PC Health Check App: Test Windows 11 Readiness and More

The PC Health Check app is Microsoft’s free tool for answering one question clearly: can this PC run Windows 11, and if not, why not? On a Windows 10 PC it checks every hardware requirement and tells you which ones pass and which fail, which is far more useful than the vague message Windows Update sometimes shows. It also has a handful of everyday health readouts, from battery capacity to startup time. Here is how to get it, how to run the check, and how to act on what it tells you.

How to get PC Health Check

Many PCs already have it installed. Search for PC Health Check in the Start menu and select it. If it offers an update, install it so you are running the latest version.

If it is not on your PC, Microsoft’s download link is aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp. Download the installer, run it, accept the license agreement and select Install. Avoid downloading the app from anywhere else; third-party “Windows 11 checkers” are unnecessary at best.

Run the Windows 11 eligibility check

1. Open PC Health Check.
2. In the Windows 11 banner at the top, select Check now.
3. Read the result:
   • “This PC meets Windows 11 requirements”: you can upgrade.
   • “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements”: select See all results to view each requirement with a pass or fail mark.

Microsoft’s description of the check says it explains why a device is or is not eligible and what you can do about it. Pay attention to the specific line that fails, because the fix depends entirely on which one it is.

Understanding the results

Result line	What it means	What to do
TPM 2.0 must be supported and enabled	No TPM 2.0 was detected	Often disabled in firmware. See the Windows 11 TPM requirement
The PC must support Secure Boot	Secure Boot is off or the PC boots in legacy BIOS mode	Enable Secure Boot in UEFI; see enabling Secure Boot
The processor isn’t currently supported	The CPU is not on Microsoft’s supported list	Cannot be fixed with a setting
The system disk needs to be 64 GB or larger	Storage too small	Larger drive needed
The PC must have at least 4 GB of RAM	Not enough memory	Add RAM if the PC allows it

The exact wording in the app can change between versions, but the categories stay the same because they map to the Windows 11 minimum requirements: a supported 64-bit processor with 2 or more cores at 1 GHz or faster, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot capability, TPM 2.0, DirectX 12 / WDDM 2.0 graphics and a 720p display.

TPM and Secure Boot failures are the good news cases. On a large share of desktops and many laptops, both features exist but are switched off. Enable them in the firmware, restart, and run the check again.

An unsupported processor is the bad news case. Microsoft does not recommend installing Windows 11 on such PCs; they are not supported and are not guaranteed updates. We do not cover workarounds.

Eligible but still no upgrade?

If PC Health Check says the PC meets the requirements but Windows Update does not offer Windows 11, there are two common reasons.

Safeguard holds. Microsoft notes that if a compatibility issue has been identified on your device that would disrupt your experience, it temporarily delays the upgrade until the issue is resolved. This typically involves a specific app or driver.

Gradual rollout. The upgrade may simply not have reached your device yet.

In both cases, you can wait, or use the Installation Assistant once you are confident your apps and drivers are up to date. Our guide to upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11 explains both routes.

The other things PC Health Check shows

Besides the Windows 11 check, the app gathers a few useful health readouts on one page:

• Backup and sync: sign in with a Microsoft account to sync settings and back up files to OneDrive.
• Windows Update: whether your PC is up to date, with a button to open Windows Update.
• Battery capacity: how your battery compares with its original capacity, shown for devices older than three years.
• Storage capacity: how full the main drive is, with a link to Storage settings and Storage Sense.
• Startup time: how long the PC takes to start, with a link to manage startup programs.
• Device specifications: device age and storage amounts, plus an option to rename the PC. For the full picture of processor, RAM and graphics, see how to check PC specs in Windows 11, and after upgrading, check your Windows 11 version to confirm which release you are on.

These are handy pointers rather than diagnostic tools. If startup is slow, for example, our guide to Windows 11 startup apps shows how to trim what launches at sign-in.

After you have your answer

If the PC qualifies, back up and follow the Windows 11 upgrade hub. If it does not, and the reason is something other than TPM or Secure Boot, the PC cannot officially run Windows 11. Bear in mind that Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025, and consumer Extended Security Updates end on 12 October 2027, according to Microsoft’s consumer ESU page as checked on 14 October 2026, so plan what comes next for that machine.

PC Health Check can stay installed afterwards, or you can uninstall it from Settings > Apps like any other app.