How to Upgrade Your PC to Windows 11
Windows 11 is now available. If you’ve decided you want to upgrade from Windows 10, here’s how you can get the free upgrade—even if Windows Update doesn’t offer it. This works if Windows 11 doesn’t officially support your PC, too.
Microsoft offers a variety of tools for downloading Windows 11 immediately. These will skip the slow, careful upgrade process and let you skip the line and install Windows 11 right now—even if your PC doesn’t officially support Windows 11.
To get started, visit Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page. We recommend you download and run the Windows 11 Update Assistant. It will update your current PC to Windows 11 for you. (You can also use the Create Windows 11 Installation Media tool to create installation media on a bootable USB or DVD, or download a Windows 11 ISO for use in a virtual machine.)
Note: By installing Windows 11 immediately, you’re skipping Microsoft’s slow-and-steady rollout process. You may encounter bugs with Windows 11 on your hardware. If that’s a deal-breaker for you, we encourage you to wait a few months before you’re offered the upgrade.
Here are 11 highlights of this release
- The new design and sounds are modern, fresh, clean and beautiful, bringing you a sense of calm and ease.
- With Start, we’ve put you and your content at the center. Start utilizes the power of the cloud and Microsoft 365 to show you your recent files no matter what device you were viewing them on.
- Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops provide an even more powerful way to multitask and optimize your screen real estate.
- Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar provides a faster way to connect to the people you care about.
- Widgets, a new personalized feed powered by AI, provides a faster way to access the information you care about, and with Microsoft Edge’s world class performance, speed and productivity features you can get more done on the web.
- Windows 11 delivers the best Windows ever for gaming and unlocks the full potential of your system’s hardware with technology like DirectX12 Ultimate, DirectStorage and Auto HDR. With Xbox Game Pass for PC or Ultimate you get access to over 100 high-quality PC games to play on Windows 11 for one low monthly price. (Xbox Game Pass sold separately.)
