Disabling Secure Boot in Windows 11 is crucial for certain installations and troubleshooting. This guide walks you through each step to modify BIOS settings without risking system stability.
Security is very important in this digital world, and Windows 11's Secure Boot feature is a key part meant to make systems safer. But there are times when you might need to turn off Secure Boot, like when you run certain Linux distributions or use certain hardware. If you want to turn off Secure Boot on Windows 11, this guide will show you how.
A security standard called Secure Boot was created to make sure that when a device starts up, it only uses software that the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) trusts. Each piece of boot software, such as UEFI firmware drivers, EFI apps, and the operating system, is signed by the firmware before the PC starts up. When the PC turns on, the software takes over and the operating system is run if the signatures are valid.
Microsoft has just released Windows 11, which is the newest version of Windows. Some people switch to Windows 11 because it's free to get from Windows 10. When they get the "This PC must support Secure Boot" or "TPM 2.0 must be supported and enabled on this PC" message, most of them can't install or upgrade to Windows 11. They are unfamiliar with this level of concept, so, they are considering the possibility to install Windows 11 without Secure Boot or TPM.
According to the Windows 11 minimum system requirements stated by official Microsoft, the Win 11 OS only works on the device that at least meets the basic requirements:
The higher requirements let the operating system make the most of the hardware's features, which makes performance smoother and multitasking better. That being said, it's not easy to meet all the requirements for Microsoft Windows 11. Some hardware needs, like the CPU, RAM, and graphics card, should be replaced with a new one when the old ones stop working.
In order to help you upgrade to Windows 11 without enabling Secure Boot or TPM 2.0, we'll walk you through the specific tutorial on how to install Windows 11 without Secure Boot. It contains four stages:
Step 1. Press "Windows + R" keys simultaneously to open the Run box.
Step 2. Input "regedit" or "regedit.exe" and click "OK" to run the Registry Editor window.
Step 3. Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup".
Step 2. Right-click the blank, and select "New" > "Key" to add a new registry key on the left side of the editor. Make sure you name it “LabConfig”.
Step 3. Under the "LabConfig" folder, right-click the blank again to create two "DWORD (32-bit) Value” options to create new DWORD value.
Step 5. Name them "BypassTPMCheck" and "BypassSecureBootCheck" respectively.
Step 6. Then double-click the two DWORD and change the "Value data' from "0" to "1".
For Windows 11, you don't have to go through the Secure Boot and TPM checks. One more way to use Windows 11 on a PC that doesn't meet the basic system requirements for Windows 11 is shown below. That is to make a Win 11 to Go USB that can be used on any computer or phone without having to run Windows.
A reliable and powerful disk manager called AOMEI Partition Assistant can help you with this task. Its "Windows To Go Creator" feature is designed for users who need a Windows 11 environment but don't have an eligible device. What's more, it allows you to create a portable USB not only for Windows PC but also for Mac computer.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Connect a USB drive larger than 13GB and download Windows 11 ISO file on your current computer.
Step 2. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Then click "Tools" > "Windows To Go Creator" on the top interface.
Step 3. Choose "Create Windows To Go for personal computer" and click "Next". If you want to boot Windows from USB on Mac, just tick the second option.
Step 4. Choose the first option and click the folder icon to select Windows 11 ISO file you downloaded before manually. After that, click "Next" to continue.
Step 5. Select the prepared USB drive as your target drive and click "Proceed".
Step 6. Read the warning about all data will be erased carefully, and then click "Yes" to start creating.
After that, any time when you need to use Windows 11, you can boot the computer from this Windows 11 To Go device.
This multifunctional also supports these functions:
Partition Management: AOMEI Partition Assistant enables you to resize, move, merge, and delete partitions with ease. You can also convert partition types, align partitions like 4K Alignment for SSD to enhance system performance, and create new partitions without losing data.
Disk Partitioning: The software allows you to create, delete, and format partitions, as well as convert between MBR and GPT partition styles, which is particularly useful for newer UEFI-based systems.
Disk Cloning: If you are planning to upgrade to a better disk, you can also use it to clone your entire disk or a designated partition. With it, you can quickly transfer the data to the new disk without reinstalling Windows or applications.
Disk Cleanup and Drive Space Expansion: The software can even help you clean up accumulated and hidden junk files, including temporary files, cache, and system restoration points, freeing up storage space on your computer.
In conclusion, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are needed to run Windows 11, but there are ways to get around these requirements if your hardware doesn't meet them. Tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant can be used to change the registry or make a portable Windows 11 To Go USB drive so that users can still access and use Windows 11 on devices that aren't officially supported. These options give users who don't want to change their hardware yet but still want to use Windows 11's new features a lot of freedom.
Is Secure Boot/TPM required for Windows 11 installation? Yes, Windows 11 requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 for installation according to Microsoft's minimum system requirements.
Can I install Windows 11 without Secure Boot and TPM 2.0? Yes, by modifying the registry or using third-party tools, you can bypass the Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 checks and install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.
What are the minimum system requirements for Windows 11? Windows 11 requires a compatible 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability, TPM version 2.0, and a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card.
What is AOMEI Partition Assistant? AOMEI Partition Assistant is a disk management tool that helps create bootable USB drives, manage partitions, clone disks, and more. It's particularly useful for creating a portable Windows 11 To Go USB drive.
How can I create a Windows 11 To Go USB drive? You can create a Windows 11 To Go USB drive using AOMEI Partition Assistant by selecting the "Windows To Go Creator" option, choosing the Windows 11 ISO file, and following the on-screen instructions. This allows you to run Windows 11 from the USB drive on any compatible device.