Microsoft starts emailing Windows 11 Insiders who do not meet hardware requirements

We posted earlier that Microsoft has been notifying Windows 11 Insiders whose PCs do not meet Microsoft’s minimum hardware requirements via a banner in Windows Update that they need to downgrade to Windows 10.

Now Microsoft has taken it a step further and started emailing those who their system understands do not meet requirements, saying:

Your PC does not meet the minimum system requirements for previewing Windows 11. 

Hi Windows Insider,

Some PCs in the Dev Channel do not have an option to switch channels as they were given an exception to install Windows 11 preview builds as outlined in our blog post here on June 24th (the red column in the chart). These PCs do not meet the minimum hardware requirements for previewing Windows 11 builds and will not receive new Windows 11 Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel going forward.

Based on our data, you have a PC that was given that exception. This PC must clean install back to Windows 10 with the media (ISOs) that we provide and can then join the Release Preview Channel to preview Windows 10 updates.

Please review the message in your Windows Update Settings to learn more.

Thank you for your participation in the Windows Insider Program!

The Windows Insider team

Microsoft has said earlier they intend to continue to release cumulative updates for Windows 11 to those affected until the 5th October Windows 11 General Availability date, but that afterwards users will need to downgrade to Windows 10. Microsoft has not explained what would happen if users ignored the prompt, except to say they would receive no further Windows 11 Builds.