Microsoft updates Windows 11 supported CPU list and… makes things more confusing

Microsoft maintains a document listing the processors supported by Windows 11, so you can check if your CPU can run the operating system without having to 'dodge' or hack the system requirements. The document is updated periodically to add new chips or remove older models (when necessary). However, the latest update makes things… more confusing.

In the new list, Microsoft no longer lists specific Intel models like the Core i7-8700K or Core i9-9900K. Instead, the company only lists them by product line with links to the Intel Arc page, such as the Intel Core i7 (14th Gen) or Intel Core 7000X Series. This leaves some CPUs that are supported out of the picture, while models that don't run Windows 11 accidentally appear to be supported.

Case in point: The Intel Core i7-7820HQ—the only Kaby Lake processor officially supported by Windows 11, which powered the Surface Studio 2—is now missing from the list. However, the Surface Studio 2 still runs Windows 11 just fine. The new documentation, on the other hand, lists the Intel Celeron 3000 Series as supported, despite having chips from as far back as 2015. In fact, out of the 10 Celeron 3000 models, there's only one compatible chip: the Celeron 3867U.

Currently, only the Intel CPU list is being reworked in this strange way. The AMD and Qualcomm documentation still lists the individual chips, though both lists are quite outdated. For example, the Snapdragon X Elite is nowhere to be seen, and the 9th-gen AMD Ryzen and the latest Threadripper series are also absent. Microsoft explains this:

'Later and future processor generations, if they meet the same guidelines, will be considered supported even if they are not explicitly listed. The list may not fully reflect the latest CPUs between updates. The list will be refreshed when the next major Windows release is available.'

In other words: not seeing the latest Ryzen CPU on the list is nothing to worry about – because the new chips will be compatible with Windows 11 by default. However, the new way of doing things with Intel lists can easily mislead less experienced users – especially those with older machines that have just moved away from Windows 10 – into thinking their CPU is or is not supported.

1. List of Intel supported CPUs
2. List of AMD supported CPUs
3. List of supported CPUs by Qualcomm

Kareem Winters

Update 08 December 2025