On June 26, Microsoft unveiled the successor to Windows 10. The first preview version is available for everyone to download and install. You can read how to be one of the first to test Windows 11 in this how to.
Before you start installing Windows 11, it is important to check whether your system is suitable for the latest operating system from Microsoft. The system requirements have changed compared to Windows 10. The new requirements for Windows 11 are as follows:
Processor: 64-bit processor at 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores
Memory: 4GB
Storage capacity: 64GB
System firmware (BIOS): Suitable for UEFI Secure Boot
TPM module: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics Card: DirectX 12 Compatible Graphics Card / WDDM 2.0
Please note: these are the provisional requirements that are necessary to build to run Windows 11. These system requirements may change over time.
Step 1: Make Windows 10 suitable
It is important to know that it is not (yet) possible to test Windows 11 separately. You therefore need a working Windows 10 installation that you will update to the test version of Windows 11. You would do well not to test Windows 11 on a computer that you use for important tasks, but to do this on a special equipped testing machine. For example, a safe test environment is a virtual computer, such as VirtualBox.
In Windows 10, in Windows Updates settings, sign up for the Windows Insider program. Go to Settings and choose Update and Security. In the left menu, click on Windows Insider Program. You’ll probably see a message there that tells you to enable the collection of optional diagnostic data. This is necessary because Microsoft wants to be able to keep track of exactly which Windows 11 features you use and how they perform. In the notification screen you will see a blue text with Go to Diagnostics & Feedback Settings to enable optional diagnostics. Click to access the diagnostics settings.
You will then arrive at the diagnostic data screen. There you put a check on the second option: Optional Diagnostics: Then return to the function Windows Insider Program, the quickest way to do this is by simply clicking the back arrow – at the top left of the window.
Step 2: Sign in with a Microsoft account and set up
To become a Windows Insider – which is required if you want to test the preview version of Windows 11 – you must have a Microsoft account. If you use Microsoft’s e-mail service or Office, you already have such an account, for example if you have an @hotmail.com, @outlook.com or @live.nl address. If you don’t have a Microsoft account yet, you’ll need to create one. This can be done through any Microsoft website, through the To registericon, top right.
to now Windows 10 to make it suitable for receiving Windows 11, click in the window of Windows Insider Program on the button To work. You will then be asked to link your Microsoft account.
After you have linked your account, you will be asked which Inider settings you want to apply. To test Windows 11 directly, choose the top option: dev channel.
This gives you direct access to the very first version(s) of Windows 11 that become available. Keep in mind that this is still real previewversions, which may still contain many bugs and imperfections. After you press the button twice To confirm clicked, the computer will restart.
Step 3: Download and install Windows 11
Now that you’ve signed up Windows 10 for the Windows 11 preview program, the last step is actually getting the Windows 11 update. Go to Settings and choose Update and secure. Click again Windows Update and you should see the Windows 11 version as one of the updates being downloaded. At the moment that is version 10.02.22000.65 (co-release), really one of the very first versions of Windows 11. Wait for the update to arrive, and then restart your computer if Windows Update tells you to. Downloading the update may take some time.
After the computer restarts, Windows 11 will be installed and after about half an hour you will have the latest version of Windows 11 on your computer. Have fun testing!
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