Windows 11 won’t work on your PC without a TPM — how to check

Windows 11 won't piece of work on your PC without a TPM — how to check

(Prototype credit: Microsoft)

Hidden among the Windows xi announcement today was a very odd, or at least surprising, organisation requirement. For Windows eleven, all systems will need a TPM 2.0 chip.

What the heck is a TPM chip? TPM is short for Trusted Platform Module, and it'south primarily known every bit a ways for security in PCs, more often than not dedicated to business notebooks and desktops.

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Windows xi: What yous demand

CPU: a ane GHz or faster dual-core or higher 64-bit processor or System on a Scrap
Retention: 4 GB RAM
Storage: 64 GB
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version two.0
Graphics bill of fare: DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM ii.x
Display: A greater than nine-inch display of 720p or higher

And this will probable pb many to wonder if they have this scrap, considering it'due south not one of the most consumers would ever meet or consider when customizing a laptop online, especially if they're making a gaming system.

Editor's note: This story most Windows eleven's TPM requirement has been updated afterwards Microsoft appear information technology will be temporarily taking down the PC Health Check app. Nosotros've likewise added annotate from a Microsoft spokesperson, too as notes from a Microsoft's blog post on the affair.

A Microsoft spokesperson told Tom's Guide, via e-mail that "devices to meet the requirements for Windows 11, they volition need to have a TPM. TPM support is included straight in CPUs from AMD, Qualcomm and Intel which tin can be establish on the Windows xi compatibility list.

They followed that with the frustrating note that "If devices in market run into the TPM requirements they can upgrade to Windows eleven, if not they will demand a new device." That said, we've heard that some TPMs may need to exist enabled in the BIOS, and so accomplish out to your PC's manufacturer for help before you buy a new system.

On June 25, the twenty-four hour period afterward Windows xi was revealed, David Weston (Director of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft) published a blog on Microsoft.com, explaining the need for TPM ii.0 chips.

Weston framed the demand for such chips a security business organization, writing "it'southward been rare to go through a twenty-four hours without reading an account of a new cybersecurity threat." He then referenced an internal report that found "83 percent of businesses experienced a firmware assault, and only 29 percentage are allocating resources to protect this critical layer."

And while you may non run a business off your laptop, Microsoft is arguing that everyone should exist protected against such attacks. "TPM 2.0," Weston writes, "is a critical building block for providing security with Windows Hello and BitLocker to help customers amend protect their identities and data. In addition, for many enterprise customers, TPMs help facilitate Zero Trust security past providing a secure chemical element for attesting to the wellness of devices."

Even if you do have a TPM in your laptop, y'all might be surprised to know that it'south there. I was personally shocked to detect out that the PC I've been streaming on Twitch with, the excellent Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, does have a TPM 2.0 chip and can in fact run Windows 11.

How did I find out? I certainly did not expect it upward within my system, though you can if you know how. I chose not to, because Microsoft is offer a way to encounter if your PC supports Windows 11, and that'south how I wanted to confirm my compatibility.

That said, a quick await at the update's other major arrangement requirements (a 64-fleck dual-core processor of i GHz or faster, 4GB of RAM and a 64GB storage device) would let me know that my machine qualified — and and then the shorter version would be good plenty for me.

That said, as I'll explain beneath, in that location are steps to have if information technology looks like your arrangement doesn't have a TPM, it may just demand to be enabled.

How to observe out if your PC has TPM ii.0 for Windows 11

Equally Microsoft appear it will exist temporarily taking the PC Health Cheque app downward, there's only 1 smashing way (at the moment) to see if your PC has a TPM fleck.

one. Click Windows + R

Windows 11 How to check for TPM - run tpm.msc — (Image credit: Microsoft)

2. Blazon in 'tpm.msc' and click OK or hit Enter.

Windows 11 How to check for TPM - confirmation — (Prototype credit: Microsoft)

iii. Look for confirmation or a "Compatible TPM cannot exist constitute" error.

4. If yous become the latter, you may still have a TPM fleck, but it may need to exist enabled. Contact your system's manufacturer for more details nearly how to turn information technology on in the BIOS — we can't give advice here, as all systems are different.

The beneath instructions are based on using the PC Wellness Check app, which Microsoft announced on June 28 it is removing temporarily. The following instructions will likely nevertheless apply when it comes back, merely annotation that Microsoft is the merely place you should download information technology from.

ane. Download, open and install the PC Health Check app .

Windows 11 How to check for TPM — (Image credit: Microsoft)

3. Make sure the "Open Windows PC Health Check" box is checked and click Terminate.

4. Click Cheque now under Windows 11.

5. The app will ostend or deny your back up.

Congrats, now yous know if you have a TPM!

If you don't have ane, well, there'south practiced news and bad news.

There's a chance you may notwithstanding accept a TPM chip, but it just needs to be enabled. Reach out to the company that made your estimator to enquire almost how your system's TPM tin can be enabled in the BIOS, a organisation that varies so greatly that we can't requite advice hither.

Y'all can buy a TPM off Amazon , but you'd demand to effigy out which TPMs (if any) your system supports, and that'due south a whole hassle into an of itself. Plus, installing information technology requires access to your motherboard, which isn't exactly easy on most laptops. And installing it isn't that easy either. Proficient luck, beloved readers!

What is a TPM good for?

If you're curious, the TPM uses both software and hardware to store and protect of import passwords and/or encryption keys. Plus, if a TPM bit detects something wrong in your system, information technology can run a quarantine manner to try and set up the problem.

It'southward basically a line of defense your system has confronting attacks, and a important part of why Microsoft believes that Windows eleven is super-secure.

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Henry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple tree, reviewing devices and services for the by half dozen-plus years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's as well covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.