Microsoft is currently testing a new feature in its Windows 11 operating system that will notify users if system requirements have not been satisfied.

Windows 11 will soon remind you if your PC does not meet the requirements

When the Windows 11 operating system was released in late 2021, Microsoft made a cut. The requirements of the operating system were different and far more stringent than those of the previous edition of Windows. Microsoft used to try to keep the system requirements consistent from one Windows version to the next so that devices could be upgraded to subsequent versions of the operating system.

With the release of Windows 11, this decade-old tradition came to an end. The most significant modifications limit the processors that can be used and require TPM support. PCs that fail to fulfil one of Microsoft’s minimal requirements are given a warning. The statement “This PC does not meet all of the system requirements for Windows 11” appears in Windows Update.

Microsoft introduced ways for bypassing the system requirements check during installation, but made it clear that this was not something it recommended. It also stated that it could not guarantee that incompatible systems would receive updates in the future, including security fixes.

During installation or upgrading, tools like MediaCreationTool.bat, Ventoy, or Rufus all include options to circumvent the system requirements check.

Microsoft does not say how many devices running older versions of Windows are incompatible with Windows 11. Although these will be able to run Windows 10 until 2025, Microsoft expects to discontinue support for that version of Windows in that year. What happens to these devices once they’ve been used?

Until now, all Windows 11 devices were regarded the same, regardless of whether or not they met the system requirements.

If a device does not satisfy the system requirements, Microsoft has introduced a new notification to the Settings programme, according to Twitter user Albacore; this minor reminder on the System page has no effect on the device’s operation. For a variety of reasons, the information is unnecessary. Administrators who upgraded incompatible devices are aware of the issue.

Users, on the other hand, may be unaware, but there is nothing they can do about it unless a need that the PC supports is not met (such as a disabled TPM module).

Microsoft has not provided any clarification on its warning that incompatible Windows 11 devices may not receive future updates. It’s possible that the remark was made solely as a precaution, with no promises, but it’s also possible that future updates, such as feature updates, will not install on incompatible devices.