Microsoft has confirmed that the first major update to Windows 11 was offered to ineligible PCs due to a server-side bug that mistakenly assumed those PCs were ‘supported’. This bug has raised questions about Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements, as the OS was temporarily offered to almost everyone outside the Insider program.
As we all know, Windows 11 has strict hardware requirements, and it’s one of the biggest changes to the operating system. Microsoft launched Windows 10 successor with upgraded system requirements, forcing users to upgrade to 8th gen processors or newer. This move left behind plenty of devices which seemed capable of running Windows 11.
In 2022, many users reported that Windows 11 21H2 upgrade mysteriously appeared on unsupported hardware devices. And the same incident was reported recently, with users on Reddit reporting that Microsoft accidentally offered the upgrade to Windows 11 on unsupported PCs.
In a statement, Microsoft confirmed that it offered an upgrade to Windows 11 for unsupported devices due to an accident.
“The issue has already been resolved,” Microsoft officials told us.
According to posts on Reddit, users received Windows 11 upgrade prompts on systems that officially did not meet the system requirements, including TPM 2.0 and the use of newer processors.
It is worth noting that users can easily bypass these hardware requirements and install Windows 11 on any device, including hardware with less than 2GB of RAM. However, Microsoft recommends users with unsupported hardware stick with Windows 10 if their devices do not meet the minimum system requirements.
Microsoft has previously confirmed Windows 10 remains supported until at least October 2025. Support for the OS may be extended beyond this deadline. At one point, users will have no choice but to upgrade the hardware as no security updates will be available later.
A major Windows 11 upgrade is around the corner
According to sources familiar with the development, Microsoft plans to ship a major update to Windows 11 in March 2023.
The company has already started preparing the update for consumers by shipping its features to those in the Release Preview Channel. For example, Microsoft is testing new features like Quick Assist in Settings and Windows Studio Effects in the taskbar, with more features hidden in the operating system.
For those unaware, Microsoft previously offered these improvements to users as part of the Dev and Beta channel, and they’re finally rolling out to the Release Preview channel.
Coming to Windows 11 in March: Seconds support in taskbar clock, new Task Manager features, modern system tray and more #Windows11 pic.twitter.com/Vj7551NVlp
— Mayank Parmar (@mayank_jee) February 26, 2023
Microsoft is also testing a new and improved search experience for Windows 11. You can try it out by using the search box on the taskbar.
