the latest Windows 11 for you to install on your computer.
Let's see how to install Windows 11 on your Windows 8 computer via these 3 methods now:
Method 1. Download Windows 11 on Windows 8 via Qiling Win11 Builder
The follow-up steps are the same as presented in Method 3.
Method 2. Upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11 for Free via Insider Program
Step 1. Download Windows 11 Update
#1. Get Windows 11 Update as Insider:
- Open Windows Insider Programpage, sign in.
- Go to Settings >Update & Security>Windows Insider Program >Get Started.
- Select + to connect your account and select Dev channel.
- Confirm the Privacy Statement and program terms, select Restart Nowor Restart Later.
- After computer restart, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update> Check for Updates.
#2. Check and Get Windows 11 Update on PC
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.
Step 2.When the new update is available, clickDownload and install.
Step 3. Follow the on-screen guidelines and wait for Windows 11 to be installed on your computer.
Step 4. After installing Windows 11, you can now move or transfer the OS to a newly installed SSD.
Method 3. Manually Install Windows 11 on Windows 8 from USB
Step 1. Prepare an empty USB external drive that has up to 8GB or bigger space.
Step 2.Go to the Windows 11 page and download its ISO file to your computer.
Step 3. Burn the ISO file into your USB drive.
Or you can directly download the Windows 11 creation media and install it to your USB drive.
Step 4. Reboot PC and enter BIOS, setting the USB drive as the boot drive.
Step 5. Once the computer boots on the USB disk, follow the onscreen instructions to install Windows 11.
Step 6. Set Language, Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method, and clickNextto move on.
Step 7. Click Install Now to enter the next step.
Step 8. Click I don't have a product keyto continue.
Step 9. Select Windows 11 edition that you want to install and click Nextto continue.
Step 10.Click to accept the Microsoft License Term and click Next.
Step 11. Click Custome: Install Windows onlyon the new disk.
Step 12. Select the Windows 8 OS drive as the target disk and click Next to continue.
Step 13. Wait for the installing process to complete, the computer will restart automatically.
Then follow the on-screen guide to set up the computer. Once complete, you can then login in and boot computer from Windows 11 now.
Further Tip: About Windows 11 Product Key
According to most Microsoft and most geeks, it's still free to upgrade Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 11. So you don't need to worry about the product key issue.
Though Upgrading Windows 8 to Windows 11 Is A Bit Complex, You Can Do It Alone
On this page, we presented you with the complete process of how to upgrade Windows 8.1/8 to Windows 11.
If you are wondering if you can upgrade an old computer like Windows 8 to Windows 11, the answer is yes. As long as your computer reaches the Windows 11 requirements, you can do this on your own.
Though the process is a bit complex, by following this guide, you can install Windows 11 on Windows 8 computer on your own.
Related Articles
- "The Disk Check Could Not Be Performed" Solutions
- 3 Ways: How to Increase C Drive Space in Windows 11/10/8/7
- Format to FAT32 for USB or External Hard Drive in Windows 10
- How to Open Command Prompt in Windows 11