Microsoft has made it clear that you have the choice to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. It has also made it clear that it won't be held responsible for issues users encounter while running the new operating system on hardware that doesn't meet their minimum requirements and that if it all goes pear-shaped, you're (mostly) on your own.

Taking it a step further, those who chose to power on and install Windows 11 regardless will now have to sign a waiver confirming their understanding of the situation: that Microsoft will no longer update your device.

Microsoft Wants Windows 11 Waiver: Why?

The long and the short of it is this: Microsoft doesn't want to be held responsible for anything that happens to your device while using Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.

It sounds a little over the top, given how far the company went to ensure Windows 10 ran on every bit of hardware possible. But this time around, Windows 11 is a different story.

The Windows 11 waiver reveals as much, reading:

This PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements ffor running Windows 11 - these requirements help ensure a more reliable and high quality experience . . . If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates

The disclaimer also advises that any damages to your device that stem from Windows 11 are unlikely to be covered by your manufacturer warranty.

It's stern stuff from Microsoft in the face of tens of thousands of users who have installed Windows 11 on "unsupported hardware" and found the new operating system an excellent upgrade from Windows 10.

Microsoft Really Doesn't Want You to Install Windows 11

As above, it's marked change from Microsoft's approach to Windows 10, when the company set a target of installing the then-new Windows version on a billion devices in a single year.

Windows 11 minimum specs aren't so different from Windows 10, but a couple of significant changes will force some users to remain on Windows 10 (or sign the waiver, of course).

First up, Microsoft demands you use at least an Intel 8th Gen or third-generation AMD Ryzen 3, 5, or 7 CPU (with one or two Intel 7th Gen and AMD second-gen CPUs in the mix). This limit cuts off a huge number of users.

Second, the TMP 2.0 requirement has also pushed more users out of the Windows 11 minimum requirements bracket. A TPM chip is an integrated cryptographic chip found on your computer's motherboard, used to provide security to your system. Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0, though you can also sneak through with TPM 1.2. However, the enforcement of even the lower TPM requirement will push millions of Windows 10 users outside Windows 11's walled garden.

Can You Install Windows 11 Without Reaching the Minimum Requirements?

And just like that, we're back at square one. Yes, you can install Windows 11 on a device that doesn't meet Microsoft's minimum requirements, but they won't be happy about it.

Microsoft previously revealed that those installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware will not receive updates, exposing your computer and data to dangerous security issues and vulnerabilities.

Now, the introduction of a waiver doesn't take it one step further per se, but hammers home the statement: we're not responsible for you if you ignore our advice.

Is Windows 11 Safe?

Now, the cynical among us may wonder why Microsoft is so desperate to enclose Windows 11. Are they about to ship an operating system as leaky as Windows 7?

Or will the minimum requirements change as more people install the new operating system? Countless users have taken Windows 11 for a test drive on unsupported hardware, and there are few reports of major issues. That could be because the attack surface for Windows 11 remains small, but Microsoft's determination to stop people outside the requirements accessing Windows 11 remains staunch.

For now, the decision lies with you. But remember, you'll have to sign away your rights to experience all that Windows 11 has to offer.