Microsoft on Thursday unveiled Windows 11, the next major update to its PC operating system. While it comes with a refreshed design and even the ability to run emulated Android apps, not everyone will be able to install the new version. In fact, Windows 11 won’t be officially supported by any Intel Mac.
Windows is typically known for running on several different machines, but this year, Microsoft seems to have chosen to increase the hardware requirements for running Windows 11. Once it becomes available, the update will require a 64-bit 1GHz or faster processor, at least 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage, a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card, and support for TPM 2.0.
What is TPM 2.0
TPM, or Trusted Platform Module, is a chip built into the logic board or firmware of a computer to ensure the integrity of the operating system’s security, similar to what Secure Enclave does on Macs. It can control cryptographic keys, DRM management, and more.
The problem is, not every computer has TPM 2.0 since it was introduced in 2014. And when it comes to a custom-built desktop PC, there’s a high chance that it doesn’t have a TPM chip (although you can add one to it). In another document, Microsoft provides a list of every processor that can run Windows 11, and most of them were introduced after 2017.
Windows 11 on Macs
But what about Macs? Well, even if you have a Mac with the most recent generations of Intel processors (it’s worth noting that no Apple Silicon Mac runs Windows natively), you probably won’t be able to run Windows 11 on it — at least not officially.
Apple has never offered support for the TPM 2.0 standard on Intel Macs, which makes them all incompatible with the newest version of Windows. If you run the tool released by Microsoft to check if your PC has the hardware required to run Windows 11, you’ll get a message saying that “this PC can’t run Windows 11.”
In theory, Apple could update the firmware of its Intel machines to enable TPM 2.0 support using the processor, but this seems unlikely since Apple is slowly discontinuing Intel Macs and even the new M1 Macs are not compatible with any version of Windows.
In other words, for those who want to run Windows 11 on a Mac, the only option, for now, is to use a virtual machine as it will not work through Boot Camp. Windows 11 will arrive as a free update this fall. Meanwhile, you can join the Windows Insider beta program to test out the new OS now.
H/T The Verge, AppleInsider
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