Share this article
Improve this guide
Windows 11 on QEMU: How to Install & Run
6 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
When compared to previous iterations, Windows 11 has more stringent security standards. The use of a TPM 2.0 chip (TPM 2.0 can be enabled in your BIOS if you have current hardware) and Secure Boot are the two primary requirements for it to run in QEMU.If you wish to take advantage of Windows 11, you can do so by installing it in a virtual machine using virtualization tools such as QEMU on a Linux or Mac computer. This article assumes you’ve already installed QEMU and are familiar with the process of configuring a virtual machine using it.However, if you haven’t installed it yet, you canhead to QEMU’s download pageand install the version you desire after selecting your OP.Follow along as we will first see what the QEMU requirements are then proceed with the Windows 11 installation process.
What are QEMU’s requirements?
Qemu is a hypervisor that conducts hardware virtualization and is available for free and open-source use. QEMU v2.6.0 added the virtual NVDIMM (vNVDIMM) capability, which allows users to emulate a virtual NVDIMM.The memory type (pmem) is the only one that has been implemented. In terms of feature enhancements, the block window type (blk) is one that should be deployed in the near future. If there are any changes, please refer to the QEMU release notes.To get TPM 2.0 emulation, you’ll need to have QEMU 4.0 or higher installed on your computer. Other hardware requirements for Windows 11 include 4GB of RAM and a hard drive with a capacity of 64GB.Unless you match the basic requirements, which include TPM and Secure boot, you will see an error message stating that your PC is unable to run Windows 11.
How can I easily install Windows 11 in QEMU?
1. Use the QTEMU GUI
As we know, the QEMU uses the command line to create virtual machines by default. But it would be not feasible for standard computer users using CLI to manage virtual machines, thus we install another open-source application to provide a Graphical user interface (GUI) to QEMU.
How can I make QEMU run faster?
If you are unfamiliar with the terms virtualization and emulation, you might think that they are interchangeable. However, this is as far from the truth as you could possibly go.Virtualization is the process of emulating the operation of computer hardware, such as the CPU, CD-ROM, graphics controller, and other components.In contrast, in an emulator, the virtual machine duplicates the entire hardware environment in software. In this way, an operating system designed for one computer architecture can be used to run on another computer architecture for which the emulator has been written.In the case that you are running qemu-system-x64 on an x64-compatible processor, you can take advantage of the hardware virtualization capabilities provided by KVM (hardware virtualization). To make use of KVM, send the command enable-kvm to QEMU.If you find that QEMU is slower than usual, examine your BIOS settings first, and make certain that VT-x (or Virtualization Technology, depending on your BIOS) is turned on.Assuming there is also an option for the Execute Disable Bit, make certain that it is also enabled. In the vast majority of circumstances, both options are enabled by default.
Alternatively, if your system is protected against BIOS changes, for example, if you have enabled BitLocker Drive Encryption or any other tamper-resistant method, you may need to take preventive actions to avoid getting locked out after making the aforementioned BIOS settings changes.Tofind out more about how to run Windows 11 on VM and test it to the limit, make sure to take a look at the article linked.Alternatively, if you tried running Windows 11 on Oracle Virtual Box, you shouldknow that you won’t be able to run the operating system on it anymore.And lastly, if you decided to upgrade your operating system, you cancheck out our article with a full Windows 10 vs Windows 11 performance comparisonand the best features of the latter OS.Let us know in the comments section below whether the installation process was easy enough and if you have decided to switch to Windows 11 yet. Thanks for reading!
More about the topics:virtual machine,Windows 11
Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and she fell in love with tech of all sorts.
Whenever she’s not at her work desk, you’ll find her enjoying refreshing tea flavors, spilling stories on paper, and listening to the radio.
User forum
1 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a tech enthusiast who tackles mobility, privacy, and networking in easy-to follow guides for everyone.
