How to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware [2021]

6 min readJul 10, 2021

Hola! If you are reading this I know why are you here. Let’s get straight into the topic.

Why can’t you install Windows 11?

Because the hardware requirements of Windows 11 are kinda odd. There are few things you must practically have and you don’t need to have in your PC in order to Install Windows 11.

Must have

Dual Core Processor
4GB of RAM
40GB of Storage (SSD is preferred)
Direct X 12 Capable Graphics Card

Don’t need to have

TPM 2.0
Secure Boot
Intel 8th gen Core i + or AMD Ryzen 2000+ CPU

Note : Before following this tutorial make sure if your processor is in Intel’s Supported CPU List.
> Intel: Windows Processor Requirements Windows 11 Supported Intel Processors | Microsoft Docs
> AMD: Windows Processor Requirements Windows 11 Supported AMD Processors | Microsoft Docs
If your processor is included the supported list, Just enable Secure Boot and PTT(Intel) or fPTM(AMD) from your BIOS and you can just install Windows 11 by signing up to Windows Insider Program ( Settings > Update & Security )
If you found anything HARD to follow along, just scroll down to the end and I have linked some useful resources! :D

What do you need to install Windows 11?

You need to have following things to install the crap of out of Windows 11

A USB Drive — 8GB or more
Latest Version of Windows 10 ISO file
Win 11 ISO file ( Insider Preview 22000.51 as time of writing )
A little software thingy called Rufus.

How to install Windows 11?

Here I’m guiding you through the process I followed to install Windows 11 on my Intel Core i5 3470 from 2013. I’m using Windows 11 for a week as of the time of writing and it is great so far.

Windows 11 Pro installed in my Core i5 3470 + GT710

> Step 1- Downloading the files

First you need to grab Latest ISO file of Windows 10. Go to this link and if you are using a windows PC to download the ISO file Press F12 on your browser, Tap on the icon indicated by red arrow and choose Ipad Pro (or literally anything) from the dropdown menu. Then refresh the website.

This extra step is only required if you are using a windows PC to download the ISO file.

Select Windows 10 Latest update and language from the drop down menus and press confirm

Now you will greeted to the download page. Click on 64 bit Download and the Windows 10 ISO file will start to download.

Then we need to download the ISO file of Windows 11 and Rufus. Just click on this link and download the latest version of win11 and download rufus from here.

> Step 2- Making a Windows 10 installer

By now you should have both Windows 10 and 11 ISO files and rufus in your computer. We are gonna use Rufus to make your USB Drive capable of Installing Windows. Plug the USB Drive to the computer and open Rufus.

In rufus select your USB drive under Device, Windows 10 ISO file under boot selection. Make sure you have UEFI enabled (Refer resources for more info) in BIOS and you have selected GPT — UEFI in Rufus. Now rufus windows should look like this.

And now press START and wait until rufus to finish copying files from the ISO. After the copying finished open your USB Drive in file explorer and navigate to Sources folder.

Then search for appraiserres.dll an copy it somewhere else (except your C: drive aka Partition that Windows is Installed now) and copy your Win11 ISO and rufus to somewhere except your C: Drive too. We will need those soon.

>Step 3- clean installing Windows 10

To make windows 11 installation error free as possible, First we have to do a fresh install of Windows 10.

Note : This Process will erase all of your data in the C: Drive. Make sure to backup any files you need before proceeding

If u don’t know how to do a Fresh install of Windows 10, I have some resources linked for you at the end. Just follow along and comeback here when you make to the Windows 10 home screen.

Note : When you are installing the Windows 10, make sure to choose Windows 10 Pro as shown below.

>Step 4- Making a Windows 11 installer

If you come to this point you should have a computer with a fresh install of Windows 10 in front of you. Now open the rufus again and this time select your Windows 11.

Then press START and wait for rufus to finish copying the Windows 11 files. After that copy the appraiserres.dll we grab from Windows 10 and paste it in the Sources Folder of your USB Drive

>Step 5- Installing Windows 11

Now get back to the root of the USB Drive and Open Setup.exe. Make sure that your PC is connected to the internet because setup will download some updates and drivers needed for the PC.