Confused about why you can't upgrade to Windows 11? Microsoft has some new advice that might help... including a trick I wasn't aware of

Microsoft recently produced some new support documents
These contain some helpful advice for would-be upgraders to Windows 11 who run into problems
Some of this is very handy to know – including why you may not immediately be offered Windows 11 after upgrading your CPU

Microsoft recently provided some fresh troubleshooting advice for those looking at upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 who might be confused in some respects.

Neowin noticed a couple of relatively new support documents which have been published by Microsoft at some point earlier this year. They deal with problems that may arise after upgrading the hardware in your PC in order to get Windows 11, or encountering a particular message telling you that some aspect of the upgrade ‘needs attention’.

Let’s start with the former scenario which is covered in a support article on ‘checking if a device meets Windows 11’s requirements after changing hardware‘ and imparts advice for those who have just made an upgrade to ensure their Windows 10 PC can meet the more stringent requirements for Windows 11.

That upgrade is most likely to be a new CPU – as older processors are often a major sticking point – or possibly the addition of a TPM 2.0 module (a security feature).

At any rate, whatever hardware change you’ve made to your PC so it’s eligible for Windows 11, you may find that when you fire up Windows Update in order to trigger the upgrade, that it isn’t there. In other words, the system will tell you that your PC still isn’t compatible with Windows 11, even though you’ve just installed that shiny new component which should do the trick.

However, as Microsoft explains, there’s no need to panic here. It’s actually the case that it “can take up to 24 hours for Windows Update to refresh eligibility info”, meaning that you may need to wait for some time before the hardware change filters through and registers with Windows Update – and you’re then offered Windows 11.

If you can’t wait, there’s a trick to manually refresh the eligibility assessment of your PC (using Task Scheduler, as advised here), or the easier route is to use the PC Health Check app rather than going into Windows Update (as the app will immediately recognize your upgraded hardware, Microsoft informs us).

As for the second support document brought to light, this addresses what to do if you see a ‘What needs your attention’ notification during the Windows 11 upgrade process, which is a certainly something of a vague spanner in the works.

Microsoft explains in detail what this is all about, outlining the reasons why a would-be Windows 11 upgrader might see this notification pop up – including an explanation of the rather cryptic ‘no action is needed’ message that may accompany it. In this case, the user can’t do anything – which you might guess – but what you might not guess is that the known issue causing the message may be resolved by Microsoft in time. And if this happens, you will automatically be offered the Windows 11 upgrade – so, there’s still hope in this scenario.

Microsoft also details what you can do about ‘incompatible privacy settings’ if that’s the cause of the notification, and provides more info on what to do if incompatible software is the issue.

Analysis: Better late than never

Windows 10 PC showing the desktop — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

These are handy clarifications to be furnished with, especially the info on the delay with an upgrade to Windows 11 being cleared on your PC, if you’re proceeding via Windows Update after installing new hardware.

Those not aware of this (and I wasn’t) could potentially upgrade their CPU (say), then spend hours searching the web in vain attempting to find out why they still can’t get Windows 11, if they didn’t try the PC Health Check app as well as Windows Update (which is entirely possible). So, that app is clearly your best bet for a simple, immediate upgrade to Windows 11 after you’ve installed the necessary new hardware to meet the requirements of the OS.

Ideally, mind, all these details should have been in place a long time ago. Better late than never, of course, but Microsoft really should have been more on the ball with some of this info, rather than adding it recently, at this late stage in the game – no doubt prompted by the fact that Windows 10’s End of Life is rapidly coming into view.

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Confused about why you can’t upgrade to Windows 11? Microsoft has some new advice that might help… including a trick I wasn’t aware of