The Microchip Your PC Needs to Run Windows 11

Until recently, TPM 2.0 was buried in the vagaries (at least to most users) of the technical details of your laptop. It was one of those things that most of us knew nothing about and, quite frankly, didn’t care about either. That has changed pretty swiftly with the introduction of Windows 11. You can’t upgrade to Windows 11 unless your PC has TPM 2.0 and it is set up to run. And so bang, it’s become pretty critical!

Most PCs that have been shipped in the last 6 years can run TPM 2.0. And so if your certified refurbished laptop was produced any time from 2016 onwards, you can be pretty certain it'll have TPM 2.0. BUT, TPM isn't the only requirement to run Windows 11. You can read more about the other requirements in this blog post. 

What is TPM 2.0?

A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a microchip that is built into a computer and provides hardware security to the device. TPM 2.0 is the latest version of this technology. Daily, much of the data that we send is in an unencrypted form, like plan text. TPM 2.0 protects password and encryption keys when they are sent in an unencrypted form.

If, on start-up, the TPM chip sees that the system has been compromised by a virus or malware, it will start the device up in quarantine mode to help isolate and fix the breach before it infiltrates your device. The chips also provide safe storage for passwords, certificates, and encryption keys that are used for logging in to online sites and services. This is more secure than storing them inside software on the hard drive.

Who is TPM relevant to?

While Windows 11 has made TPM 2.0 relevant to all users, when it was launched, it was particularly relevant to corporate users who required the additional level of security that it provided. Most refurbished laptops and desktops supplied by Unboxxed are retired corporate devices. This means that they generally have TPM 2.0 microchips built in.

In some cases, PCs have TPM 2.0 installed, but the functionality has been turned off. If you are not sure if your device has TPM 2.0 installed and activated, get hold of your IT support provider and they’ll be able to help you out.