Is still free to upgrade to windows 11 from windows 10?

As of my latest information up to October 2023, Microsoft officially ended the free to upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 on March 31, 2023. However, if your device already has a valid Windows 10 license, you may still be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free through the Windows Update process, provided your hardware meets the Windows 11 system requirements.

Since your MacBook Pro has an Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, it likely meets the hardware requirements.

Yeah, it’s still basically free to upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10, even though Microsoft stopped “officially” advertising it. As long as your Windows 10 is activated, the upgrade still works fine.

Method 1 – Normal way:

Just download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant from Microsoft’s site, run it, and it’ll automatically upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 while keeping your files and apps. Works perfectly on Intel Macs too, as long as you’ve got TPM bypassed if needed.

Method 2 – Command line way:

If the installer blocks you, you can use PowerShell or Command Prompt with this trick:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup" /v AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Then reboot and launch setup again — it’ll skip the checks and let you upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 smoothly.

Still works in 2025, and your license will stay activated after the upgrade.

Yes, the upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is still free of charge. Microsoft has not announced an end date for this free upgrade offer.

While the upgrade is free, the main challenge for you won't be the cost, but the compatibility. Upgrading to Windows 11 on Apple hardware, especially older Intel-based Macs, is notoriously difficult due to Microsoft's strict hardware requirements.

Analysis of Your MacBook Pro:

RAM (16GB) & Storage (512GB SSD): You have more than enough. This is not an issue.

CPU (Intel Core i7): This is the primary problem. Without knowing the exact model year, a 5+ year old Intel MacBook Pro almost certainly has a 6th or 7th-generation Intel Core i7. This means your CPU is officially not supported by Microsoft for Windows 11.

TPM 2.0 & Secure Boot: Intel Macs with Apple's T2 chip (found in most 2018 and newer models) have a equivalent security chip that can meet these requirements if configured correctly in Boot Camp. Older Macs (pre-T2) do not have a TPM 2.0 module, which is another official roadblock.

To install a newer version on your Mac, please check the official guide first:

Install Windows on your newer Mac using Boot Camp - Apple Support

If you still have problem after reading the steps in above tutorial, then you can follow this Microsoft tech community guide for troubleshooting. Some of the outlines are here:

Method 1: Use Windows 11 Installation Assistant (For Compatible Macs)

If your Boot Camp Windows partition passes Windows 11 compatibility checks (usually on newer Intel Macs):

1. Boot into Windows 10 on your Mac via Boot Camp.
2. Open Settings › Update & Security › Windows Update.
3. Check for updates — if Windows 11 is offered, click Download and install.
4. If not, go to the official Microsoft page and download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
5. Run it, follow on-screen instructions, and let it upgrade your current system while keeping your files and apps.

Method 2: Manually Upgrade Using a Windows 11 ISO (Bypass TPM)

Older Macs lack TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, so you can use a registry tweak or patched ISO:

1. Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s website.
2. Mount the ISO in Windows (right-click › Mount).
3. Open the ISO drive and run setup.exe.
4. When asked, choose Keep personal files and apps.
5. If you see an error about unsupported hardware, open Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup

6.Create a new DWORD (32-bit) named AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU and set its value to 1.

7. Re-run setup.exe — this time the upgrade should proceed normally.

⚙️ Tips

• Make sure your Boot Camp drivers are up to date via Apple Software Update.
• Keep at least 30 GB of free space on your Boot Camp partition.
• Back up your data (Time Machine or external drive) before upgrading.

Availability of free updates aside, Microsoft does not support Windows 11 native boot on any Intel Mac, as no Mac has a TPM. There are apparently ways to get Windows to boot without a TPM, but unsupported and subject to discontinuance.

this is what their faq says

Upgrade to Windows 11: FAQ - Microsoft Support

If you are looking for a way to upgrade to windows 11 from windows 10 and if your MacBook Pro is not officially compatible or you encounter issues, you might consider installing Windows 11 via virtualization or sticking with Windows 10 until extended support ends. You can also create a bootable USB drive with Windows 11 using the Media Creation Tool and perform a clean installation if needed.

Since you’re using Boot Camp or virtualization, ensure your setup supports Windows 11. Some virtualization platforms now support Windows 11.