How to use Flyby11 to install Windows 11 on an old computer

Windows 10 support is coming to an end, and if your computer can't run Windows 11 , it's headed for the scrap yard. But there's a clever tool that can get Windows 11 running on your old computer, thanks to a simple hack.

What is Flyby11 and how does it work?

Flyby11 is a simple patch tool that removes annoying hardware limitations that prevent Windows 11 from running on older hardware. Even if Windows 11 doesn't support your CPU due to lack of TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, Flyby11 still allows you to install Windows 11 24H2.

The tool does this through a feature of the Windows 11 setup process that uses the Windows Server version of the installation process. Unlike a regular Windows 11 installation, the server version doesn't impose the same hardware requirements and skips most hardware compatibility checks. This means you can run Windows 11 on most unsupported systems without the need for cumbersome command line wizardry that may or may not work.

Even though the setup runs in server mode, it still installs Windows 11 normally, meaning the end result and your experience will be the same. It’s easy to use because it automatically downloads and mounts the Windows 11 ISO file, so you don’t need to do anything. The latest version (3.0 at the time of writing) even supports the Windows Media Creation Tool as a download source.

This method is identical to the one described in the official Windows documentation for upgrading unsupported systems, which means it will likely continue to work, unlike other methods that are often vulnerabilities that Microsoft will patch soon. The download is completely free, and the source code is available on the official GitHub repository.

Update to Windows 11 using Flyby11

Compared to other ways to bypass Windows 11 hardware requirements, Flyby11 is the easiest to use and requires almost no technical expertise. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:

Note : You may see the Windows SmartScreen filter when you first run Flyby11. This is completely normal; you can continue the installation by clicking the More info button and selecting Run anyway .

1. Download the ZIP file containing the latest version of Flyby11 from the GitHub repository's releases page . Unzip the file and run Flyby11.exe.
2. When Flyby11 Upgrading Assistant opens, it will check for POPCNT and SSE4.2 CPU support. If both are supported, your upgrade is very likely; click the Start Upgrade Now button to begin.
3. Next, you’ll need to select a source to download the Windows 11 ISO from using the drop-down menu on the right. We recommend using the Download via Fido option , but you can also use the Windows Media Creation Tool or a local ISO file you may already have.
4. Once you select the Download via Fido option from the drop-down menu, the PowerShell command will run. You’ll see a window asking you which Windows version, release, edition, language, and architecture you want to download. The default options work without changing them, so keep clicking Continue until you see the Download button , then click that to start downloading the ISO.
5. After downloading the ISO, Flyby11 will automatically start the installation process. If not, drag and drop the downloaded ISO file into the Flyby11 window to mount it, and the Windows Server setup window will appear.
6. From this point on, it's a standard Windows installation, so click the Next button on the Windows Server installation window and follow the instructions. You can even choose to keep your files, applications, and settings.

Once the installation is complete, Windows 11 will start on your PC. If you chose to keep your files, apps, and settings, they will be exactly as they were when you installed Windows 10.