How Long Does it Take to Update to Windows 11?

Updated
Update Time Windows 11

Windows 11 is finally here, providing us with solid security and a fresh new look. The latest operating from Microsoft houses the same great security and stability as Windows 10 with a nicer, cleaner-looking shell. So far, the migration from Windows 10 to 11 seems smooth and easy, but many people are wondering how long it takes precisely. Let’s take a look at how long the update process from Windows 10 to Windows 11 takes.

How Long Does it Take to Update to Windows 11?

The update time to Windows 11 is a very subjective number, and it depends heavily on the power of your machine and its current state. On average, you can expect to update to Windows 11 in:

15 to 30 minutes

In our testing, we performed a fresh install which is typically performed faster than an update. We used a machine with an i7 CPU, SSD, and 4GB of RAM. With that setup, we were able to complete a fresh install in:

8 Minutes

What factors will change the update time?

The two most important factors for the update time of Windows 11 are your CPU and your Hard Drive. The more powerful your CPU, the faster you can expect Windows 11 to update. 

If your hard drive is an SSD, you can expect much faster install and update times than a regular disk drive. Luckily, most modern machines come with SSD drives these days. 

The current state of your computer may also come into play. If your machine is riddled with viruses or malware and currently running unusually slow, the update process to Windows 11 may also be slower than usual. It may be a good idea to perform a fresh install in this case.

Windows 11 does have some minimum system requirements. This means that you will be unable to install Windows 11 at all if your machine falls below the following specifications.

  • Must have 4GB of RAM or more
  • Your processor must have two or more cores
  • Your processor clock sped must be 1GHz or higher
  • You must have at least 64GB of storage

We hope you found this information helpful and that you can perform your Windows 11 update successfully!