Microsoft updated its support document in mid-February 2025 to list Intel processors compatible with Windows 11 24H2, including several 8th, 9th, and 10th-generation Intel processors excluded.
The aforementioned Intel CPUs were launched some eight years ago; however, many of them still work okay up to this day and are compatible with Windows 11 as long as their motherboards sport the TPM 2.0 requirement. The company said that these processor models meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11. Aside from that, it also said, “Subsequently released and future generations of processors which meet the same principles will be considered as supported, even if not explicitly listed.”
Note that the Windows 11 version 24H2 supported Intel processors list is designed for OEMs building new Windows 11 devices, not for the average consumer using a Windows 11 PC. So, even if Microsoft did not reinstate the three Intel generations in its list, it does not mean your system will be bricked or no longer receive system updates. All the company is saying is that manufacturers should no longer use these old processors for new systems and put Windows 11 on them.
However, Microsoft still hasn’t released an official list of supported CPUs for non-OEM or custom PC builders. So, if you’re building your own Windows 11 PC from used parts, your only guidance is Microsoft’s Windows 11 System Requirements, which require a 1 GHz or faster CPU with two or more cores. It also points you to the same page that OEMs refer to when building a new PC for its list of approved CPUs, though, so it likely means you’re also limited to 8th-gen Intel chips or newer.
Despite limiting its latest operating system to these processors, you can still install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware by tweaking some registry values. You may not get system and security updates, so you’ll have to do this at your own risk. Alternatively, you can continue using Windows 10, but you must shell out $30 yearly for continued security updates to keep you safe from ever-evolving online risks. But if you want to continue using your PC but don’t want to deal with Microsoft’s upgrade shenanigans, why not switch to a Linux OS instead?
