Microsoft reveals the new hardware requirements for Windows 11

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Published on June 24, 2021

by Pradeep Viswav

published on June 24, 2021

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Microsoft Windows 11 system requirements

Microsoft today announced Windows 11, the next major version of Windows 11. Microsoft also confirmed that Windows 11 will be available as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 PCs. To install or upgrade to Windows 11, your PC must meet the following requirements.

Windows 11 hardware requirements:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC).
RAM: 4 gigabytes (GB) or greater.
Storage: 64 GB* or greater available storage is required to install Windows 11.
- Additional storage space might be required to download updates and enable specific features.
Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
Display: High definition (720p) display, 9″ or greater monitor, 8 bits per color channel.
Internet connection: Internet connectivity is necessary to perform updates, and to download and use some features.
- Windows 11 Home edition requires an Internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete device setup on first use.

Some features in Windows 11 have increased requirements beyond those listed above in the minimum requirements section. Below are some additional details regarding requirements for key features:

5G support requires 5G capable modem.
Auto HDR requires an HDR monitor.
Bit Locker to Go requires a USB flash drive (available in Windows Pro and above editions).
Client Hyper-V requires a processor with second level address translation (SLAT) capabilities (available in Windows Pro and above editions).
Cortana requires a microphone and speaker and is currently available on Windows 11 for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States.
DirectStorage requires 1 TB or greater NVMe SSD to store and run games that uses the “Standard NVM Express Controller” driver and a DirectX 12 Ultimate GPU.
DirectX 12 Ultimate is available with supported games and graphics chips.
Presence requires sensor that can detect human distance from device or intent to interact with device.
Intelligent Video Conferencing requires video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output).
Multiple Voice Assistant (MVA) requires a microphone and speaker.
Snap three-column layouts require a screen that is 1920 effective pixels or greater in width.
Mute/Unmute from Taskbar requires video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output). App must be compatible with feature to enable global mute/unmute.
Spatial Sound requires supporting hardware and software.
Teams requires video camera, microphone, and speaker (audio output).
Touch requires a screen or monitor that supports multi-touch.
Two-factor Authentication requires use of PIN, biometric (fingerprint reader or illuminated infrared camera), or a phone with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capabilities.
Voice Typing requires a PC with a microphone.
Wake on Voice requires Modern Standby power model and microphone.
Wi-Fi 6E requires new WLAN IHV hardware and driver and a Wi-Fi 6E capable AP/router.
Windows Hello requires a camera configured for near infrared (IR) imaging or fingerprint reader for biometric authentication. Devices without biometric sensors can use Windows Hello with a PIN or portable Microsoft compatible security key.
Windows Projection requires a display adapter which supports Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.0 and a Wi-Fi adapter that supports Wi-Fi Direct.
Xbox (app) requires an Xbox Live account, which is not available in all regions. See Xbox Live Countries and Regions for the most up-to-date information on availability. Some features in the Xbox app will require an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. Learn more about the pass.

You can confirm if your current Windows 10 PC is eligible for the free upgrade to Windows 11 using the PC Health Check app. Microsoft is working with its retail partners to make sure Windows 10 PCs you buy today are ready for the upgrade to Windows 11.

Source: Microsoft