July 17, 2025

How To Upgrade To Windows 11: A Comprehensive Guide

Upgrade to Windows 11: What to Do Before Windows 10 Reaches End of Life

The deadline for the end of Windows 10 is fast approaching, and for many the best option is to simply upgrade their machines to Windows 11, so we thought we’d help you along in this endeavour with a simple yet comprehensive guide to help you get started or just as a good read.

If you’re here for the first time welcome and you’ve been here before welcome back. We have written a previous article on the inevitable death of windows 10, if you would like to check it out, click here!

Also DISCLAIMER!

We encourage all our visitors that they also conduct research and double check on certain methods and information as we may all make mistakes from time to time and we ( thetechquestjournal ) will not be held liable should any errors occur or be found while you undergo your upgrade or take any advice from us.

LET’S CRACK ON

Why Do We Need To Upgrade?

Since Windows 10 will have no support it will leave its users vulnerable to malware, ransomware, and data breaches and by upgrading you will ensure the longevity of your device and also the protection of your in formation. You will also experience further issues with app compatibility as fewer developers keep supporting windows 10.

Pre-Upgrade Diligence

1) File Back-Up

It is important before you do any such project you back-up all your files and important information. This for many people is standard practise; I recommend you use a mixture of external hard-drives and cloud storage to ensure you can retrieve your info when needed.

2)Requirements

Before embarking on this journey, please check-up if your device meets the requirements of windows 11 before you start, because you might end up in a situation you will have a hard time fixing.

Here’s a list of requirements to double-check:

CPU: Your CPU should be 1GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor ( which is Intel 8^TH Gen or higher, and AMD Ryzen 2000 series or newer).
RAM: 4GB Of Ram or more.
Storage: 64GB or More
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
UEFI with secure boot
Graphics: DirectX 12 Compatible with WDDM 2.x

To make your life easier you can use Microsoft’s PC Health Check Tool to test for compatibility.

METHOD 1 : Upgrade via Windows Update ( Recommended )

This will be the simplest, fastest, and easiest way to upgrade your computer.

STEPS:

1) Go to the Start menu, then click on Settings, Followed by Update&Security

2) Click on Windows Update

3) Click Check for Updates

4) If eligible, you’ll see the message: “Upgrade to Windows 11 ready”

5) Click Download and Install

6) Follow the Prompts to complete the upgrade

This method is the most beneficial because it keeps your files intact, your applications and all your settings

METHOD 2 : Use the Windows 11 Installations Assistant

This method is great for any users who want manually upgrade without waiting for Windows update, though most users should already received the option to update.

STEPS:

1) Visit the official page: Download Windows 11

2) Click Download Now under Windows 11 Installation Assistant

3) Open the downloaded files and click Run or Run as Administrator

4) Follow the on-screen instructions to begin installation

5) Let the tool check compatibility and perform the upgrade

This method does still keep all your info intact, however requires TRM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled

METHOD 3 : USE THE MEDIA CREATION TOOL

This is perfect for doing either an in-place upgrade or a clean installation

STEPS:

1) Go to: Download Windows 11

2) Under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, click Download Now

3) Run the Media Creation Tool

4) Choose Either:

Upgrade this PC now (preserves files and apps)
Create installation media ( for USB or ISO creation)

5) Follow the prompts to complete the installation

This option is great if you want a clean installation, but will erase EVERYTHING! Please be sure to back-up for your important information.

METHOD 4 : USING AN ISO FILE

This is the extreme manual route for more experienced users

STEPS:

1) Download the ISO file from: Windows 11 ISO Page
2) Right-click the ISO File and select MOUNT
3) Open the mounted drive and double-click setup.exe
4) Follow the instructions on-screen
5) Choose:

Keep Personal Files and Apps
Keep Personal Files Only
Nothing ( clean Install)

This method will give you more control over the windows install, while still checking for compatibility.

METHOD 5 : Perform a Clean Install with a Bootable USB

This is ideal whose of whom want to start off fresh.

STEPS:

1) Download the Media Creation Tool from the Windows 11 Download page

2) Insert a USB flash drive, with a minimum of 8GB of storage

3) Run the tool and choose Create Installation media (USB Flash Drive)

4) After the tool finishes, restart your PC

5) Boot from the USB, ( you may need to change the boot order in your BIOS)

6) Follow setup steps to clean install Windows 11

Please be aware this method will erase everything, so please back-up your data first.

What If Your PC Isn’t Compatible?

If your PC doesn’t meet the requirements (like missing TPM 2.0), you can technically still install Windows 11 using unofficial workarounds; But:

It's not supported by Microsoft

You may not receive updates

There are security and stability risks

Always back up your data before attempting unsupported methods.

Well, that’s the end for now. We hope it helps anyone who needs a reference on the know how to upgrade the Windows OS

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