Upgrading Windows 11 can be challenging if your computer does not meet Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements. Windows 11 officially needs a 1 GHz or faster CPU with at least two cores, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. Many older but still functional computers do not meet these requirements.
If you originally installed Windows 11 using a custom USB created with Rufus, you likely bypassed these checks. While the operating system works, Windows Update usually does not offer feature upgrades on unsupported devices. As a result, your installation eventually becomes outdated and insecure.
This guide explains how to upgrade Windows 11 on unsupported hardware using a method that keeps your apps, files, and settings while bypassing hardware checks.
1. Why Upgrade Windows 11 on an Unsupported PC?
A Windows 11 installation created with the Rufus bypass can still receive monthly security updates for a limited time. However, feature upgrades such as moving from Windows 11 version 23H2 to version 25H2 are not offered through Windows Update.
Figure 1 - Creating Custom Win 11 USB Disk with Rufus and Skipping Hardware Requirements
This becomes a serious issue because every Windows release has an end-of-support date. For example, Windows 11 version 23H2 reached the end of support for Home and Pro editions on November 11, 2025. After this date, it no longer receives security patches. A system without updates becomes more vulnerable to attacks.
Note: Check your Windows 11 version by Right-click on Start and Select System. In my case, the version is 23H2 (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Legacy Windows 11 23H2
There are two main approaches when your hardware does not meet Windows 11 requirements.
1. 1 Clean Installation
You can create another customized USB installer using Rufus and perform a clean installation of Windows 11. This method is the most reliable because it removes all applications, settings, and old files. It often fixes performance issues and reduces the risk of installation errors. The downside is that you must back up your data and reinstall programs.
1.2 In-Place Upgrade
An in-place upgrade installs a newer version of Windows 11 from within the current system. Your files, applications, and settings remain intact. However, if you run setup.exe directly from the ISO, the installation usually might stop with an error. For instance, your CPU or TPM may not meet the requirements as it is depicted in Figure 3.
Figure 3 - Processor does not Meet Hardware Requirements
Fortunately, a simple command can bypass these checks.
2. How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware
2.1 Download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO and mount the ISO image
Download the latest Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft. Save the file on your computer.
To mount the ISO image Right-click the downloaded ISO file and select Mount (Figure 4). Windows creates a virtual drive that contains the installation files. Open File Explorer and note the drive letter that Windows assigned. In my case, it is letter G:
Figure 4 - Mounting Windows 11 ISO Image
Note: If you cannot mount the ISO using the GUI, use PowerShell instead. Click Start, type PowerShell, and then select Windows PowerShell (x86). Type the the following command:
> Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "C:\path\to\subfile\windows25H2.iso"
2.2 Open Command Prompt as Administrator and start CMD
- Click Start and open Run.
- Enter cmd.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch the command prompt as an administrator (Figure 5).
Figure 5 - Starting Command-line as Administrator
2.3 Switch to the Mounted Drive and start installation
In the command prompt, enter:
G:
Replace the letter G with the correct drive letter of the mounted ISO.
Type the following command to run the Windows 11 setup bypassing the hardware requirements and press Enter (Figure 6): The setup program now starts normally.
setup.exe /product server
Figure 6 - Starting installation process bypassing the hardware requirements
2.4 Choose What to Keep
When the installer asks what to keep, select Keep personal files, apps, and settings. If the keep personal files and apps is greyed out, go to the Troubeshooting section.
Windows begins the upgrade process and restarts several times. As it is an in-place upgrade, the setup does not show the Out-of-Box Experience. Finally, you will return directly to your desktop with your files and applications preserved (Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Windows 11 Upgraded from 23H2 to 25H2
Note: The upgraded system continues to run in an unsupported state. Windows Update may still deliver patches, but Microsoft does not guarantee their availability. Sometimes the bypass may fail and the installer may still report a compatibility problem. Downloading a fresh ISO usually resolves this issue.
3. Troubleshooting
3.1 Choice Keep personal files and apps is grayed out
If Keep personal files and apps is grayed out, as shown in Figure 8, you can try to fix the issue using the following steps.
Figure 8 - The "Keep personal files and apps" Option is unavailable (greyed out)
3.1.1 Repair System Files
First, start CMD as administrator and run the System File Checker (SFC) tool. This command scans for corrupted or missing system files and attempts to repair them automatically:
> sfc /SCANNOW
If the issue persists, use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. DISM checks and repairs the Windows system image, which SFC relies on to function correctly:
> DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3.1.2 Verify Windows Edition Compatibility
The option may be disabled if there is a mismatch between the installed Windows edition and the installation media (e.g., attempting to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro via ISO). The installer may block the migration of applications during a cross-edition upgrade.
You can verify your edition by right-clicking the Start button and selecting System (see Figure 7).
3.1.3 Language Version Mismatch (Most Common Cause)
A language mismatch is the most frequent reason for this issue. If your current Windows installation is in Slovak, but the 25H2 ISO is in English (or vice versa), the installer treats it as a different operating system and prevents a full upgrade. You must use an ISO file that exactly matches your System Default UI Language.
To confirm the primary installation language of your system, run the Command Prompt as an administrator and execute the following command:
> dism /online /get-intl
Look for the "Default system UI language" entry. The language of your ISO must match this value to enable the migration of files and applications.
Figure 9 - Verification of the "Default system UI language" as sk-SK (Slovak).
If your system is identified as sk-SK (Slovak), as demonstrated in Figure 9, it is mandatory that the installation media (ISO) is also the Slovak version.
The installer always checks the original base language of the OS. This remains true even if you installed English language packs later. A mismatch occurs if you use an English ISO on a system where the Default UI Language is Slovak. The installer will then flag the media as a different OS version.
This mismatch disables the option to "Keep personal files and apps." The ISO language must strictly match the Default system UI language value to ensure a seamless upgrade.
Conclusion
Upgrading Windows 11 on unsupported hardware is possible even when your PC does not meet CPU, TPM, or Secure Boot requirements. The method described in this guide allows you to keep your data and applications while moving to a newer version of Windows.
This helps maintain security after your current Windows release reaches the end of support. A clean installation remains the most stable long-term option, but the in-place upgrade is a practical solution for users who want to avoid reinstalling everything.