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May 16, 2024

Microsoft quietly removes 44 Intel CPUs from list of supported Windows 11 processors

Microsoft has removed 44 Intel Xeon processors from the list of supported Windows 11 CPUs. The chips are from Intel's 8th-generation line of processors. This likely means PCs running Windows 11 with

Microsoft has removed 44 Intel Xeon processors from the list of supported Windows 11 CPUs.

The chips are from Intel's 8th-generation line of processors.

This likely means PCs running Windows 11 with those processors will no longer be eligible for the annual fall feature updates.

When Windows 11 first launched, Microsoft enforced some incredibly high CPU requirements which meant any PCs made before 2017 were in-eligible for the upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Microsoft's cut-off point was anything older than Intel 8th-Gen and AMD Ryzen 2000 series.

But now, it appears Microsoft is starting to raise those requirements once again, as the company just recently quietly removed 44 8th-Gen processors from Intel's Xeon line of chips, all of which were previously officially supported by Windows 11. Here are the chips Microsoft has removed, courtesy of Neowin:

Intel Xeon E-2104G

Intel Xeon E-2124

Intel Xeon E-2124G

Intel Xeon E-2126G

Intel Xeon E-2134

Intel Xeon E-2136

Intel Xeon E-2144G

Intel Xeon E-2146G

Intel Xeon E-2174G

Intel Xeon E-2176G

Intel Xeon E-2176M

Intel Xeon E-2186G

Intel Xeon E-2186M

Intel Xeon E-2224

Intel Xeon E-2224G

Intel Xeon E-2226G

Intel Xeon E-2226GE

Intel Xeon E-2234

Intel Xeon E-2236

Intel Xeon E-2244G

Intel Xeon E-2246G

Intel Xeon E-2254ME

Intel Xeon E-2254ML

Intel Xeon E-2274G

Intel Xeon E-2276G

Intel Xeon E-2276M

Intel Xeon E-2276ME

Intel Xeon E-2276ML

Intel Xeon E-2278G

Intel Xeon E-2278GE

Intel Xeon E-2278GEL

Intel Xeon E-2286G

Intel Xeon E-2286M

Intel Xeon E-2288G

Intel Xeon E-2314

Intel Xeon E-2324G

Intel Xeon E-2334

Intel Xeon E-2336

Intel Xeon E-2356G

Intel Xeon E-2374G

Intel Xeon E-2378

Intel Xeon E-2378G

Intel Xeon E-2386G

Intel Xeon E-2388G

It's unclear why Microsoft has removed these, or if it was done in error, but Windows Central has reached out for comment and will update this article accordingly once Microsoft responds.

If Microsoft has removed them deliberately, it means any users running Windows 11 on these chips will no longer be officially supported. That doesn't mean those PCs will simply stop working, it just means you won't be eligible for the annual fall features updates going forward. You should still be supported with security updates for as long as the current version of Windows 11 is supported.

Intel Xeon chips are not intended for consumer-use, meaning you're unlikely to be using one in your personal PC or gaming rig. They're commonly found in servers, workstations, and embedded systems, but this does set the precedent that Microsoft is willing to remove currently supported chips at any time.