Hidden in today's Windows 11 announcement was a very strange, or at least surprising system requirement: Windows 11 will require a TPM 2.0 chip in all systems.

What exactly is a TPM chip, TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module and is primarily known as a means of security for business notebooks and desktop-only PCs.

And many will wonder if they have this chip. This is because consumers rarely see or consider this chip when customizing their laptops online, especially if they are building a gaming system.

Editor's note: This article on Windows 11's TPM requirements was updated after Microsoft announced it would temporarily shut down its PC Health Check app. We have also added a comment from a Microsoft spokesperson and a note from Microsoft's blog post on the matter.

A Microsoft spokesperson wrote in an email to Tom's Guide, "Windows 11 requirements require a device with a TPM; TPM support can be found on the Windows 11 compatibility list for AMD, Qualcomm, and Intel CPUs directly.

They then added the frustrating note that "if a device on the market meets the TPM requirements, you can upgrade to Windows 11, otherwise you will need a new device." Nevertheless, we have heard that some TPMs need to be enabled in the BIOS, so check with your PC manufacturer before purchasing a new system.

On June 25, the day after Windows 11 was released, David Weston (Microsoft's Director of Enterprise and OS Security) published a blog on Microsoft.com explaining the need for TPM 2.0 chips

Weston said that the TPM 2.0 chip will be used in the future.

Weston viewed the need for such a chip as a security concern, writing that "it is rare to go a day without reading a description of an emerging cybersecurity threat." He then referred to an internal report that "83% of companies have experienced firmware attacks, and only 29% have devoted resources to protecting this critical layer."

And while you may not run a business with laptops, Microsoft argues that everyone should be protected from such attacks. They stated, "TPM 2.0 is an important building block to provide security with Windows Hello and BitLocker to help our customers better protect their identities and data. In addition, for many enterprise customers, TPM helps facilitate Zero Trust security by providing a secure element to prove the integrity of a device.

Even if your laptop has a TPM, you may be surprised to learn that it does. Personally, I was shocked to learn that the PC I stream on Twitch, the excellent Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, has a TPM 2.0 chip and can actually run Windows 11.

How did I know this? You could find out if you knew how to do it, but I didn't look inside my system. Because Microsoft provides a way to see if your PC supports Windows 11, and I wanted to check compatibility with it.

Nevertheless, a quick look at the update's other main system requirements (64-bit dual-core processor above 1 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage device) shows that my machine is eligible.

Nevertheless, as explained below, if your system does not appear to have a TPM, you may just need to enable it.

Since Microsoft has announced that it is temporarily shutting down its PC Health Check app, there is (for now) only one way to check if your PC has a TPM chip.

1. click Windows + R

2. type "tpm.msc" and click OK or press Enter.

3. Confirm or verify that a "Compatible TPM cannot be found" error is displayed.

4. if the latter is displayed, the TPM chip may still be present but may need to be enabled; contact the system manufacturer for details on how to enable it in the BIOS.

The following instructions are based on using the PC Health Check app, which Microsoft announced on June 28 that it would temporarily remove. Please note that the following instructions will likely still apply when the PC Health Check app is reinstated, but the only place it should be downloaded is Microsoft.

1. Download, open and install the PC Health Check app.

3. Make sure "Open Windows PC Health Check" is checked and click "Finish.

4. In Windows 11, click [Check now].

5. The app will confirm or deny support.

Congratulations, you now know if you have a TPM.

If you don't have one, I have good news and bad news.

You may still have a TPM chip, you just need to enable it. Contact the company that manufactured your computer and ask them how to enable TPM for your system in the BIOS.

You can also purchase a TPM from Amazon, but you will need to find out which TPMs your system supports, which is a hassle in itself. In addition, you need access to the motherboard to install it, which is not easy on most laptops. And installation is not that easy either. Good luck.

If you are interested, TPM uses both software and hardware to store and protect important passwords and encryption keys. In addition, if the TPM chip detects something wrong with the system, it can run in quarantine mode and attempt to repair the problem.

This is essentially a line of defense that allows the system to defend itself against attacks and is a key part of why Microsoft considers Windows 11 to be ultra-secure.