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Optimize Performance: Shifting From Windows 8, Upgrade Now

What to Know

• Microsoft no longer offers a free upgrade path from Windows 8 to Windows 11.
• The best way to update a Windows 8 PC to Windows 11 is to install Windows 11 directly or use a virtual machine.
• Alternatively, you can install Windows 10 first, then upgrade to Windows 11 for free from there.

This article explains two ways you can upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11. One method lets you keep all your files and run both operating systems simultaneously, and the other method will delete Windows 8 and install Windows 11.

Can You Upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11?

There was a time when you could update Windows 8 to Windows 11 viaWindows Update . Unfortunately, this no longer works.

Windows 11 came out nine years after Windows 8, so it’s probably not surprising to hear thatMicrosoft ended this free installation path in 2023 . This means there’s no direct way for Windows 8 computers to upgrade to Windows 11 (or Windows 10).

However, as you’ll see below, you can still install Windows 11 on your Windows 8 computer. It’s just not free, or as easy as it used to be.

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Before You Upgrade to Windows 11

Before we go any further, you need tocheck if your computer can actually run Windows 11 . You can do so by downloading a free program from Microsoft, detailed in that link. There are minimum system requirements that your PC has to meet to be eligible for the installation.

Also decide which version of Windows 11 you want. There are two:Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro .

If you’ll be installing a fresh copy of Windows 11 and you want to keep your files, you’ll_need_ toback up your data , at least the most important stuff. There will not be an option to keep them during the installation.

How to Upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 11

There are two ways to get Windows 11 on your Windows 8 computer:

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Install a Virtual Machine

If you have the system resources for it, installing Windows 11_within_ Windows 8, through avirtual machine , is the quickest way to get the latest version of Windows without overwriting all your files.

Windows 11 will exist basically as its own software program that you can open whenever you want to use it, and Windows 8 will remain on your computer as well, so you can switch between them at any time.

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Install Windows 11 Over Windows 8

The other option is to delete Windows 8 completely and install Windows 11 instead. We have a wholeguide on how to install Windows 11 that details your options. If you go this route, remember to restore your backed-up files once you get to your desktop.

Alternatively, you caninstall Windows 10 to your computer. If you do that, theupgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is still free and easy to perform.

Should I Upgrade to Windows 11?