Microsoft will warn you if your computer can't run Windows 11... even if it is already running Windows 11

The system requirements for Windows 11 have been the source of much frustration and confusion for some time now, and things are about to get even more confusing.

In test builds of Windows 11, Microsoft has implemented something of a strange warning. If you opted to go down one of the various routes that makes it possible to bypass the minimum system requirements and have installed Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, you can now expect to see a message informing you that your system does not meet the standard set by Microsoft -- even if you are running Windows 11 problem-free. [UPDATE: it is now possible to hide the message!]

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• KB5008353 update for Windows 11 may improve performance and fix drive problems

The somewhat strange decision by Microsoft has been brought to light by Albacore, the same software explorer who recently revealed more Windows 11 secrets. In a screenshot shared on Twitter, it is possible to see the warning that is being tested internally at Microsoft, and is destined to be displayed on the System pages of the Settings app:

The decision by Microsoft to display such a message is a strange one, and it is difficult to determine just what the company is trying to achieve with it. With the warning, Microsoft is really only telling people what they already know. They will, after all, almost certainly have had to jump through various hoops to get Windows 11 installed on "unsupported" hardware.

It is quite normal for warnings like this to be displayed before the installation of software, but here it feels as though Microsoft is issuing an unhelpful reminder. If someone is running Windows 11 on hardware that does not meet the minimum standard and yet it works just fine, the appearance of this message serves no purpose beyond causing irritation.

As it seems this is something that is only being tested at the moment, we'll have to wait to see exactly how, or if, it is implemented.

Image credit: gioiak2 / depositphotos