Installing Windows 11 on VMware - From Start to Finish

In this article, I will go through the process of installing Windows 11 on a virtual machine using VMware. I will be using VMware Workstation 16 Pro, but you can use other versions of this VM; the installation process remains the same. Additionally, I will address the error "Running Windows 11 on this computer is not possible" if it occurs in your VMware VM.

Besides, you will need the Windows 11 installer. You can download it from the official Microsoft website or from our catalog.

Launch the application and click on the "Create a New Virtual Machine" button.

Choose the recommended option.

Next, click on "Browse" and select the Windows 11 installer you downloaded earlier.

At the top, select "Microsoft Windows" and from the System version drop-down menu, select "Windows 10 x64" (yes, specifically Windows 10).

Set the name of your virtual machine, for example, "Windows 11". The name can be anything. In the Location field, specify the location where the virtual machine file will be stored.

The next step is to allocate disk space for the VM, with a minimum of 40 GB for Windows 11.

In the next window, go back to settings by clicking on the "Customize Hardware" button.

In the "Processors" tab, make sure that you have set two Core processors, i.e., 2 cores. This is the minimum for Windows 11. See the screenshot below for an example.

In the "Memory" tab, a minimum of 4 GB of RAM is required; this is the minimum for Windows 11. However, you can allocate more, depending on the available physical RAM. Then press "Close."

Now, you can finish the settings. Click "Finish."

In the main VMware window, click on the "Power on this virtual machine" button. This will start the installation.

Next, the regular system installation will start, but the settings are not yet complete. Click "Next."

Click "Install now."

In the next window, click "I don't have a product key." You can activate the system later, after the installation.

Choose the Windows 11 version, I will choose Home. You can choose any other version according to your preference.

In the next window, you'll encounter the error "This PC can't run Windows 11" because VMware cannot virtualize TPM.

Without closing the error window, press the hotkeys Shift + F10 => In the new terminal window, enter regedit and press Enter.

In the registry window, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / Setup branch.

Right-click on the Setup folder => Create => Key.

Name the new key LabConfig.

In the new LabConfig key, right-click on empty space => Create => DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Name the new parameter BypassTPMCheck.

Create another parameter with the name BypassSecureBootCheck. Now you have two new parameters, BypassTPMCheck and BypassSecureBootCheck.

Next, change the values of each parameter. Double-click on each created parameter and set the value to "1".

Now exit the registry and the terminal by clicking the cross in the top right corner. In the installation menu, click the back arrow.

In the Version Selection menu, click Next again.

Accept the license agreement.

Select custom installation.

Select the disk, there should be only one, and click Next.

Wait for the unpacking and installation to complete. The VM may restart several times.

Start the initial OS setup. Choose region and layout.

The system will check for updates.

Set the system name, it can be anything.

Choose "For personal use."

Now, sign in with your Microsoft account.

Set a PIN for quick access.

Now, configure privacy settings.

Interaction setup can be skipped.

Optionally, choose "Only save files on this computer."

Wait for updates to be installed and the desktop to be prepared.

That's it. Now you can check that the correct version of the system is installed. For full system functionality, it needs to be activated. Click on "Product key and activation" in the system menu.

You can see that the system state is "Not activated." Click "Change" and enter your product key. If you don't have an original product key, you can purchase one from our catalog starting from 9.65 €. The product key will be delivered to your email immediately after the purchase. We offer a guarantee and free 24/7 technical support from our store.