How to do In-place Upgrade to Windows 11

Upgrading your Windows 10 PC to the latest Windows 11 version is easy with an in-place upgrade. This process upgrades your existing Windows installation to Windows 11 while preserving all your apps, settings and data.

In this guide, we’ll cover when an in-place upgrade makes sense compared to a clean install, walk through the step-by-step process, and troubleshoot common issues.

Overview of In-Place Upgrades

An in-place upgrade allows you to upgrade the existing Windows on your PC to a newer version like Windows 11. This upgrades core system files and settings while migrating your programs, personal files, and configuration intact.

Benefits of in-place upgrade:

• Keeps all your apps, drivers, and custom settings
• Less disruptive process compared to clean install
• Saves time reinstalling programs and configuring OS
• Preserves data without needing to backup and restore

Downsides to consider:

• Could carry over old bugs, drivers issues from previous build
• Less control than clean install with OS customization
• Requires sufficient free disk space for temporary files
• Small risk of data loss if upgrade fails

In most cases, in-place upgrades go smoothly and are less hassle than wiping your PC and starting fresh. But a clean install offers more flexibility for advanced users.

When Should You Consider an In-Place Upgrade?

If your Windows 10 PC meets the minimum system requirements, an in-place upgrade to Windows 11 is a good option when:

• You want to retain all installed programs and app data
• You have your OS customized and don’t want to reconfigure
• You want the least disruptive and simplest upgrade process

Reasons to opt for a clean install instead:

• You have an older PC and want to rule out legacy driver issues
• Your Windows 10 installation has bugs or problems
• You don’t mind reinstalling programs and reconfiguring OS
• You want full control to selectively import data and apps

Step-by-Step Guide to In-Place Upgrade to Windows 11

Follow these steps to do an in-place upgrade of your Windows 10 PC to Windows 11:

Check system compatibility

1. Go to Settings > System > Health & security. Look under Windows specifications.
2. Verify your PC meets the minimum Windows 11 system requirements. Specifically TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot support.
3. Resolve any flagged compatibility issues. You may need UEFI firmware updates.

Back up your data

1. As a precaution, do a full system backup to an external hard drive.
2. Alternatively, at minimum back up key data like documents, photos and desktop files.

Download Windows 11 installation media

1. Go to Microsoft’s website and download the Windows 11 installation assistant.
2. Run the assistant and it will download Windows 11 as an ISO file.

Alternatively, use the Media Creation Tool to download Windows 11 and create a bootable USB drive.

Perform the in-place upgrade

1. Double click the Windows 11 ISO file and launch the installer.
2. Agree to the license terms and click Upgrade this PC now to initiate the in-place upgrade process.
3. The upgrade will take around 15-60 minutes to complete depending on your system. Be patient and do not interrupt it.
4. Once finished, your PC will boot into Windows 11 with all your data and apps migrated!

Troubleshooting Common In-Place Upgrade Issues

In-place upgrades usually go smoothly but occasionally run into problems. Here are some common errors and fixes:

• Error 0xc1900101 – Typically means incompatible drivers or services are blocking the upgrade. Try updating drivers and disabling non-Microsoft services.
• TPM or Secure Boot errors – Enabling CSM/Legacy BIOS modes in UEFI settings may resolve this. Some systems won’t support TPM/Secure Boot though.
• Roll back to Windows 10 – If the upgrade fails badly, you can roll back to your previous Windows 10 build within 10 days through Recovery options.
• Clean install instead – If you hit stubborn issues, a fresh clean install of Windows 11 may be more stable than trying to in-place upgrade from an older buggy Windows 10 build.

Summary and Next Steps After Upgrading to Windows 11

Once you’ve completed the in-place upgrade, your PC will be running Windows 11 with all your data and configuration preserved!

Next steps:

• Update drivers, particularly graphics, using Windows Update.
• Download latest app updates, like for Microsoft Office.
• Customize OS settings like theme colors to your preferences.
• Check for any post-upgrade issues and troubleshoot as needed.
• Consider resetting default apps for things like email, web browser if desired.

With an in-place upgrade, the process of moving to Windows 11 is straightforward while keeping everything intact on your PC. Just be sure to backup critical data beforehand as a precaution.