What a Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade is and How it Impacts Your Computer

If you have been getting notifications from Windows that your computer is ready to upgrade to Windows 11, you will want to consider this because the end of support for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025. End of support does not mean your device will no longer work, rather it means that there will be no additional updates for security or software advancements. If your hardware meets the requirements, you can do what is called an in-place upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10.

Example of the Windows 11 upgrade notification.

This post discusses what an in-place Windows upgrade is and what to expect once it is done.

What a Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade is and How it Impacts Your Computer

Upgrading your operating system takes some time and is often a low priority. However, now that the end of support has been announced for Windows 10, it is a good time to consider upgrading to Windows 11. If the in-place upgrade is an option for you, you should consider installing it at least a month or two before the end of support to give yourself time to address any issues.

An in-place upgrade means the operating system will upgrade from one version to another without wiping out your local files. This means your local settings should remain the same, for the most part. This includes protecting and maintaining:

Your local user accounts and permissions
Your local files stored within those user accounts
Local files stored in Public user folders - such as QuickBooks
Locally installed software applications
Settings stored within applications such as browser favorites, stored passwords, email accounts, etc.
Application preferences such as dark mode, etc.
Local and network printers
Wireless networks
Power settings

The list above are the reasons why an in-place upgrade can be accomplished much faster than moving to a new operating system by installing it from scratch. If you install an operating system, or purchase a new device with the new operating system, you will need to address all the items above which can take hours.

Of course, the amount of software applications you have locally greatly affects how long this takes, but even if you're mostly using the internet or web-based apps, you still have to set up user accounts, internet access, run updates, install printers, and customize applications for your preferences.

Before running the in-place upgrade, there are a few things you will want to do and need to know. First, the upgrade will take some time. Depending upon your computer specifications, this process can take a few hours so be prepared to be unable to use it for that period of time and have power plugged in if it is a laptop.

Example screen you will see while the Windows 11 in-place upgrade is being installed.

Second, not everything remains the same. For example, a desktop background that is unique is likely to be lost during the upgrade and will need to be reset. There will likely be other small things like this that you will occasionally run into where a setting needs to be configured back the way it was before the upgrade.

Lastly, not every software application will be fully functional after the upgrade. You may run into applications that will not launch, or applications with specific functions that do not work correctly or at all. When you run into these issues, try upgrading the application first. If that does not work, you may need to find or purchase an upgraded version of the application that is compatible with Windows 11.

NOTE: If you have many locally installed applications, especially those that you have paid for, you will want to check ahead of time to see if those applications are compatible with Windows 11. This way you will know the risk of upgrading ahead of time.

Other than the items listed above, most things will function the way they did before. The taskbar and many other items will look a little different, but most things remain in the same menus and places and should not be that challenging to adapt to.

The Windows 11 in-place upgrade is a way to get the newer Microsoft operating system on your device without all of the hassle of a new installation from scratch. With Windows 10 end of support coming in October of this year, now is a good time to consider running this upgrade. The in-place upgrade retains your installed applications, settings, accounts and more. There will likely be a few things you will have to update or configure for your preferences. The biggest issue you may run into is having software that is incompatible with the new operating system. If this happens, try updating it first, or replace it with a compatible version if necessary.

As always, understanding what you are being prompted to do will help you plan and be prepared for any potential issues.