Update SmartDeploy
Windows 11 images can be captured and deployed using SmartDeploy version 3.0.1020 or later.
Check your hardware for Windows 11 compatibility
Microsoft has new hardware requirements for Windows 11, and these apply to both your reference VM and any endpoints that you plan to deploy to. Before you begin, it’s important to confirm that your endpoints meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11.
You can review the official Windows 11 specifications at Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft. Individual computer vendors also maintain compatibility lists for Windows 11 (often by specific build number), and we recommend consulting these as well.
Vendor lists for OS support frequently change or vary by specific build number or the warranty status of that specific system. SmartDeploy will not prevent you from attempting to deploy Windows 11 to an unsupported system, which you may always test at your own risk.
If you are making use of Computer Management, we recommend creating Filter Groups by model or processor type in order to designate computers in your environment that do or do not support Windows 11 according to your testing. Starting with SmartDeploy version 2.0.2030 you can use the "Windows 11 Readiness Status" column.
Build your Windows 11 Reference VM
To create your reference VM for Windows 11, keep in mind our Best Practices to Create your Virtual Reference Machines, and follow this additional platform-specific guidance.
Microsoft Hyper-V fully supports Windows 11. You can enable Hyper-V on any Windows 10 or 11 Professional, Enterprise or Education endpoint by using the Turn Windows features on or off settings. Then create your reference VM in Hyper-V Manager, with the following specifications:
- Generation 2
- Allocate at least 2 virtual processors
- Allocate at least 4GB of RAM
- Trusted Platform Module (TPM) enabled
- Disable checkpoints
- Starting with Windows 11 24H2, you'll also need to disable BitLocker
- Elevated command prompt: manage-bde -off C:
- Verify it's off with: manage-bde -status C:
- or
- Elevated PowerShell: Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:"
- Verify it's off with: Get-BitLockerVolume C:
Then Gracefully shutdown the VM and capture your image by using the Capture Wizard or a warm capture.
VMware Workstation 17 (or later) supports Windows 11, you just need to ensure you use the default Encryption Type, which is "Only the files needed to support a TPM are encrypted." Starting with Windows 11 24H2, you'll also need to disable BitLocker in the guest OS, as above for Hyper-V.
VMware ESX and vSphere 6.7 (or later) The VM will need a vTPM which requires a key provider. Do not encrypt the virtual machines disk files. See VMware's documentation for details.
Oracle VM VirtualBox 7 or later supports Windows 11 natively with all default settings for that OS. Once the VM is built, configured, and completely shutdown, it can be captured using Capture Wizard or a warm capture, without any changes to the VM needed prior to capture.
