If your PC doesn't meet Windows 11's strict hardware requirements - like TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or specific CPU generations - Rufus offers a straightforward solution to bypass these restrictions and install Windows 11 anyway.
Why Rufus Works for Unsupported Hardware
Rufus, a free USB creation tool, includes built-in options to remove Windows 11's hardware checks during installation.
This means you can create a modified installation media that skips TPM, Secure Boot, and RAM requirements without manually editing registry files or using complex workarounds.
What You'll Need
- A USB drive with at least 8GB of storage.
- The latest version of Rufus → download Rufus.
- A Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft's official website.
- A PC with at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
Installation Process
1. Download and Launch Rufus
Open Rufus on your computer. No installation is required - the portable version works perfectly.
2. Select Your USB Drive
Choose your USB drive from the "Device" dropdown menu.
Warning: All data on this drive will be erased.
3. Load the Windows 11 ISO
Click "SELECT" and navigate to your downloaded Windows 11 ISO file.
4. Enable Bypass Options
After selecting the ISO, Rufus will automatically detect it's Windows 11. Click "START," and a dialog box will appear with customization options.
Check these boxes:
- Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM.
- Remove requirement for Secure Boot.
- Remove requirement for TPM 2.0.
5. Create the Bootable USB
Confirm your selections and let Rufus create the modified installation media.
This typically takes 5-10 minutes.
6. Boot from USB and Install
Restart your computer, boot from the USB drive (usually by pressing F12, F2, or Del during startup), and follow the standard Windows 11 installation process.
The hardware checks will be bypassed automatically.
Streamlining the Setup Experience
After installation, you may want to further customize your Windows 11 setup by skipping account creation requirements and other OOBE steps - for this, consider using FlyOOBE from Free-Codecs.com, which helps automate and bypass additional setup restrictions for a smoother out-of-box experience.
Important Considerations
While Rufus makes installation possible, running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware means you won't receive certain security features that rely on TPM 2.0.
Microsoft may also restrict future updates, though major updates have continued working for most users with bypassed installations.
Your system should still run smoothly for everyday tasks, but be aware that some enterprise security features won't function without compatible hardware.
