Windows 11 TPM Requirement: Check and Enable TPM 2.0

The Windows 11 TPM requirement is the reason more PCs fail the compatibility check than any other. Windows 11 needs a Trusted Platform Module version 2.0, and plenty of PCs that have one still show up as ineligible because it is switched off. Microsoft notes that most PCs shipped in the last five years can run TPM 2.0, and that retail motherboards used in self-built PCs often ship with it disabled. This guide explains what the TPM does, how to check yours in two minutes, and how to enable it in the firmware.

What TPM 2.0 is and why Windows 11 wants it

A TPM is a small, tamper-resistant security processor. It can be a separate chip on the motherboard or, more often now, a firmware TPM that runs inside the main processor: AMD calls theirs fTPM, Intel calls theirs Platform Trust Technology (PTT).

Windows uses the TPM to store encryption keys and check that the PC started up without tampering. Microsoft lists features such as Windows Hello for sign-in and BitLocker drive encryption among those that rely on it. Making TPM 2.0 a baseline requirement means every Windows 11 PC has this hardware security foundation.

TPM 1.2, found on some older business PCs, does not meet the requirement.

Check your TPM with tpm.msc

1. Press Windows key + R to open Run.
2. Type tpm.msc and select OK.
3. Read the result:
   • “The TPM is ready for use”: look at Specification Version under TPM Manufacturer Information. It must say 2.0.
   • “Compatible TPM cannot be found”: the TPM is probably disabled in the firmware, or the PC has none. Continue to the enabling section below.

If the version is lower than 2.0, the PC does not meet the Windows 11 requirement.

Check in Windows Security

The Windows Security app shows the same information.

• On Windows 11: open Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Device security.
• On Windows 10: open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device security.

If you see a Security processor section, select Security processor details and check that Specification version is 2.0. If there is no Security processor section at all, the TPM is likely disabled.

You can also run the PC Health Check app on Windows 10; it reports whether TPM 2.0 is enabled as part of its Windows 11 eligibility check.

Enable fTPM or PTT in UEFI

TPM settings live in the PC’s UEFI firmware (often still called the BIOS), and every manufacturer lays these menus out differently. The general route:

1. Open the firmware settings from Windows. On Windows 10 go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery; on Windows 11 go to Settings > System > Recovery. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now. Then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart. Alternatively, press the firmware key during power-on (commonly F2 or Delete).
2. Find the TPM option. It is usually in a sub-menu called Advanced, Security or Trusted Computing. Microsoft lists these common names for the setting: Security Device, Security Device Support, TPM State, AMD fTPM switch, AMD PSP fTPM, Intel PTT and Intel Platform Trust Technology.
3. Enable it. On AMD systems choose the firmware TPM option; on Intel systems enable PTT. If you are offered a choice between a discrete TPM and a firmware TPM, pick the one your PC actually has; your PC maker’s manual explains which.
4. Save and exit. The PC restarts into Windows.
5. Check again with tpm.msc or PC Health Check.

If a menu warns that changing TPM settings will clear keys, stop and read it carefully. Enabling a TPM that was off is routine, but clearing an existing TPM can lock you out of BitLocker-encrypted drives and reset Windows Hello. Have your BitLocker recovery key ready before you change anything on a PC that already uses encryption; our BitLocker recovery guide explains where to find it.

Our TPM 2.0 enabling guide and BIOS and UEFI settings overview go further into firmware menus. For model-specific steps, your PC or motherboard maker’s support site is the best reference.

Secure Boot is the next hurdle

PCs that fail on TPM often also need Secure Boot turned on. Secure Boot depends on the PC booting in UEFI mode rather than legacy BIOS mode. Check its status by searching for System Information in Start and looking at “Secure Boot State” and “BIOS Mode”. If BIOS Mode says Legacy, switching to UEFI is a bigger job that may involve converting the system disk, so read up before changing it.

If your PC has no TPM 2.0

Some older PCs have no TPM or only TPM 1.2, and no firmware update will add one. Microsoft does not recommend installing Windows 11 on hardware that does not meet the minimum requirements; such PCs are not supported and are not guaranteed to receive updates. We do not publish ways around the check. Your realistic options are to keep the current PC on Windows 10 while understanding that it no longer receives regular security updates, or to plan for a replacement. Our Windows 11 upgrade hub covers the full decision.