In this tutorial I show you how to install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC and then update it to Moment 3, the Windows 11 feature drop from May 2023 (update KB5026446). If you have been waiting a long time to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, but Microsoft says your PC is not supported, this guide is for you. I cover every method step by step: the bypasser script, Microsoft’s registry value and the manual Moment 3 update.
For the video I used an HP Z440 workstation with an Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 processor, which Windows 11 does not support, running Windows 10 Pro 22H2 in legacy BIOS mode. These methods skip the TPM 2.0, UEFI/Secure Boot and processor checks.
Update (October 2026): Moment 3 was an update for Windows 11 version 22H2, and 22H2 Home and Pro reached the end of servicing on October 8, 2024. Microsoft’s download page now gives you a newer Windows 11 version. For the latest release, follow my newer guide: How to Install Windows 11 26H2 on Unsupported PC.
In this article
- Downloads
- Step 1: Check your PC with PC Health Check
- Step 2: Download and mount the Windows 11 ISO
- Step 3: Run the bypasser (Method 1)
- Step 4: Install Windows 11
- Method 2: Use Microsoft’s registry value instead of the bypasser
- Step 5: Install the Moment 3 update (KB5026446)
- Want to go back to Windows 10?
- Other methods to install Windows 11
- What’s new in the Windows 11 Moment 3 update
Downloads
Windows 11 Bypasser (Method 1)
The bypasser is a small CMD script (Skip TPM Check on Dynamic Update) made by AveYo, the author of MediaCreationTool.bat. I only renamed it. Download it from Google Drive or directly from my website:
Download Windows 11 Bypasser (Google Drive)
You can also get the original script from the author’s GitHub page:
Original Script on GitHub (AveYo)
Windows 11 ISO file and PC Health Check
Download Windows 11 ISO File (Official Website)
Registry bypass file (Method 2, Microsoft’s registry value)
This .reg file adds the AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU registry value that Microsoft once documented for upgrading PCs with an unsupported TPM or CPU. See Method 2 below.
Download W11 Registry Bypasser.reg
Moment 3 update KB5026446 (for manual offline installation)
Official source: KB5026446 in the Microsoft Update Catalog
Step 1: Check your PC with PC Health Check
- Download and install PC Health Check (button above). The link comes directly from Microsoft.
- Open it and click Check now.
- You will see what is not supported on your PC. On my workstation it was the processor.
You do not need to fix anything here. The methods below skip these checks.
Step 2: Download and mount the Windows 11 ISO
- Open Microsoft’s download page (button above) and scroll down to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO).
- Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO) and click Download.
- Choose the same language as your current Windows, for example English (United States), and click Confirm.
- Click 64-bit Download.
- When the download is finished, right-click the ISO file and select Mount.
If you run setup.exe now, Windows 11 setup stops with the message “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements”. Close it and continue with Step 3.
Step 3: Run the bypasser (Method 1)
- Download the bypasser (buttons above) and extract the
.rarfile, for example with 7-Zip or WinRAR. - Right-click the
.cmdfile and choose Run as administrator. - Wait a few seconds (or press any key). The window shows Skip TPM Check on Dynamic Update with the word INSTALLED.
Note: Run the script only once. The same script turns the bypass on and off: running it a second time removes it again (the window then says REMOVED). If it did not work, run it once more and check that it says INSTALLED.
Make the bypasser yourself (optional): in the video I show how I made it. Copy the whole script from the GitHub page into Notepad and save it. To change the file type, open File Explorer, click View > Options, open the View tab, untick Hide extensions for known file types and click Apply. Then rename the file from .txt to .cmd.
Step 4: Install Windows 11
- Open the mounted ISO drive and double-click setup.exe. Click Yes if Windows asks for permission.
- The setup window now says Install Windows Server. This is normal: it is how the bypass skips the checks, and it still installs Windows 11.
- Click Change how Setup downloads updates, select Not right now and click Next. Downloading updates during setup can cause errors, especially on a slow internet connection. You can also disconnect from the internet.
- Accept the license terms.
- Choose what to keep:
- Keep personal files and apps: keeps your files, settings and apps (recommended).
- Keep personal files only: removes all your apps.
- Nothing: removes everything, including your files and folders.
- Click Install. Your computer restarts several times during the installation.
If the keep options are greyed out, read my post Why is “Keep personal files and apps” greyed out and try the methods there.
If setup says there is not enough space
If you get an error that there is not enough free space, even though your C: drive has plenty, do this while you are still on Windows 10:
- If there is an old Windows.old folder on the C: drive from an earlier upgrade, delete it.
- Delete your temporary files: search for temporary files in the Start menu (or open Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files) and remove them.
- Start the installation again from the beginning.
Method 2: Use Microsoft’s registry value instead of the bypasser
If you prefer not to use the bypasser, use the registry value that Microsoft once suggested. If it does not work for you, go back to Method 1.
- If you already ran the bypasser, run it again to remove it (it says REMOVED).
- Press Win + R, type
regeditand press Enter. - Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup. - Right-click the empty area on the right, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it
AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU. Choose 32-bit, this is important. - Double-click the new value, set it to 1 and click OK.
- Run setup.exe from the mounted ISO again. When you see the warning that your PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements, click Accept and continue with the installation as in Step 4.
Instead of steps 2 to 5, you can download my W11 Registry Bypasser.reg file (button above) and double-click it. It contains only this one value:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup]
"AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU"=dword:00000001Note: When Microsoft described this registry value, it said it skips the TPM 2.0 and CPU checks, but the PC still needs at least TPM 1.2. If your PC has no TPM at all, use Method 1.
Step 5: Install the Moment 3 update (KB5026446)
When Windows 11 is installed, update it to Moment 3. You can do it with Windows Update or manually.
Option 1: Windows Update
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.
- Click Check for updates. You will see Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 (KB5026446).
- Download and install it, then restart your PC.
Option 2: Manual installation
- Download KB5026446 from the Microsoft Update Catalog. If the catalog does not work for you or asks you to sign in, use my Google Drive download (button above).
- Double-click the
.msufile. The Windows Update Standalone Installer installs the update. - Restart your PC when the installation is complete.
To check the result, go to Settings > System > About. If the OS build ends in .1778 (build 22621.1778), you are on Moment 3. If the installer says the update cannot be installed, your PC already has this update or a newer build.
Want to go back to Windows 10?
After the upgrade you will find a Windows.old folder on the C: drive. This is your previous Windows 10, so do not delete it if you are not sure you want to stay on Windows 11. To go back, open Settings, search for Go back (in System > Recovery) and click Go back. If you delete Windows.old, the Go back button is greyed out.
You only have 10 days to go back. More details:
- How to go back to the previous version of Windows
- How to extend the 10-day period to go back to Windows 10
Other methods to install Windows 11
1. Replace appraiserres.dll
2. Use Rufus
What’s new in the Windows 11 Moment 3 update
Live captions and voice access
Live captions now support more languages, such as Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French (France, Canada), German, Japanese, Spanish and more.
The in-app voice access command help page has a new design. Every command now has a description and examples. Ask your PC “What can I say?” and you get a page with the voice commands you can use. Voice access now also supports English dialects such as English (UK), English (India), English (New Zealand), English (Canada) and English (Australia).
There are also new voice commands for selecting and editing text, so you can say “Bold that” or “Italicize that” to format your document without touching the keyboard.
Easier two-factor authentication and a better File Explorer
Moment 3 adds a copy button to notifications with two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, so you do not have to type the code yourself. For example, when your email app shows a 2FA code, you can copy it with one click and paste it where you need it. File Explorer also gets access keys in its context menu, so you can run commands quickly with the keyboard.
Security and privacy upgrades
Windows 11 now shows the VPN status in the system tray, so you can see if your connection is protected. The update also adds a multi-app kiosk mode. Administrators can choose which apps can run on a device, which keeps shared devices secure for frontline workers, schools and shops.
Better system management
You can now collect a live kernel memory dump (LKD) from Task Manager. This helps diagnose problems while Windows keeps running. For example, when a program stops responding, you can collect data about the problem without crashing the whole system. The touch keyboard settings were also improved, so you can control when the touch keyboard appears, which is useful on 2-in-1 devices and tablets.
Display and device management
Moment 3 adds Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) for laptops and 2-in-1 devices. It adjusts the screen brightness based on what is on the screen, to balance battery life and picture quality. A new Settings page for USB4 hubs and devices helps you troubleshoot and see what your system supports, on PCs that have USB4.
Other improvements
- The clock in the system tray can now show seconds.
- Search in Settings is faster.
- The Print Screen key now opens the Snipping Tool by default.
- Cloud and integrated search suggestions are better for Simplified Chinese with the Input Method Editor (IME).
- A new privacy setting for presence sensors lets you choose which apps can use them.
- In Settings > System > Multitasking you can limit ALT + TAB and Snap Assist to your 20 most recent tabs.
All in all, Moment 3 brings many improvements for productivity, security, privacy and system control.
