Microsoft is growing the Windows brand by making sure Windows 11 is compatible with a wide range of devices. Specifically, the new operating system supports ARM architecture, while is used in a number of mobile and portable machines. This support means its technically possible to install Windows 11 on mobile phones, tablets, convertibles, and even Chromebooks. Here’s a look at which devices you can install Windows 11 ARM on.
Which ARM devices support Windows 11?
Windows 11 is compatible with several different ARM devices. Microsoft’s documentation website lists Windows 11 ARM support specifically for Qualcomm processors, but the operating system also works on several other ARM devices.
Providing a comprehensive list of Windows 11 ARM devices is nearly impossible. Not all ARM chips are meant to run Windows 11, and even fewer actually can. With that said, early adopters have been playing around with the Windows 11 beta, and the operating system works on more machines than you might think.
Here’s the full list of ARM compatible processors supported by Windows 10, including examples of which devices are powered by the given CPU or chip.
Windows 11 ARM compatible chips and devices
- Snapdragon 850
- Samsung Galaxy Book2, Huawei Matebook E (2019), Microsoft HoloLens2
- Snapdragon 7c
- Acer Chromebook Spin 513, Positivo Wise N1212S
- Snapdragon 8c
- Lenovo IdeaPad 4G LTE
- Snapdragon 8cx
- Samsung Galaxy Book S, Lenovo Flex 5G, Lenovo IdeaPad 5G
- Snapdragon 8cx (second generation)
- Acer Spin 7, HP Elite Folio
- Microsoft SQ1
- Microsoft Surface Pro X
- Microsoft SQ2
- Microsoft Surface Pro X
Theoretically speaking, Windows 11 should be able to support any device running on any of these chips. There may be a few other mobile-oriented platforms ready to support Windows 11, but these are the ones that should technically work.
Of course, that’s all just theory. In truth, the Windows 11 PC Health Check app has turned away more systems than it should. That’s because many users have been able to get Windows 11 running on several SoC devices that don’t make Microsoft’s official list, including the Raspberry Pi 4. Recent word around the web reports that both Snapdragon 845 and 855 chips also support Windows 11 ARM64. Plus, the team at Parallels is currently working on bringing Win 10 to M1 Macs, hopefully adding yet another chip to the unofficial list.
While Windows 11 technically supports ARM architecture, the list of supported devices is short. Thankfully, Microsoft is still tweaking the requirements for its latest operating system. Hopefully more mobile-ready devices will make the cut by the time it’s released later this year.
