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The Windows 11 beta has officially been released

The Windows 11 beta has finally arrived. The new OS was officially announced on June 24th and it even leaked a couple of days before that. The leak allowed tech-savvy people to take an early version of it for a test drive but the rest of us had to settle for screenshots and youtube clips.

With the beta released anyone interested can try it out, as long as you have a compatible computer. This version is a lot more stable as well and the chance of your computer crashing is a lot lower. So it’s both safer and easier to test the Windows 11 beta now. Still always backup your PC before diving into a beta test.

The requirements to participate in the Windows 11 beta

In order to participate in the beta, there are basically two requirements you need to fulfill. Firstly, your PC can´t be too old and secondly, you need to be a Windows Insider.

But isn’t the beta open for everyone?

Yes, it is basically open to the public. Being a Windows insider sounds fancier than it actually is. It’s just what Microsoft calls their beta testers. Anyone with a Microsoft account and admin rights can sign up to be a Windows Insider.

The PC requirements for the Beta

One of the new things with this version of Windows is that older computers will not be supported. The big focus is on the processor. Microsoft will require you to have at least an 8th generation Intel chip or an AMD zen 2, anything newer will obviously work as well. These chips have been around since 2017 and 2019, any older than that and your hardware will probably need an upgrade

For your PC to be compatible it needs to meet the following hardware requirements:

  • A 1 GHz or faster processor with at least 2 cores.
  • 4 GB of RAM.
  • 64 GB of storage available.
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0
  • Graphics card compatible with DirectX 12 with WDDM 2.0 driver.

If it seems like a lot to check all of that hardware, focus on the processor. It has the toughest requirements due to the big security focus in Windows 11. Open the Device Manager and click on “Security Devices”. It will show you if you have TPM 2.0, if you do you´re probably good to go.

How to install the Windows 11 beta

The steps to participate in the beta are fairly simple and first we are going to turn you into a Windows Insider.

  1. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program.
  2. Click on Get Started.
  3. Link your Microsoft account to the Insider Program.
  4. When asked what channel to join, select the Beta Channel.
  5. Restart the computer.
  6. The install will start, just follow the steps!

When will the finished version be released?

While Microsoft has not set an official date they have mentioned that it’s going to be released on new hardware in late 2021. Some experts have predicted it to be as soon as October. If you already have a license for Windows 10 it will be completely free to upgrade to Windows 11.

With all the new security features it does seem advisable to get the upgrade as soon as possible. The increasing amounts of cyberattacks is a real threat to any company and Windows 11 can help you stay protected.