The Tool Desk
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Check which update you need and which version is installed
Press Windows key + R, enter winver, and press Enter. Note the Windows edition and version shown. A feature update changes the Windows version; it is different from a monthly quality update. For quality updates, use Settings > Windows Update.
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Check the release information for the exact target version before trying to install it. Not every version is offered to every existing PC: for example, Windows 11 version 26H1 is intended for select new devices, not as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2 on existing devices. Microsoft’s September 2026 guidance for 26H2 describes an enablement-package path from 24H2 or 25H2 that requires the September 22, 2026 preview cumulative update or later. See Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information and the 26H2 update guidance (KB5121794) for the target version’s current supported path.
Find out why Windows Update has not offered it
A feature-update offer may be delayed because Microsoft is rolling it out in stages, a known compatibility issue affects the device, or the PC does not meet Windows 11’s requirements. Microsoft uses safeguard holds to prevent devices with known issues from being offered an affected feature update; the duration varies. Check the message shown in Windows Update and Microsoft’s Windows release health page for relevant issues. Do not try to work around a hold before addressing its cause.
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Check eligibility in PC Health Check or the eligibility information in Windows Update. Requirements include an approved processor running at 1 GHz or faster with at least two cores, 4 GB of RAM, at least 64 GB of storage, TPM 2.0, and UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability. Graphics and display must also be compatible. These specifications do not by themselves confirm that a particular PC qualifies; use Microsoft’s full assessment and Windows 11 system requirements. If an organization manages the PC, ask its IT administrator before attempting a manual upgrade.
Choose the installation route that fits your PC
| Route | Best fit | Requirements or limits | Important caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wait for Windows Update | The PC may be in a staged rollout or under a compatibility hold. | Check update status and release health for the target version. | A delayed offer may be intentional; investigate a known issue before proceeding. |
| Windows Update Assistant | An eligible x86/64 PC that has not received the feature update automatically. | Does not run on ARM-based PCs. | Microsoft recommends waiting for the Windows Update offer when practical. Use the official download and heed compatibility prompts. |
| Installation media | An eligible PC that needs the documented media-based upgrade route. | For an in-place upgrade, start setup from within the current Windows installation. | Starting the PC by booting from media is a separate clean-install path, not the same upgrade procedure. Check eligibility first. |
Install with Windows Update Assistant
Use this route only for a compatible x86/64 PC, and follow any compatibility warning rather than trying to override it. Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page provides the official Assistant. Microsoft describes it as a tool for devices that have not received a feature update automatically through Windows Update, while recommending that users wait for the Windows Update offer before using it when possible.
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- Open Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page and select the Windows 11 Installation Assistant download.
- Run the downloaded assistant and follow its on-screen prompts to check compatibility and begin the update.
- Allow the process to finish and restart when prompted. If the assistant reports that the PC is incompatible or the update cannot proceed, stop and check the stated issue instead of using a third-party installer or bypass.
The Assistant is not available for ARM-based PCs. For ARM devices, use Windows Update or consult Microsoft’s guidance for the specific device and target version.
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Microsoft also documents installation media as a way to upgrade an existing Windows installation. To preserve the in-place upgrade path, start the PC normally into its current Windows installation, connect or mount the media, and run setup.exe from it. A USB flash drive is one way to create and carry the media; it is not needed for the Assistant route.
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- Confirm the PC meets Windows 11 requirements and that the media is for the intended version. Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page provides the media creation options.
- While signed in to the Windows installation you intend to upgrade, attach the USB drive or open the installation media.
- Run
setup.exefrom the media inside Windows, then follow Setup’s prompts.
Do not confuse this with booting from the USB drive. Booting from installation media starts a separate installation flow that can result in a clean install; it is not the in-place upgrade described above. Follow Microsoft’s ways to install Windows 11 guidance.
If the PC does not meet Windows 11 requirements
Do not treat a requirements bypass as ordinary troubleshooting. Microsoft does not recommend installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware: compatibility problems may occur, the installation is unsupported, and updates—including security updates—are not guaranteed. A missing feature-update offer and a hardware-requirement failure are different issues; use the eligibility result to determine which applies.
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