This week Microsoft has started the rollout of its latest operating system, Windows 11.
For now the OS is being rolled out slowly with new notebooks preloaded with Windows 11 and selected existing notebooks getting the free upgrade from Windows 10.
Sadly, being a part of the Windows Insider Programme doesn’t push you to the front of the queue although there is a way to get Windows 11 today.
Before we share that information we urge you to check whether your system supports the upgrade. Microsoft has said that users who upgrade to Windows 11 on a system that isn’t supported may not qualify for future security updates.
To find out if your system is compatible you can download the PC Health Check app here.
The minimum hardware requirements follow on below:
| Processor | 1GHz with 2 cores (64-bit system) |
| Memory | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB |
| System firmware | UEFI, Secure Boot |
| TPM | Trusted Platform Module 2.0 |
| GPU | Compatible with DirectX 12 or later |
| Display | 720p |
| Internet | Internet required |
While Microsoft recommends you wait to download Windows 11 through Windows Update, you can download the files needed to create an installation disk or bootable USB.
You can find those files on the official Microsoft website here.
You will need a blank DVD or USB thumb drive with at least 8GB of space in order to create the installation media. While you can use a DVD we highly recommend using a USB drive here as it leads to a faster installation experience, especially if your boot drive happens to be an SSD.
You will also need to download Windows 11 in the language you are currently using on your PC. This can be found in the Time & language menu in Settings or in the Region menu in Control Panel.
While the process of installing Windows is relatively straight forward, if you aren’t familiar with the process we recommend waiting for Windows 11 become available through Windows Update. We also recommend that you back up any important files or software before installing Windows 11, just in case something goes wrong.
While Windows 11 features a redesigned user interface and better options for multi-window views, the biggest draw for us is the ability to run Android applications on Windows.
Unfortunately that feature isn’t available at launch and as such we’re in no rush to install Windows 11.
