Microsoft lastly appears to be getting critical (effectively, serious-ish) about urging customers operating Home windows 11 on unsupported {hardware} to improve their programs — or downgrade their model of Home windows.
For the reason that January 2023 Patch Tuesday replace, customers operating the manufacturing model of Home windows 11 2H22 on unsupported {hardware} have reported, through the Home windows Suggestions Hub and Microsoft’s boards, seeing a watermark that claims “System necessities not met. Go to Settings to be taught extra” within the decrease proper nook of their desktop.
“Going to settings and clicking the “Be taught extra” hyperlink brings me the to the Microsoft web site speaking about putting in 11 on gadgets with system necessities un-met. It additionally suggests reverting again to 10 and which you could solely do that 10 days after upgrading,” stories one person on the Microsoft Group boards (opens in new tab). One other person on the Home windows suggestions hub stories they purchased their PC with Home windows 11 preinstalled, and are solely now seeing this message.
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Microsoft first demoed this watermark ‘characteristic’ for Home windows Insider testers final March, so it is not too stunning that it is lastly made its option to the manufacturing construct. Not all customers are seeing it, nevertheless, so Microsoft could also be testing it on choose accounts or rolling it out slowly (or each).
Home windows 11 has some surprisingly strict minimal system necessities, as a result of it requires TPM 2.0 safety. Because of this, Home windows 11 is simply formally supported on CPUs equal to, or newer than, Intel’s Eighth-Gen (and some Seventh-Gen) and AMD’s 2nd-Gen processors. It additionally requires 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, minimal. In case your PC meets these necessities and also you’re getting this message, it’s possible you’ll have to allow TPM 2.0 in your BIOS.
In the meanwhile, it seems to be like unsupported programs will solely must cope with a mildly-annoying watermark, however this could possibly be step one towards extra drastic measures. Microsoft has warned that it would disable updates on unsupported programs (although this clearly has but to come back to fruition, as you may solely get the watermark should you set up the most recent replace).
So, simply go purchase a brand new CPU (says Microsoft). Or uninstall Home windows 11 and downgrade to Home windows 10, which you are able to do should you’re inside the 10-day window. Or conceal the message with a registry edit (or a lighter-colored wallpaper).