Earlier this month, we covered an interesting trick to bypass the system requirements on Windows 11 PCs. It involves choosing the "IoT Enterprise LTSC" option when selecting the OS during the setup.
However, as it turns out, it looks like this bypass trick works for non-LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) as well, as discovered by the same Twitter (now X) user and tech enthusiast, Bob Pony. However, it seems to work only on the latest Windows 11 version, 24H2.
Just found out that it also applies for the regular Windows 11 IoT Enterprise edition (non-LTSC) when picked in the Windows Setup.
— Bob Pony (@TheBobPony) April 20, 2024
It"s pretty clear that IoT Enterprise is the SUPERIOR edition of Windows 11, no need to bypass any system requirements B.S. with any workarounds! 🎉 https://t.co/ErkbaNglZ8 pic.twitter.com/SzKaNRwbWO
As many of you already know, the Windows 11 system requirements have always been a bone of contention among enthusiasts and users alike as Microsoft deemed relatively new processors (at that time), like Intel"s 7th gen (Kaby Lake) and AMD"s first-gen Ryzen (1000 series), as incompatible. These were fairly capable CPUs and would have easily been able to run Windows 11.
However, these chips, and anything older, did not possess certain security features that the Redmond giant felt were crucial in order to run its latest OS. From time to time, the company updates the CPU list as new products are released. The latest update was made in March this year.
Aside from CPUs, TPM version 2.0 was also made mandatory. Again, Microsoft reasoned that such were the strict security characteristics Windows 11 brought. The recently announced AI PCs now include Microsoft Pluton to improve on that, though this is not a mandatory requirement.
Regardless, people have continued to use bypasses so as to be able to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. Interestingly, Microsoft, too, made a registry bypass official, though with a fair amount of warning.
Back in October 2023, we reported about a single command trick that allowed users to bypass the Windows 11 system requirements check during the setup process. While we only came across it in October, this trick had been doing the rounds since back in 2022.