Windows 11 Upgrade Walk-through for Dell Computers

1. Run the PC Health Check App to scan for minimum requirements
2. Check to see if your device is tested for Windows 11 upgrade
3. Back up critical files
4. Update BIOS and drivers
5. Upgrade to Windows 11
6. Update your computer with Windows 11 drivers after the upgrade

Run the PC Health Check App to scan for minimum requirements

Microsoft provides the PC Health Check app to scan your computer and determine if it meets the minimum requirements for Windows 11. Download the PC Health Check app now.

For more information about minimum requirements, including Trusted Platform Module (TPM) compatibility, see Dell Knowledge Base article Windows 11 - Scope of Support and System Requirements.

Check to see if your device is tested for Windows 11 upgrade

See Dell Knowledge Base article, "Dell computers tested for upgrade to Windows 11," which lists Dell computers that have been tested for upgrade to Windows 11.

If your computer is not tested for Windows 11, Dell does not recommend upgrading to Windows 11. Dell does not provide Windows 11 drivers for untested devices. Microsoft may include Windows 11 drivers from component manufacturers through Windows Update for computers not tested by Dell. However, Dell does not provide support for Windows 11 on untested devices.

Back up your files with OneDrive

Before you install the Windows 11 upgrade, be sure to back up your files with OneDrive. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, "Back up your Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders with OneDrive" for more information.

For large amounts of data, you should back up your files and folders to an external hard drive using File History. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, Backup and Restore in Windows 10.

Update BIOS and drivers

Dell strongly recommends that you update the BIOS and drivers for your Dell computer before starting an upgrade to Windows 11. The Windows upgrade process migrates current drivers for your computer rather than installing new "in-box" drivers. You should have the latest drivers on your computer before upgrading to Windows 11.

To get started with updating your BIOS and drivers, go to the Dell Drivers & Downloads website for your computer. Be sure to have your computer Service Tag available and SupportAssist installed to get the drivers that are right for your computer.

Upgrade to Windows 11

Dell Technologies recommends using the upgrade option through Windows Update to install Windows 11 on a tested computer. This keeps your files and retains the restore partition in case you must go back to Windows 10.

To check if Windows 11 is ready for your device, go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.

Microsoft rolls out the upgrade for Windows 11 to eligible devices between late 2021 and early 2022.

Update your computer with Windows 11 drivers after the upgrade

Once your computer finishes the upgrade to Windows 11, check the Dell drivers website for updated Windows 11 drivers that may not have made it into Windows Update. Install all drivers under Windows 11 that are appropriate for your device.

To get started with updating your drivers, go to the Dell Drivers & Downloads website for your computer. Be sure to have your computer Service Tag available and SupportAssist installed to get the drivers that are right for your computer.

Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• Dell computers tested for update to Windows 11 build 22H2 and previous versions of Windows 11
• Windows 11 - Scope of Support and System Requirements
• How To Install Windows 11 or Windows 10 From a Dell Windows Recovery DVD
• How to Enable Secure Boot on Your Dell Device
• Microsoft Windows Operating System Support for Intel Kaby Lake, and Later Processors