Windows 11 Upgrade

Windows 10 support has now finished. If you have a relatively new machine—likely less than five years old—Windows Update may have automatically installed Windows 11 for you. However, if you’re using an older device and have been receiving notifications that your computer isn’t compatible, don’t panic. You don’t need to immediately replace it or rush out to buy a new one—despite what Microsoft might suggest.

Windows 11 places a strong emphasis on security, requiring the latest TPM 2.0 security chip (though it can still run on version 1.2). It’s also quite particular about the processor powering your machine, with many lower-powered dual-core processors—especially AMD chips—falling short of the requirements. And a minimum of 8gb of ram is also prefered.

If Windows Update informs you that your computer can’t run Windows 11, you might think your only option is to purchase a new laptop. But that’s not necessarily the case. There are ways to bypass these restrictions, and installing the new operating system is fairly straightforward. No hardware modifications are needed—just a simple registry edit.

Windows 11 is free to install and will be activated as a genuine product as long as you’re upgrading from a licensed version of Windows 10 on a compatible device. Even if a registry edit is necessary for installation, Windows 11 remains free—just a small service charge may apply for the modification.

For the best experience, I recommend fitting your device with an SSD or M.2 hard drive, which will significantly improve boot times and overall performance.

So, before you go out and buy a brand-new machine. Heed this.

Windows 11 is rushing towards its fifth anniversary. That all suggests that the next version of Windows — let’s call it Windows 12 — will be here before you know it

Windows 12 will be here before you know it

You’ll need AI-optimized hardware

AI is not going away. Microsoft is embedding its Copilot features in every nook, crevice, cranny, and Settings page in Windows 11. It’s also expecting people to pay for the privilege — those data centers are expensive to build, and they rack up pretty serious electric bills every month.

I expect that the next version of Windows will require a PC that meets Microsoft’s Copilot+ standard, which requires a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU), with higher memory and storage standards as well. If those specs are enforced, the result will be similar to what happened with Windows 11’s hardware requirements, with a large number of older machines incapable of upgrading beyond Windows 11.

My guess is you’ll start seeing this later on in 2026, with full launch mid to late 2027.