Can I upgrade my Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 to Windows 11, as Windows 10 users do? Some experts suppose that securing a free upgrade in Windows would be possible but tricky. Follow the instructions below to install the new update on your old computer.
Before you suggest any suggestions, you should still back up your important files and data on an external hard drive.
1. Understand the Windows 11 System Requirements
Because Microsoft changed some things in Windows 11, there are some software and hardware requirements to meet before getting the latest operating system. Therefore, we recommend that you learn about the minimum system requirements before upgrading from Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 11.
Here is a list of the absolute minimum requirements for Windows 11:
• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a 64-bit processor or compatible System on a Chip (SoC)
• It has 4 GB of RAM.
• Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
• The system firmware is UEFI and can perform Secure Boot.
• TPM 2.0: the Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
• The graphics card must support DirectX 12 and WDDM 2. x.
• The screen is larger than 9″ and has an HD resolution (720p)
• Internet Access: Windows 11 Home requires Internet access and a Microsoft account to complete a device for the first time.
If you want to learn more about Windows 11 requirements, go to Windows 11 specifications.
So, how do you learn if your computer can run Windows 11? Follow Guide 2.
Guide 2: Use the Windows 11 Checker to see if your computer is compatible with Windows 11.
There are numerous online apps available for determining Windows 11 compatibility. For example, Microsoft is said to have a Windows 11 checker called “PC health check” created by Microsoft. This section will show you how to use the EaseUS Windows 11 Upgrade Checker to check whether your computer is ready for Windows 11.
Step 1: Get the EaseUS Windows 11 Upgrade Checker.
Step 2: To start, click the “Check Now” button.
Step 3: The compatibility results window for Windows 11 will appear shortly. All configuration items that do not and do not work together will be listed.
You only need to pay attention to the section that says “incompatible configuration.” And if any of the following issues appear in the results, it means your computer is currently unable to run Windows 11:
• Disk Partition Type
• Boot Method
• Secure Boot
• TPM
So, can I resolve these issues and upgrade Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 11? Sure. Follow the reading to learn how to resolve these four major issues preventing your computer from running Windows 11.
Guide 3: Resolve Windows 11 Compatibility issues On Windows 8.1/8
This section contains three steps you can take to resolve the issues listed above and make your Windows 8 computer compatible with Windows 11. First, let’s go over the specifics.
#1. OS Disk (MBR) to GPT Conversion
Windows 11 requires the OS drive to be GPT for UEFI and Secure Boot Modes. If it’s MBR, you’ll need to change it to GPT after upgrading to Windows 11. EaseUS Partition Master converts your disc to MBR or GPT without erasing any data.
Here are the steps:
If you want your computer to boot from GPT and be ready for Windows 11, you must first fix the Boot Method and Secure Boot Issues.
#2. Enable UEFI Boot Mode and Secure Boot.
If your computer lacks UEFI mode, it will not be able to update to Windows 11 or support secure boot.
So, how do you check out if your computer has UEFI mode? Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Restart the computer and enter BIOS by pressing F2/F10/F12/Del.
Step 2: Navigate to the Boot Menu, then to the Boot Mode section to see if your computer supports UEFI mode.
• If you see a UEFI mode, your computer can boot from this mode.
• If it is currently turned off, move to the next guide to learn about UEFI and Secure Mode.
Enable UEFI Mode:
Step 1: Restart the computer and enter BIOS by pressing F2/F10/F12/Del.
Step 2: In the Boot Menu, click Boot Mode and switch from Legacy to UEFI.
Save the changes and leave the program to restart the computer.
Enable Secure Boot:
Step 1: Restart the computer and re-enter the BIOS settings.
Step 2:
- Proceed to the boot menu.
- Click “Secure Boot.”
- Switch the setting from “Disabled” to “Enabled.”
Save the changes and leave the program to restart the computer.
#3. Enable TPM 2.0 Chip for Windows 11
Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0-enabled Intel Core i7 or AMD processor. TPM is required to secure your computer and use encryption tools such as BitLocker.
How to Find Whether Your Windows 8 computer Supports TPM 2.0:
Step 1: Press Windows + R, click tpm.MSc in the Run box, and press “OK.”
Step 2: When the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) utility appears, check to see if the TPM is active.
If this is the case, the Status section will display “The TPM is ready to use.”
Step 3: If your computer has TPM 2.0 or higher, you should be fine installing and running Windows 11. If it isn’t, or an older version, you might want to stick with Windows 8 because it’s more stable. Go to the following guide to move TPM on your PC.
Enable the TPM 2.0 chip for the Windows 11 upgrade:
Step 1: Restart your computer and enter BIOS by pressing F2/F10/Del.
Step 2: Navigate to Security > Advanced > TPM Support.
Step 3: Check the TPM State and turn it if it says “Disabled.”
Save your changes and exit BIOS.
After resolving these issues, your computer is good to install the new Windows 11 update.
Guide 4: How to Install Windows 11 And Freely Upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11
So, how do I get Windows 11? As far as we know, Windows users can access the beta version of Windows 11 in two ways:
1. Join the Insider Program to get Windows 11
2. Install Windows 11 from a USB stick.
The third option is to use EaseUS Win11 Builder, which will automatically check for the latest version of Windows 11 and download it for you to install on your computer.
Let’s install a look at the three methods for installing Windows 11 on your Windows 8 computer:
1. Download Windows 11 for Windows 8 Using EaseUS Win11 Builder.
Step 1: The EaseUS OS2Go software is designed to be compatible with the Win11 builder. To download, click the button, and then run the program after installing it.
Step 2: switch WinToGo Creator to Windows Install Drive Creator. The system information is displayed on the home screen and is always up to date. Win11 builder allows you to download Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, and Windows 11.
Step 3: Connect your USB flash drive to your computer. Win11 builder will automatically find your USB device, so all you have to do is click the Create button.
Step 4: If your USB drive has already been used, the software will erase all its data. Once the downloading begins, you can either wait for it to finish or do something else for a while.
Step 5: After downloading the Windows 11 iso image file to the bootable USB drive, begin installing Windows 11 on your computer by following the installation wizard’s instructions.
The Next Steps are the same as in Method 3.
Method 2: Use the Insider Program to upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 11 for free.
First, download the Windows 11 Update.
#1. Download the Windows 11 Insider Preview:
• Navigate to the Windows Insider Program page and sign in.
• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program > Get Started.
• Connect your account by clicking “+,” then select “Dev channel.”
• check the Privacy Statement and the program’s terms before selecting Restart Now or Restart Later.
• After restarting the computer, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.
#2- Check for and install the Windows 11 update on your computer.
• Navigate to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates.
Step 2: When the new update is ready, click Download and Install.
Step 3: Follow the instructions on your computer’s screen and wait for Windows 11 to install.
Step 4: After installing Windows 11, you can move or copy the operating system to a newly installed SSD.
Method 3: Install Windows 11 manually from a USB stick on Windows 8.
Step 1: Prepare an empty USB drive with at least 8GB of storage space.
Step 2: Navigate to the Windows 11 download page and save the ISO file to your computer.
Step 3: Copy the ISO file to your USB drive.
Alternatively, you can download Windows 11 and install it on your USB drive.
Step 4: Reboot the computer and turn BIOS to make the USB drive the boot drive.
Step 5: Once the computer boots from the USB disc, follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 11.
Step 6: Select the Language, Time, and Currency format, Keyboard, or Input method, and then click Next to move.
Step 7: To proceed, click Install Now.
Step 8: Click. I’m unable to move because I lack a product key.
Step 9: Select the version of Windows 11 you want to install and click Next to move.
Step 10: Click Next after agreeing to the Microsoft license terms.
Step 11: Select Custome and install Windows only on the new disc.
Step 12: Select the Windows 8 OS drive as the target disc and click Next.
Step 13: Wait for the installation to complete. When this happens, the computer will restart automatically.
Then, set up the computer by following the instructions on the screen. After that, you can log in and start your computer from Windows 11.
More On the Windows 11 Product Key
According to Microsoft and most geeks, upgrading from Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 11 is still free. So there’s nothing to be concerned about with the product key.
Summary
We covered everything you need to move about upgrading from Windows 8.1 or 8 to Windows 11. You can do this on your own as long as your computer meets the requirements for Windows 11. For example, you can install Windows 11 on a Windows 8 computer by following this guide. Unfortunately, the procedure is a little complicated, but you can do it.
