Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers

This change will help Dell laptops and computers meet TPM 2.0 requirements when installing and updating Microsoft's Windows 11.

1. Note 1: Before entering the main part of the article you need to be aware that BIOS-related changes, including TPM updates, are very dangerous. This process requires you to always connect your laptop or computer to a power source. If something goes wrong during the update process, it is easy to damage important hardware like the mainboard, the damage will be very serious. Therefore, you need to consider carefully before deciding to upgrade the TPM or update the BIOS.
2. Note 2: Dell said that to update TPM 1.2 to 2.0 of the Precision series, you first need to update the device's BIOS to the latest version. Please refer to TipsMake.com's article on how to update BIOS to better understand this issue.
3. Note 3: Dell laptops and computers shipped between 2015 and 2018 are equipped with TPM 1.2 and users can update to TPM 2.0 if desired.
4. Note 4: Dell laptops are being considered incompatible with Windows 11. Some users reported that their Dell laptops could not boot after upgrading to Windows 11.

How to update TPM 1.2 to 2.0

Step 1. Visit Dell's product support page here.

Step 2. Enter the Service TAG of the machine or select the machine you are using in the Dell product list

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 1

Step 3. Click on Drivers & Downloads tab, click Find drivers

Step 4. Select Security in the category menu

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 2

Step 5. Search for Dell TPM 2.0 firmware update file download. In case there are many TPM 2.0 files, you should choose the file with the most recent update date.

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 3

Step 6. If found you can download

Step 7. After downloading, double-click to open and run the file

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 4

Step 8. The machine will automatically update to TPM 2.0 after restarting

Fix "The TPM is Owned. Please Clear the TPM and try again" error

Every time the Windows 10 system with TPM is restarted, Windows 10 will automatically take over the TPM. Updating to TPM 2.0 or downgrading to TPM 1.2 both requires releasing control of the TPM to be successful.

If you do not release the TPM, you will receive the error message "The TPM is Owned. Please Clear the TPM and try again" when running the update or downgrade file.

How to release control of TPM

Step 1. Run PowerShell as Administrator by pressing the Start button then enter PowerShell and then right-click to select Run as Administrator.

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 5

Step 2. In PowerShell, enter the Disable-TpmAutoProvisioning command and then press Enter.

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 6

Step 3. If the Dell Data Protection (DDP) feature is installed, you need to perform the following additional steps:

1. Press the Start button then type services.msc then Enter to open the Services Desktop App.
2. Set the Windows DellMgmtAgent service to Disabled mode.
3. Stop (Stop) the Windows DellMgmtAgent service.
4. Set the Windows DellMgmtLoader service to Disabled mode.
5. Stop (Stop) the Windows DellMgmtLoader service.
6. Redo the operations to release control of the TPM.

Step 4. Click Start then type tpm.msc then Enter to open the TPM management window.

Step 5. Select Clear TPM in the rightmost pane.

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Step 6. The system will automatically reboot to complete the change.

Step 7. Don't access the BIOS, let the computer access Windows again.

Step 8. Run the TPM 2.0 update file again (or downgrade TPM 1.2) with the power always plugged in

Step 9. If Dell Data Protection (DDP) is installed, additional steps are required:

1. Press the Start button then type services.msc then Enter to open the Services Desktop App.
2. Set the Windows DellMgmtAgent service to Automatic.
3. Start (Start) the Windows DellMgmtAgent service.
4. Set the Windows DellMgmtLoader service to Automatic.
5. Start (Start) the Windows DellMgmtLoader service.

Dell laptops and computers can be upgraded from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0

You can click to enlarge the image and then find out if your Dell computer can upgrade from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0:

Latitude series:

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 8

Precision Series

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 9

OptiPlex series

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 10

XPS series

Steps to update TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 for Dell laptops, Dell computers Picture 11

Other models

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As mentioned in the note at the top of the article, upgrading TPM, updating BIOS is quite risky. In addition, Dell latpop is also considered to be not compatible with Windows 11. Therefore, you need to consider carefully before following the instructions in this article.

TipsMake.com will not be responsible if your computer encounters any problems. Good luck!

David Pac

Update 08 October 2021