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Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro Unsupported PCs or Laptops

How to upgrade win 10 pro to win 11 pro

How to Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro on Unsupported PCs or Laptops (Step-by-Step Guide)

Introduction: Why Some PCs Don’t Support Windows 11

Microsoft made Windows 11 stricter than Windows 10, requiring TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and newer CPUs. Many older but capable laptops and desktops don’t pass these checks.

Users often search terms like aka.ms upgrade to Windows 11, system upgrade to Windows 11, or how to update to Win 11. The reality is: Microsoft’s installer will block unsupported devices — but you can still upgrade.

This guide explains how to upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro manually, bypass hardware checks, and even do it for free if your Windows 10 Pro is already activated.

System Tested: Real Example

We tested on:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4710HQ (4th Gen, unsupported)
  • RAM: 16 GB DDR3
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GTX 960M
  • Firmware: Legacy BIOS (no Secure Boot, no TPM 2.0)

Despite failing Microsoft’s requirements, this laptop successfully upgraded to Windows 11 Pro using the steps below.

Windows 10 Pro activation before upgrade
Windows 10 Pro activation before upgrade

Step 1: Backup Your Data & Confirm Activation

Before your system upgrade to Windows 11:

  • Backup with Windows Backup or tools like Macrium Reflect.
  • Save files to an external drive or cloud.
  • Confirm Windows 10 Pro is activated (if it’s activated, Windows 11 Pro will activate automatically).

Need a license? Get a genuine key here → Check our Windows store.

Step 2: Make Sure Windows 10 Pro is Fully Updated

Go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update.

  • Install all available updates.
  • This prevents upgrade issues later.
Windows 10 updates pending before upgrade
Windows 10 updates pending before upgrade
Windows 10 system fully updated
Windows 10 system fully updated

Step 3: Download Windows 11 Pro ISO from Microsoft

Skip risky sources — always download from the official site.

  1. Visit Microsoft Download Page.
  2. Scroll to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO).
  3. Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64).
Official Windows 11 ISO download page
Official Windows 11 ISO download page
  1. Select your language (must match Windows 10’s language).
Select Windows 11 ISO product language
Select the product language and confirm
  1. Click Download Now.
Windows 11 ISO download link
Windows 11 ISO download link

Step 4: Mount ISO & Create Setup Shortcut

  1. Locate the ISO in Downloads → Right-click → Mount.
Windows 11 ISO file downloaded and ready to mount
Windows 11 ISO file ready to mount
  1. Open the mounted ISO (DVD Drive).
  2. Right-click setup.exe → Send to → Desktop (create shortcut).
Windows 11 setup.exe inside the mounted ISO
setup.exe inside the ISO
Create desktop shortcut for Windows 11 setup
Create a desktop shortcut for setup

Step 5: Edit Shortcut to Bypass Requirements

Right-click the desktop shortcut → Properties.

  • Original Target: "E:\setup.exe"
  • Change to: "E:\setup.exe" /product server
Editing Windows 11 setup shortcut properties
Shortcut properties
Windows 11 setup shortcut with /product server parameter
Final Target value with /product server

This is the upgrade to Windows 11 manually trick. The “Server” branding just bypasses checks — you’re still installing Windows 11 Pro.

Step 6: Run the Installer

Right-click the shortcut → Run as Administrator.

Run the modified Windows 11 setup shortcut as administrator
Run the modified shortcut as admin
Why you see “Windows Server Setup” here
Launching the installer with /product server is a safe bypass that tells the Windows setup program to use a different product mode which skips Windows 11’s client hardware checks (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, older CPUs).
You are not installing Windows Server. The ISO still contains Windows 11 Pro and that’s what gets installed; only the setup shell shows the Server branding during this phase.Note: On unsupported hardware, some features and future feature updates may be limited.

The wizard will show “Windows Server Setup.” Don’t worry still installs Windows 11 Pro.

Windows Server Setup screen shown during bypass
“Install Windows Server” screen (expected while bypassing checks; still installs Windows 11 Pro).

It will check for updates → accept license → choose what to keep.

Windows 11 setup checking for updates
Checking for updates
Windows 11 license agreement screen
Accept license terms

Readiness checks → Ready to install

Windows 11 readiness check before installation
Readiness check
Windows 11 setup downloading updates
Getting updates
Windows 11 final readiness check
Final readiness check
Windows 11 Pro ready to install screen
Ready to install Windows 11 Pro

Installing screen (server) to bypass the Windows 11 Professional Requirements

Installing Windows 11 Pro with server branding
Installation in progress

Step 7: First Boot into Windows 11 Pro

After restarts, you’ll see the new Windows 11 Pro desktop.

Fresh Windows 11 Pro desktop after upgrade
Windows 11 Pro desktop
Windows 11 Pro activation successful
Activation screen

If activation fails, enter your Windows 10 Pro key or buy a new one → Check our Windows 11 Professional Key here.

Tips & Warnings

✅ Tips

  • Use SSD storage for smoother performance.
  • Update drivers after upgrade.
  • Enable updates for security patches.

⚠️ Warnings

  • Unsupported PCs may not receive all feature updates.
  • Bypassing TPM/Secure Boot lowers security.
  • Features like BitLocker/Windows Hello may not work.

FAQs: Upgrading Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro

Q1. Can I upgrade to Windows 11 for free from Windows 10 Pro?

Yes. If Windows 10 Pro is activated, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free. The activation state usually carries over automatically after upgrade.

Q2. How to update to Win 11 step by step?

Follow these steps: backup your data, update Windows 10 fully, download the Windows 11 ISO, edit the setup shortcut, run the installer, and reboot.

Q3. What is aka.ms upgrade to Windows 11?

The aka.ms upgrade to Windows 11 link is a Microsoft shortcut that redirects to the official Windows 11 download page. Always use this official source for safety.

Q4. What happens if my PC doesn’t meet the requirements?

The installer will normally block the upgrade. However, using the /product server method bypasses these checks and allows the installation to continue.

Q5. Is it safe to bypass TPM and Secure Boot?

Yes, the upgrade will still work, but security features like BitLocker and Windows Hello may not function as intended. Always keep backups and use strong antivirus protection.

Q6. Will Windows 11 run smoothly on older laptops?

Yes, as long as your device has at least 8 GB of RAM and an SSD. Performance on HDD-only systems may be slower.

Q7. Do I need a new license key for Windows 11 Pro?

No. Your existing Windows 10 Pro key will activate Windows 11 Pro automatically in most cases.

Q8. Can I downgrade back to Windows 10?

Yes. Within 10 days, you can roll back to Windows 10 using system recovery. After 10 days, you’ll need to reinstall Windows 10 cleanly.

Q9. What are the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11?

  • 1 GHz CPU with at least 2 cores
  • 4 GB of RAM
  • 64 GB of storage
  • DirectX 12 compatible GPU
  • TPM 2.0 & Secure Boot (can be bypassed with this guide)
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