Skip to main content

Microsoft fixes Windows 11 PC Health Check app, extends processor compatibility

A few months after the Windows 11 PC Health Check app was taken offline, Microsoft is ready to bring it back. This time around, the company has made some significant changes to the experience, to ensure that the app provides more clarity and accuracy in deciding if a Windows PC can run Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 operating system.

Now in testing first with Windows Insiders, and rolling out to everyone in the coming weeks, the biggest change has to do with the eligibility check function. Microsoft says that the PC Health Check app now has more complete and improved messaging on eligibility for Windows 11, with links to supporting articles on remediation steps, including information on firmware TPM.

Related Videos
The PC Health Check message about Windows 11.

As seen in the above example, the PC Health Check App can report that the sample system isn’t able to run Windows 11 because it doesn’t support Secure Boot  and it doesn’t have a supported processor. There are links to learn more about these errors, and a See all results prompt to learn more.

In related news, Microsoft added two new Intel 7th-generation processors to the Windows 11 compatibility list. These include Intel Core X-series, Xeon W-series, and the Intel Core i7 7820HQ processors. The PC Health Check app will reflect these processors in results in the coming weeks before the tool hits general availability.

Microsoft mentioned that for anyone who is using a PC that won’t upgrade to Windows 11, Windows 10 is “the right choice.” That’s because Windows 10 will be supported through October 14, 2025, and will be getting the 21H2 update later this year.

“Whatever you decide, we are committed to supporting you and offering choice in your computing journey,” said Microsoft.

The updated version of the Health Check app will support the other variants of Windows. That includes 64-bit Windows, 32-bit Windows, Windows 10 on ARM, and Windows 10 in S mode PCs. Microsoft urges those who download and use the app to go to the Feedback Hub and file feedback about the experience.

There are no other additions to the list of processors supported by Windows 11. Microsoft determined that devices that do not meet the minimum system requirements had 52% more kernel mode crashes. Devices that do meet the minimum system requirements had a 99.8% crash-free experience.

Microsoft continues to claim that the TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and Intel eighth-generation or newer, and AMD second-generation or newer processor requirements are for the reliability, security, and compatibility of the operating system.

Editors' Recommendations

PC gamers are flocking to Windows 11, new Steam survey says
Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.

According to the latest Steam Hardware and Software Survey, more PC gamers are switching to using Windows 11. Although Windows 10 continues to top the charts, it's slowly losing users to Microsoft's newer operating system, as Windows 11 now compromises over a third of all operating systems in Steam's monthly survey.

It's happy news for Microsoft as Windows 11 continues to inch forward in the Steam Hardware Survey. While the survey doesn't include the software and hardware utilized by each and every gamer on the platform, it still shows us some significant averages. Microsoft has continued to push Windows 11 for new PCs, and the latest survey from Steam suggests that the effort is working.

Read more
5 Windows 11 settings to change right now
Person sitting and using a Windows Surface computer with Windows 11.

Windows 11 is great -- it's worth upgrading to from Windows 10. But as with every version of Windows, it's at its best when you make some tweaks to it. Beyond making Windows 11 look like Windows 10, or customizing the Windows 11 taskbar, there are a few changes anyone can make to Windows 11, and they're changes that everyone should make. In my humble opinion, at least.

So, if you're looking for an upgraded, augmented, and altogether better Windows 11 experience, here are the top five changes you should make to it right now.
Disable tracking and personalization
If, like me, you aren't a fan of deep personalization or data collection on you in general, then like me, you'll be looking for the least-tracked version of Windows you can find. While Windows 11 does collect more data on you than previous versions, you can disable some of it, and restrict the way the operating system automatically personalizes your experience.

Read more
New Windows 11 update adds ChatGPT-powered Bing AI to the taskbar
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 feature that makes the OS photos app compatible with Apple's iClould.

Microsoft has just unveiled the latest update to Windows 11 which has already started rolling out. There are plenty of changes on the horizon, including those involving the ChatGPT-based Bing AI search.

The new update lets Windows 11 users communicate with the AI-powered version of Bing right in their taskbar. The AI model itself also seems to have received an update that might make conversing with it less bizarre.

Read more