Needless to say, there are only two options left for users of older Windows systems: you can either install Windows 11 and then buy a product key for it via the Microsoft Store or you can buy a new PC that comes with a free copy of Windows 11 ready to boot. However, it’s important to note that if your machine was purchased back when Windows 7 or 8 was the latest version of the OS, your hardware most likely does not support Windows 11.
That’s because Microsoft put certain system requirements in place for Windows 11, claiming that hardware above a specific baseline will offer the best performance. The company released a digital tool that automatically checks the user’s hardware and tells them whether they can upgrade to Windows 11. If your PC isn’t compatible and you don’t want to buy a new one, you’ll need to instead upgrade to Windows 10, which Microsoft will continue to support for at least the next two years.