- Windows 11 may soon show a watermark warning on unsupported hardware.
- Another message may also appear in the Settings app.
- The warning will read “System requirements not met.”
Although you may be able to install Windows 11 on an unsupported computer, Microsoft plans to keep reminding you that the hardware doesn’t meet the requirements with a new watermark on the desktop.
The software giant is testing ways to warn users that they are running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. In recent preview builds available through the Dev Channel, a warning that reads “System requirements not met” appears as a watermark in the bottom right corner of the screen and the Settings app, under the hero controls.
The new warnings appear on build 22557 available in the Dev Channel alongside the preview information in the bottom-right corner, which could indicate that the message may only appear on unsupported devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program.
However, the message in the Settings app, as you can see in the System section, appears to be a warning that may appear for unsupported computers, regardless of whether they are running the operating system in the stable or preview channels.
Since these warnings only show up for devices that do not meet the system requirement enrolled in the Windows Insider Program, it’s unclear if Microsoft will ever roll out these warnings to users since features in the Dev Channel may never ship in the final version.
The Windows 11 system requirements have been another case of controversy, as they make many capable computers not upgradable to the latest version of the operating system. According to the company, the new requirements were a choice to make the system more secure. However, even if the hardware isn’t compatible, users have been able to bypass these restrictions using different workarounds, including using a Microsoft Registry hack to get around the TPM and CPU checks for testing purposes. However, it’s now clear that the company does not want anyone running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].