1. Introduction: Old Devices Can Run Windows 11 25H2—Here’s How to Bypass Checks
Windows 11 25H2, Microsoft’s latest operating system update, offers smoother performance and enhanced security features. However, its strict hardware requirements—including TPM 2.0 support, Secure Boot, and at least 4GB of RAM—leave many old PCs and low-spec virtual machines unable to upgrade.
But you don’t need to replace your device! This guide will walk you through every step: downloading the official Windows 11 25H2 ISO from Microsoft, creating an incompatible virtual machine in Oracle VirtualBox, making a “check-bypassing” bootable USB with Rufus, and finally installing Windows 11 25H2 on both physical and virtual machines. Each step includes detailed instructions, so even beginners can follow along.
2. Step 1: Download the Official Windows 11 25H2 ISO (Avoid Third-Party Risks)
Downloading the ISO from Microsoft’s official website is crucial to avoid malware or corrupted files. Follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Edge (other browsers work, but Edge integrates better with Microsoft services);
- Go to Bing Search and type “Windows 11 25H2 Download” in the search bar, then click “Search”;
- Check the search results: only click links with the “microsoft.com” domain. Ignore results labeled “Ad” to avoid third-party downloads;
- Click the official link to access the Windows 11 download page. Confirm the page shows “Current Version: Windows 11 2025 Update, Version 25H2”. If not, search for the correct version again;
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and find the option “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices”, then click it;
- In the ISO file list, select the first “Windows 11” option (usually the latest full version) and click “Download Now”;
- A language selection window will pop up. Choose “Simplified Chinese” and click “Confirm”;
- Finally, click “64-bit Download” and wait for the ISO file to finish downloading (the file is large, so use a stable internet connection).
3. Step 2: Create an “Incompatible” Virtual Machine in Oracle VirtualBox
To test the bypass method, we first create a virtual machine that doesn’t meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements:
- Open Oracle VirtualBox and click the “New” button in the top-left corner to start creating a virtual machine;
- In the “Name” field, enter “Win11-25H2” (for easy identification). For “Save Folder”, choose a disk partition with enough space (at least 60GB is recommended);
- Under “Virtual Optical Disk”, click “Choose” and select the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file you downloaded earlier to load it into the virtual machine;
- Check the “Skip Auto-Install” option (we’ll control the installation manually later);
- Allocate resources to the virtual machine: set RAM to 4GB (you can increase it if your PC has enough memory, but 4GB simulates an old device well) and assign CPU cores based on your PC’s specs (2 or more cores are recommended);
- Click “Finish” to create the virtual machine. Next, we need to modify the TPM settings to make it incompatible with Windows 11;
- Select the newly created “Win11-25H2” virtual machine and click the “Settings” button at the top;
- In the left menu, select “System” and find the “TPM” option (VirtualBox defaults to TPM 2.0);
- Change the TPM version to “None” or “1.2” (both settings fail Windows 11’s TPM 2.0 requirement), then click “OK”;
- Click the “Start” button to launch the virtual machine. Press any key to start the installation from the loaded ISO file.
4. Step 3: Test Direct Installation to Confirm Hardware Incompatibility
After starting the virtual machine with the above settings, you’ll enter the Windows 11 installation interface—but hardware check failure will occur:
- After the virtual machine starts, you’ll see the initial Windows 11 installation screen. Click “Next”;
- Select “I want to install Windows 11” and check “Agree to delete all content (including files, apps, and settings)” (no data needs to be preserved for a clean install);
- Click “Next”. On the “Product Key” screen, select “I don’t have a product key” (you can activate it later);
- From the list of operating system versions, choose a suitable one (e.g., “Windows 11 Pro”) and click “Next”;
- A prompt will appear: “This PC doesn’t currently meet the Windows 11 system requirements. This PC must support TPM 2.0”—this confirms the virtual machine’s “incompatible” settings work. Direct installation fails, so we need to use a tool to fix this.
5. Step 4: Create a Check-Bypassing Bootable USB with Rufus (Key Step)
Rufus is a lightweight yet powerful tool for creating bootable USB drives, and it can help us remove Windows 11’s hardware check restrictions:
- Return to your physical PC’s desktop and open the Microsoft Store;
- In the Store’s search bar, type “Rufus” and find the app (developed by Pete Batard), then click “Get”;
- Wait for Rufus to download and install automatically, then click “Open” to launch the software;
- Prepare a blank USB drive (at least 8GB of storage; back up data first as it will be erased) and plug it into your physical PC’s USB port;
- Rufus will automatically detect the USB drive. Confirm the correct drive is selected in the “Device” field;
- Click the “Select” button under “Boot Selection” and choose the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file to load it into Rufus;
- No need to modify the default settings (partition type and file system will adapt automatically). Click “Start” directly;
- A warning window will pop up. Must check the first box: “Remove requirements for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0” (this is key to bypassing checks);
- Click “OK” and wait for Rufus to finish creating the bootable USB (do not unplug the USB drive during this process);
10. When Rufus shows “Ready”, close the software but leave the USB drive plugged in.
6. Step 5: Load the Bootable USB in VirtualBox and Complete Installation
With the check-bypassing USB ready, return to Oracle VirtualBox to start the successful installation:
- Select the “Win11-25H2” virtual machine and click “Settings” again;
- In the left menu, select “USB” and click the “+” button on the right to add a USB device;
- In the pop-up device list, find the check-bypassing USB drive you just created and add it to the virtual machine;
- Set the USB drive as the virtual machine’s primary boot device (refer to tutorials if needed—ensure the virtual machine reads the USB first on startup);
- Click “Start” to launch the virtual machine. It will now load the Windows 11 installer from the USB drive;
- In the installation interface, repeat Steps 1-4 from Section 4: click “Next” → select “I want to install Windows 11” → check the deletion box → select “I don’t have a product key” → choose an OS version;
- No more “hardware incompatibility” prompts will appear—this means the bypass worked. Continue with the normal installation process (e.g., partition setup, account creation);
- After installation completes, the virtual machine will run Windows 11 25H2 smoothly. For physical PCs, follow the same steps: boot from the USB drive on startup.
7. Conclusion: The Key to Installing Windows 11 25H2 on Old Devices Lies in “Secure Download + Tool-Based Check Bypass”
Whether it is an old physical computer or an incompatible virtual machine, the core logic for installing Windows 11 25H2 is as follows: first, obtain a secure image file from Microsoft’s official website, then use Rufus to create a check-bypassing bootable USB drive, and skip the system’s mandatory requirements for hardware such as TPM 2.0 and memory.
During the entire process, two key points need to be noted: first, when downloading the image, you must be sure to use Microsoft’s official website to avoid security risks caused by third-party files; second, when creating the bootable USB drive, you must check the checkbox for “Removing hardware requirements”—otherwise, the check bypass will not work. By following the steps in this article, even computer beginners can “revitalize” their old devices and experience the new features of Windows 11 25H2.
8. Demo Video
You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.