Upgrading an Older PC to Windows 11 Using Flyby11/FlyOOBE
If your computer doesn't officially meet Microsoft's Windows 11 requirements, you may still be able to upgrade it using a tool such as Flyby11 (formerly known as FlyOOBE).
Many older Windows 10 computers are perfectly capable of running Windows 11, but Microsoft's installer blocks them because they don't meet requirements such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or a supported processor.
Flyby11 works by bypassing some of these installation checks, allowing Windows 11 to install on many unsupported PCs.
Before You Start
Before upgrading, there are a few important things you should do:
Back up your whole drive or at least any important files, even if you don't plan to keep everything.
Make sure your computer is healthy and your hard drive or SSD isn't showing signs of failure. You can read more here about how to do so here.
Ensure you have enough free disk space for the upgrade. We recommend at least 64GB, although you can get away with less.
Read the documentation provided with Flyby11 so you understand how the process works and any limitations.
Although thousands of people have upgraded successfully, there is always some risk when making major changes to your operating system.
Keeping Your Files
The safest way to upgrade is an in-place upgrade, where Windows installs over your existing installation while keeping your:
Documents
Photos
Programs
Games
User accounts
Personal settings
Before you continue with the installation, carefully check what the Windows installer says it will keep.
You should see an option that says something similar to:
✔ Keep personal files and apps
This is the option most people want.
If You Don't See "Keep Personal Files and Apps"
Stop the installation.
If the installer only offers options such as:
Keep personal files only
Nothing
Clean install
or tells you that your applications or settings will be removed, do not continue unless you fully understand the consequences.
Proceeding with these options can remove your installed programs, reset Windows settings, or completely erase your data.
For most users, it's better to stop, investigate why the option isn't available, and seek advice before continuing.
Is It Officially Supported?
No.
Installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware is not supported by Microsoft. While many people use Windows 11 this way without issues, Microsoft does not guarantee compatibility, and no technical support is provided by Microsoft with any installation. Read more here.
After the Upgrade
Once Windows 11 has finished installing:
Check that all your files are still present.
Make sure your programs open correctly.
Run Windows Update to install the latest updates and drivers.
Check that devices such as printers, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, webcams, and audio are working correctly.
Final Advice
Flyby11 has allowed many older computers to continue receiving modern Windows updates instead of being replaced.
However, the most important part of the entire upgrade process is making sure Windows offers to keep your personal files and applications before you click Install.
If that option isn't available, don't assume it will work anyway. Stop, back up your data, and find out why before proceeding.
A few extra minutes checking now can save hours, or even days, and tons of money trying to recover lost files later that may not be recovered.