That CPU is not supported by Windows 11 -- it doesn't mean the system won't run Windows 11 (it will, at least for now, when installed by bypassing the CPU check).

However, how long that remains true is unclear -- Microsoft has stated it will require a minimum 8th generation CPU for windows 11 at some point in the future.  At that point, all updates for older CPUs will cease.

@ejn63​ Thanks for the opinion. I know they say processor is not supported but that was not the question. 

Question 1: Why does Microsoft show this processor was NEVER supported on ANY version of Windows going back to Windows 7?

Question 2: Why would it let me update to Windows 11 back in 2022 but now will not let me? 

No one seems to be able to answer these questions. 

How are people and especially businesses that have 1000’s of computers supposed to know what to do? Saying it “might” not work in the future is like saying my car, TV, phone, etc. might not work in the future.

Question 3: Not dealing with 2, 3, 4 years from now is will the processor work now since it was NEVER listed as a supported processor on ANY Windows Version? 

Answer 1 - because this CPU was never supported by Microsoft once it published the hardware requirements for Windows 11.

Answer 2 - the upgrade was offered without regard to CPU support at first.  It would still have failed the CPU check on installation, even if you tried.

Windows 11 is still a work in progress.  There is evidence that in the not too distant future, Microsoft will require a 9th gen CPU platform for he CPU floor.  

It's not as much of an issue for large enterprise clients because most run at longest a 5 year refresh cycle -- in other words, hardware is replaced every 5 years (sometimes 3), making the CPU issue non-existent.

If you want official Windows 11 support for the forseeable future, it's time for a new system.

@ejn63​ Don't understand answer #1. Why has this processor never been listed as a supported processor on any Windows Version? Are you saying Dell built computers with unsupported processors and installed versions of Windows anyway?

Question 2: Interesting as in another blog I ran across they update their XPS8700 with the same processor back in 2022 without issue. Just did the standard update. 

That CPU dates from 2013.  Windows 11 was released in 2021.  When the CPU and system were designed, Windows 11 wasn't even on the horizon much less released.

Microsoft requires an 8th generation CPU minimum for Windows 11.  That's the bottom line.  In 2022, it may be someone installed a prerelease beta of Windows 11 that didn't check the CPU requirements at all.

Current releases do.

If you want official CPU support under Windows 11, you need a new system, period.

@ejn63​ Don’t get me wrong, I get what you are saying but does not explain why you can go back to 2013 or 2014 when this system was purchased and that processor was not even supported by Windows 7. That is the question. Why? 

They did in fact support Windows 7 -- they were shipped with that OS.  Basically, Windows 7 is dead and buried to Microsoft -- there's no way they're going to show support for any system with Windows 7 in 2025 -- five years after security updates for it ceased.

Windows 7 itself is completely unsupported and has been since early 2020.

@ejn63​ I see you’re not understanding. Microsoft has always listed supported processors for every version of windows released. You can go look them up on their site. 

This processor is no where to be found as a supported processor. Why is that?

Because Windows 7 will support all of the CPUs that were available (contemporary or earlier) when it was released, includng the one you have.  CPU support did not become an issue until after the 7th gen Intel Core models -- when support for anything older than Windows 8 (and now 10 or 11) was dropped for earlier CPU models.

@ejn63​ Again, your answer makes no sense. You say “Windows 7 will support all of the CPUs that were available (contemporary or earlier) when it was released, ‘including’ the one you have.”

If it included those processor then why not is it on ANY list of a supported processor from Windows 7 and going forward? 
That has been one of the questions from  the start. 

Also your claim about companies buying new hardware every 5 years also fails. As mentioned this question is posted in several places. Here is just one reply from today from a company. They are “currently” replacing all their hardware because of the same issue.