Microsoft releases its Windows 11 PC Health Check app again

Upon Windows 11's announcement, Microsoft shared a Windows 11 PC Health Check app that scans your computer to see if it's eligible for the major Windows update. It was taken down shortly after due to some controversy regarding the system requirements.

Now, it's available for download again and you can see if your hardware qualifies. You need 64-bit CPU with at least two cores and 1GHz clock speed, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of minimal internal storage. More limiting is the requirement for the TPM 2.0 feature that needs to be enabled via the BIOS settings if supported.

However, there are a handful of ones that meet the minimal requirements but won't be supported by Windows 11. Those are the CPUs from Intel's 7th Generation lineup and some of AMD's second-generation Ryzen chips.

Microsoft has taken note, though, and says that it will monitor if users participating in the Insider's program that run the said CPUs are having issues with Windows 11. And if not, it will include Intel's 7th-gen and AMD's 2nd-gen Ryzen CPUs in the officially supported hardware. But that will likely happen after the stable version of Windows 11 comes around.

As of now, only selected Intel 7th Generation chips are eligible - Core i7-7820HQ, Core X and Xeon W series can run Windows 11 officially. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 850 or newer are also supported. Some of AMD's 2nd-gen Ryzen CPUs are whitelisted too.

If you don't want to waste time looking for your CPU and all of this sounds too confusing, let the PC Health Check app do that for you.

we approach the release date for Windows 11 – which is set for October 5th – Microsoft is now making it easier for anyone to check if their PC supports Windows 11. The PC Health Check app, previously available to Windows Insiders, can now be downloaded by anyone. If you’re unsure whether your PC will be able to run Windows 11, running the new PC Health Check app is likely the easiest way to make sure.

Microsoft had initially released the PC Health Check app when it first announced Windows 11, but due to controversies regarding the system requirements, it ended up pulling the app temporarily. Late last month, it announced an update to its list of supported CPUs, and re-released the app. However, only those enrolled in the Windows Insider program could download it to check if their PC is compatible.

If you’re not aware of the system requirements for Windows 11, here’s the general rundown: You need a 64-bit CPU with at least two cores and 1GHz clock speeds, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. You’re also going to need TPM 2.0, a feature that’s been included in laptops and off-the-shelf desktops for the past few years, but may not be enabled if you have a custom-built PC. There are a few other requirements, but they should be met by the majority of devices that already meet the conditions above.

However, the CPU requirements mentioned above are somewhat meaningless in the end. That’s because Microsoft has a list of approved CPUs for Windows 11, and a lot of CPUs that meet the requirements above aren’t included. If you want to upgrade to Windows 11, compatible CPUs include 8th-generation Intel processors and 2nd-generation AMD Ryzen processors (based on the Zen+ architecture) or later. A handful of 7th-generation Intel processors are also supported, including the Core X series, Xeon W series, and the Core i7-7820HQ. As for ARM-based laptops, you’ll need a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 chip or newer, including Microsoft’s SQ processors.

If you can’t be bothered to check all of that yourself, you can now download the PC Health Check app to see if your PC is ready for Windows 11. Or check our list of PCs that will support the  Windows 11 upgrade if that sounds easier.