According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is currently in beta and will be fully released by the end of this year, but the company has so far been tight-lipped about a specific release date [Microsoft has stated (via the Windows 11 driver submission document) that hardware partners can continue to ship systems with drivers factory-installed that are compatible with the latest version of Windows 10 until September 24, 2021 Because they have clearly stated (via the Windows 11 driver submission document) that

This effectively appears to be a deadline for when OEMs need to start shipping systems with Windows 11 drivers pre-installed, suggesting that Microsoft will fully release Windows 11 not too long after, perhaps in late October

Of course, Microsoft has said nothing publicly about an October release date for Windows 11, and given the ongoing chip shortage and global office exodus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is It is quite reasonable to expect delays in all kinds of products this year

Still, as Windows Latest points out, this is not the first time evidence suggests that Windows 11 will be released in October; in July, Intel announced "Microsoft Windows 11-64 - October 2021 Update (21H 2)" driver documentation that included compatibility with Windows 11, so the October 2021 Windows 11 release date may have been revealed by Intel as early as October 2021

This line has since been removed from Intel's documentation (you can still see the original version via the Wayback Machine), but this only strengthens the suspicion that it may refer to the version of Windows 11 that will be generally available in October This is consistent with Microsoft's promise to have Windows 11 systems on store shelves in time for the holiday shopping season

Furthermore, Microsoft itself appears to be hinting at an October 20 release date for Windows 11 by embedding the date 10/20 in many of its promotional screenshots of Windows 11 Of course, Microsoft has already announced that upgrades from Windows 10 to 11 will be free in 2022

While Microsoft has not yet confirmed when Windows 11 will be fully released, it is important to note that it has warned that the Windows 11 rollout will not happen overnight: in June, the official Windows account on Twitter announced that "Windows 11 will be released in late 2021 and will be available over several months," it said The rollout of upgrades to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 and the first half of that year" He stated

The delay in the rollout to existing Windows 10 systems may have something to do with Microsoft's stringent Windows 11 system requirements Microsoft is working to expand Windows 11 coverage to older systems during the beta testing period, but has stated that only 8th generation and later CPUs are eligible for Windows 11 at this time [This is because Windows 11 requires all devices to incorporate a TPM (Trusted Platform Module 20) What is a TPM, you may ask? In effect, it is a hardware security chip that protects users from hackers and malware While most new laptops come with a TPM module and modern CPUs use firmware TPM, older PCs usually don't make the cut unless you are willing to install a TPM 20 module and a new motherboard that would be needed to support it are not

Even newer PCs may have a built-in TPM 20 module, but it is disabled by default and must be manually turned on To check if your system meets this requirement, see How to check if your PC has a TPM chip for Windows

If you would like to check before the next generation of Windows is fully released to the public (in October, for example), please The beta version of Windows 11 is available now Here's how to download and start using it