Minimum System Requirements to Run Windows 10 on Your Computer

All excited for Windows 10 launch? Calm your nerves a little and check if your machine can even handle the upcoming Windows from Microsoft or not. While the Internet tries its best to cope up with the Windows 10 launch day traffic strain, let’s make sure our computers can accept the latest Windows too. We are sharing with you a complete checklist of all the minimum hardware requirements so you know what your computer should have before you could install Windows 10.

— Steps to Download and Install Windows 10 Right Now, Anywhere in the World

Windows 10 System Requirements:

It’s not like Microsoft has created a long list of prerequisites as the checklist is quite short for you to install the new Windows 10 on your system. To benefit from Microsoft’s offer of free Windows 10 upgrade, your machine should be running either Windows 7 SP1 or an updated version of Windows 8.1. To ensure that your Windows is updated, download the updates for Windows 7 SP1 from here and Windows 8.1 from here. For Windows XP and Vista users, only a clean install will help you folks.

Following are all the Windows 10 system requirements that would free you of all the worries.

• RAM
  • 1GB for 32 bit
  • 2GB for 64 bit
• Hard disk space
  • 16 GB for 32 bit
  • 20 GB for 64 bit
• CPU: 1GHz or faster
• Screen resolution: 800 x 600
• Graphics: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
• Microsoft account
• Internet Access

You can check these requirements to make sure that your PC or tablet meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 10 from Control Panel > System Info. You can also try the new Get Windows 10 app which lets you use «Check my PC» feature to help you identify if your machine is lacking something before it could be updated to Windows 10.

Remember that the above requirements are the very basic prerequisites to make sure that Windows 10 works on your computer or tablet. This is in no way a guide to help you get support for specific programs or apps as there might be some compatibility issues. Some Windows 10 features also require special hardware requirements — e.g. Windows Hello needs an infrared camera to work — so take this guide for the basic functionality of the operating system only.

Once you have made certain that your PC can accept the new Windows, follow this guide to upgrade to Windows 10.

Still stuck in the predicament of upgrading to Windows 10 or not? Follow our top 5 reasons that would make you update to the latest Windows 10 right away. Don’t forget to read about the reasons that could affect your liking for Windows 10 as well.

What Are Windows 10 Requirements?

You’ll obtain better performance if your system exceeds minimum requirements

Windows 10 minimum requirements aren’t much more stringent than Windows 7, but there are some aspects that have been modernized to the point of needing a little more hardware horsepower.

Windows 10 Home and Pro Requirements

Windows 10 requirements differ for memory and disk space between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

• CPU: 1 gigahertz (1 GHZ) or faster processor or system on a chip
• Memory: 1 GB or more for 32-bit Windows or 2 GB for 64-bit
• Storage Space: 16 GB for 32-bit or 20 GB for 64-bit
• Graphics: DirectX 9 compatible GPU with support for Windows Display Driver Model 1.0 or later.
• Display Resolution: 800 x 600 or greater.
• Internet Connection: Any speed connection is required for authentication and initial device setup. Also useful for applying updates.

Windows 10 CPU Requirements

The central processor is the main processing brain of your system. It performs the majority of calculations Windows 10 requires to operate.

As a rule, a CPU that not only runs at a faster frequency (that’s the GHz bit) but offers multiple cores so it can do more things at once, will yield better performance than a minimum-required CPU. Most modern CPUs are dual-core or better, so two cores is a good place to start, but if you’re engaged in computation-heavy work like complex number-crunching or video rendering, you’ll still find a benefit to using a quad-core or even a hex-core CPU.

Another important factor is the age of the CPU. For a good rule of thumb, you want a CPU from no earlier than 2010. If you have a chip that’s younger than that, has at least two cores, and runs at 2GHz or above, you’ll enjoy a faster Windows 10 experience.

Windows 10 Memory Requirements

Random-access memory acts as short-term-memory for your system, holding information your CPU will need to access quickly instead of through much-slower disk accessing. If you have too little RAM, your system slows down.

Memory requirements in Windows 10 are one of the few factors differentiating the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the operating system. While 1 GB or 2 GB is enough to simply run those respective versions of the operating system, you’ll certainly run into bottlenecks if you perform even basic web browsing with a few tabs at a time.

If you’re running or looking to run Windows 10 32-bit, the most RAM you can take advantage of (due to operating system limitations) is 4GB.

If you’re running or looking to run Windows 10 64-bit, you can have as much memory as you like. For most use cases, though, 8GB is more than enough.

Windows 10 Storage Space Requirements

If you don’t have enough storage space you cannot install Windows 10. It needs at least 16 GB for the 32-bit version and at least 20 GB for the 64-bit version. That’s not a lot by today’s standards, with many smartphones having more space than that, but some low-end and especially older devices might be limited to 20GB or less.

If you’re looking to run Windows 10 on a desktop PC or laptop, install the operating system on solid-state drive. They’re far more affordable than they used to be and can have the biggest impact in speeding up your Windows 10 experience.

However, should they be outside your budget, a standard hard drive is perfectly adequate. Acquire a drive with double the storage Microsoft recommends for Windows 10. There’s no use in being able to run an operating system if you don’t have any space to install anything else. Games, videos, and certain applications can require several gigabytes by themselves. Having a spare 10 GB to 30 GB of space will go a long way to ensuring you have plenty of room to work and play with.

Windows 10 Graphics Requirements

You don’t need to worry too much about graphics if you have a CPU from the past decade. Although it’s worth double-checking, most modern CPUs are equipped with a compatible graphics core that will be more than enough to handle Windows 10. You could also use an add-in graphics card if you want more power for gaming.

The graphics requirements for Windows 10 are much the same as they were when Windows Vista released in 2006.

Windows 10 Display Resolution Requirements

Screen resolution requirements for Windows 10 aren’t stringent—even PCs and monitors of the early 2000s were able to handle 800 pixels by 600 pixels. With that in mind, this is a very low barrier to entry, so if you can, it’s recommended you run a system with a greater display resolution. Videos, websites, and games will look far better and you’ll have a lot more screen space to enjoy your Windows 10 experience.

Windows 10 Internet Connection Requirements

Because Windows 10 offers rolling software updates, it requires at least periodic access to the internet to download update packages.

Windows 10 System Requirements

WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Can I Run Windows 10?

To figure out whether your PC is up to the relatively undaunting challenge of running Windows 10, you’ll initially need to know what components you have, playing close attention to the CPU, storage space, and RAM as these have the most significant impact on the performance of the operating system.

Should you be unsure how to go about doing this, fret not as we’ve compiled an easy to follow step-by-step guide, which you can find right here.

With your PC specifications in hand, compare them to the minimum and recommended requirements for Windows 10 that we’ve listed further down. While the minimum will get the OS running, we suggest aiming for the recommended requirements, if at all possible.

The logic is that if you exceed them, you’re less likely to encounter performance issues when running the OS. Given that it’s your main window into using a PC, performance is crucial to everyday use.

We aren’t all that taken with how tedious it can be to ascertain whether a PC is equipped to run this or that software. In that spirit and in an effort to simplify the task, we are developing a bespoke utility to scan any given PC for its constituent parts and return a detailed list of the components. It’s still under wraps as of writing, but we’ll publish an update when it’s ready.

Windows 10 Details

• Release Date: July 29th, 2015 (PC)
• System Requirements: Low
• Genre: Operating System
• Developer: Microsoft
• Publisher: Microsoft

Developed by Microsoft, Windows 10 is the later iteration of the long-running operating system that needs no introduction. By far the most used operating system across the world, the chances are that a PC runs a version of Windows rather than a competing OS. Windows 10 represents the most up to date version with all the trimmings and functionality you’d expect from a modern operating system.

Key features include a welcome return of the storied Start Menu with a modern twist thrown in using a hybrid tile and column design. Next, Windows 10 integrates Microsoft’s Edge browser, the modern version of the company’s long since obsolete, if historic, Internet Explorer.

The latest Windows features the Windows Store for all your app needs, including access to entertainment such as games, films, and TV shows. While Siri is probably the most famous personal assistance, Windows 10 has Microsoft’s take with Cortana that will make daily tasks a whole lot simpler.

Finally, for the gamers out there, Windows 10 is fully integrated into the Xbox ecosystem, mainly with the ability to stream games from an Xbox One console seamlessly.

Windows 10 Minimum Requirements

• CPU: 1 GHz or faster
• RAM: 1 GB 32-bit / 2 GB 64-bit
• HDD: 16 GB 32-bit OS / 20 GB 64-bit OS of storage space
• GPU: Any dedicated/dedicated GPU with WDDM 1.0 driver
• OS:Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1
• DirectX: Version 9
• Screen Resolution: 800 x 600
• Network: Broadband Internet connection

Windows 10 Recommended Requirements

• CPU: 2 GHz or faster
• RAM: 4 GB
• HDD: 100 GB of storage space
• GPU: Integrated GPU from Intel HD Graphics/Iris Graphics families
• OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1
• DirectX: Version 9
• Screen Resolution: 720p
• Network: Broadband Internet connection

Optimal Hardware Suggestions

Unlike games, which vary in their system requirements widely depending on the title scrutinized, operating systems are very forgiving and are generally designed for the lowest common denominator in terms of PC builds. As such, Windows 10 is virtually guaranteed to work on any PC built or purchased in the last decade, if not further back.

The minimum system requirements will get Windows 10 up and running, but don’t expect a 100% smooth experience as we are talking about the bare minimum to get the software running. As above, operating systems are the software you’ll interact with most when computing, so it’s a no brainer to try and exceed the minimum requirements if at all possible.

Note that the 16 GB/20 GB storage requirements are a bit misleading as this represents what’s required to install the operating system and doesn’t take into account the installation of other apps, software, or games. As such, aim as high as you can to avoid disappointment.

As for the recommended requirements, these march comfortably into excellent performance territory. We’re talking higher resolutions, smooth jumps between tasks, fast loading times, and an environment in which Windows 10 can prosper rather than labor away painfully.

What Gaming PC Do We Recommend?

When it comes to recommending a PC for Windows 10, it all comes down to what you hope to achieve with that specific build. If you are looking at office tasks, a bit of light internet browsing, and watching Netflix, then we recommend our $300 build .

It’s a no thrills option that will keep costs down for an excellent Windows 10 performance. It features an AMD Ryzen 3 2200G APU with integrated Vega graphics, 16 GB of 3000 MHz DDR4 RAM, and a 240 GB SSD.

If you are looking at gaming, then we suggest upping the ante and investigating our $500 build , which includes a dedicated GPU in the form of an AMD Radeon RX 570 alongside an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU and 16 GB of 3000 MHz DDR4 RAM.