When Windows 11 Setup reports “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements”, the usual causes are:

  • The PC must support TPM 2.0.
  • The processor isn’t supported for this version of Windows.

The four methods below get around those checks. Choose based on whether you want to keep your files and apps (in-place upgrade) or start fresh (clean install).

Quick Comparison

Method Type Needs TPM 1.2? Tools Needed
1. MoSetup registry key In-place upgrade Yes Windows 11 ISO
2. setupprep.exe /product server In-place upgrade No Windows 11 ISO
3. Rufus USB Clean install or upgrade No Rufus + ISO + USB drive
4. LabConfig registry keys Clean install No Windows 11 USB

Method 1 — Registry Key (Microsoft’s Own Workaround)

Save the following as AllowUnsupportedUpgrade.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup]
"AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU"=dword:00000001

Steps:

  1. Double-click the .reg file and accept the prompts.
  2. Reboot.
  3. Mount the Windows 11 ISO and run setup.exe from it.

Notes:

  • The Windows 11 Installation Assistant ignores this key. You must run setup.exe from the ISO.
  • This method still needs at least TPM 1.2. With no TPM at all, use Method 2 or 3.

Method 2 — “Server” Setup Trick (No TPM Required)

  1. Mount the Windows 11 ISO.
  2. Open a Command Prompt as Administrator.
  3. Run the following, replacing D: with your mounted drive letter:
D:\sources\setupprep.exe /product server

Setup will say “Windows Server”, but it installs normal Windows 11 and skips the hardware checks. Your files and apps are kept.

Method 3 — Rufus USB (Easiest)

  1. Download Rufus from rufus.ie.
  2. Select the Windows 11 ISO and write it to a USB drive.
  3. When prompted, check “Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.”
  4. Then do one of the following:
    • Clean install: boot from the USB.
    • Upgrade: run setup.exe from the USB while in Windows.

Method 4 — Clean-Install Registry Bypass (No Rufus)

  1. Boot from a standard Windows 11 USB.
  2. At the first setup screen, press Shift+F10 to open a command prompt.
  3. Run regedit.
  4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup and create a new key named LabConfig.
  5. Inside LabConfig, create these DWORD (32-bit) values, each set to 1:
    • BypassTPMCheck
    • BypassSecureBootCheck
    • BypassCPUCheck
  6. Close regedit and the command prompt, then continue setup.

Hard Limit: CPU Instruction Support

Windows 11 24H2 and later need a CPU that supports SSE4.2 and POPCNT. That covers roughly:

  • Intel Core 2nd gen (Sandy Bridge) and newer
  • AMD processors from about 2011 onward

On older CPUs, none of these bypasses work. Windows 11 will either refuse to install or fail to boot.

Downsides of Running Unsupported

  • Updates: Microsoft doesn’t guarantee updates on unsupported hardware. In practice monthly updates have kept arriving, but each annual feature update usually means repeating the bypass.
  • Watermark: Settings may show a “System requirements not met” notice. It’s cosmetic and doesn’t affect anything.
  • Backups: Back up first, especially before an in-place upgrade.