What you need to know
- Microsoft has fixed the Windows 11 PC Health Check app.
- Right now, the app can show false negatives, indicating that a PC can't upgrade to Windows 11.
- The app update now tells you why your PC does not meet the requirements of Windows 11.
Update: Microsoft has pulled the PC Health Check app. The company explains that it will work to improve the app for a return later this year. There is a free alternative app called "WhyNotWin11" that helps determine why a PC cannot upgrade to Windows 11, though it is not from Microsoft. The original article follows.
With Windows 11 officially on the way, many people want to know if their PC will be able to upgrade. To help people out, Microsoft launched the PC Health Check app. It allows people to see if their system meets the minimum Windows 11 requirements. Unfortunately, the app has run into some issues.
The Health Check app sometimes shows people a false failure, meaning it says a system won't be able to upgrade to Windows 11 even though it meets the minimum requirements. Even if a PC actually falls short of the requirements, it's difficult to determine why. The PC Health Check app doesn't list a specific reason that a PC won't be able to upgrade.
As a result, many have expressed frustration online. Microsoft's Steve Dispensa shared on Twitter that the company is working to improve the PC Health Check app.
Sorry for the irritating experience! We're going to improve the PC Health Check app over the next couple of weeks. Hopeful that the first update will be out tomorrow.Sorry for the irritating experience! We're going to improve the PC Health Check app over the next couple of weeks. Hopeful that the first update will be out tomorrow.— Steve Dispensa (@dispensa) June 25, 2021June 25, 2021
Dispensa explains that Microsoft will improve the app over the coming weeks. He adds that its first update could arrive tomorrow, June 26, 2021.
The minimum requirements for Windows 11 have caused some confusion and frustration. A minimum requirement of TPM 2.0 has some PC gamers worried, and others are concerned about 6th and 7th Gen Intel chips being able to upgrade.
There are some differences between soft floor and hard floor requirements, but for the average consumer, that information causes more confusion than clarity.
An updated PC Health Check app that clearly, and correctly, indicates if a system will be able to upgrade would go a long way. It would also be nice to see specific feedback as to why a system fails, as certain components could be tweaked or replaced.
You can find the app on Microsoft's site here.
