HP PCs

Make sure to back up your important files.

Always back up all important data (such as personal files, photos, videos, documents, applications, software) before beginning to avoid any possibility of losing your data. See HP PCs - Back up your files (Windows 11, 10).

HP provides installation instructions, compatible software, and updated drivers for most computers sold after August 2013.

If you purchased your computer before August 2013, HP has not tested or developed drivers for your computer model. Some features might not work, or the installation might not be successful.

HP provides Windows 10 compatible software and updated drivers to support only specific computer models.

Make sure that you have installed the latest version of the drivers for your Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product using HP Support Assistant, or download them from HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads.

Update your antivirus software and the antivirus definitions before installing Windows 10. Set the antivirus application to update automatically. Go to the antivirus software manufacturer website for more information.

If your computer hard drive is encrypted using HP ProtectTools or another security application, you must decrypt the hard drive before starting the installation.

If you seek support assistance from HP after the installation, HP technical support might request that you restore the original Windows operating system to ensure product functionality. If your computer is sent to service for repairs after installing Windows 10, your computer could be reimaged with the original Windows operating system, and Windows 10 could be removed. After repairs are made, you can reinstall Windows 10. Be sure to remember your Microsoft account login and password. To reset your password, see HP PCs - Change or reset the computer password in Windows 10.

With Windows 10 installed, you automatically receive updates and security fixes from Microsoft. You cannot opt out of this service.

If you want to restore the original operating system, it is best to obtain HP recovery media before you install Windows 10. To learn how to create recovery media, see HP Consumer PCs - Obtaining PC recovery USB drives or discs.

Not all Windows 10 features are available on all computers, and your particular experience with Windows 10 depends on the capabilities of your computer.

Apps are sold separately. Software designed for Windows 8.1 or earlier operating systems might not work after installing Windows 10.

If you installed third-party software after purchasing your HP computer, you can ensure that it is supported in Windows 10 by contacting the software vendor.

Some graphics hardware does not support the new WDDM 2.0 driver design. While the graphics can work on Windows 10, the computer does not benefit from the performance improvements available to graphics that support WDDM 2.0.

You might not be able to view DVD movies after installing Windows 10. If you currently use a DVD codec to play DVD movies, such as the encoder that comes with Windows 7 Professional, this encoder might not be available in Windows 10. To continue to play DVDs after installing Windows 10, install a new media player app from the Microsoft Store or another trusted source.

Windows Media Center does not work after installing Windows 10. It is removed during the Windows 10 installation and cannot be installed afterwards.

For computers with available storage of 128 GB or less, the installation might require you to provide a USB hard drive (32 GB or larger). HP does not recommend using an SD card.

SD card slots might not work after installing Windows 10. For this reason, HP recommends using only USB or microUSB external storage, not an SD card, as Windows 10 installation media.

Microsoft includes a free voice recorder app in Windows 10 to record your interviews, classes, business meetings, and voice notes. This application might not work as expected on all machines. If recording functionality is missing on your device, check Windows Update for the latest driver.

Face authentication requires specific hardware such as an infrared (IR) camera. If the computer does not have this hardware installed, the option to set up face authentication in the Settings app is not available.

Fingerprint authentication can be set up in the Settings app for computers that have swipe or scan fingerprint readers. If the option to set up the fingerprint reader in the Settings app is not available, you might need to upgrade the security software on your computer. In Windows 10, download and install the latest HP SimplePass or Digital Persona software. If you are using security software from another manufacturer, check with the manufacturer of that software.

The Cortana personal assistant feature uses specific hardware such as a microphone, speakers, GPS, and an Internet connection. The microphone in your computer might need to be configured to work with Cortana and results vary based on the specific microphone. Cortana might not be available in all countries/regions.

After installing Windows 10, Wireless Display (Miracast) might not connect to an external display, or might lose connection. Updated video and wireless drivers are required to enable the functionality. Check Windows Update for the latest drivers and install them when they are available.

Microsoft Refresh and Reset might not correctly restore drivers and customizations specific to your HP system. Only use Go Back to return to the previous operating system. After Go Back is expired, use your recovery media to return to the previous operating system, and then reinstall Windows 10.

Multi-finger Precision Touchpad, a new Windows 10 feature, provides high-precision pointer input and new gesture functionality. Your computer does not support the hardware requirement for Multi-finger Precision Touchpad. This feature requires specific hardware to function in Windows 10. In Windows 10, your touchpad still works correctly.

Computers configured with Intel Broadwell (Intel Core i3-5xxx, Core i5-5xxx, Core i7-5xxx; Pentium 38xx, Celeron 37xx/32xx) or Haswell (Intel Core i3-4xxx, i5-4xxx, i7-4xxx; Pentium 35xx, Celeron 29xx) processors and 32-bit versions of Windows 8.1 are not capable of upgrading to Windows 10 32-bit using the Windows Upgrade tool. To install Windows 10 64-bit, purchase Windows 10 64-bit from Microsoft and perform a clean install of Windows 10 64-bit from the Microsoft download site. In some cases, HP might not provide compatible software and updated drivers for your model.

Some computers with IDT audio controllers might not have full functionality after installing Windows 10. The Windows 10 driver provides audio for the computer, but some features might not work.

On 2-in-1, x360 and convertible notebooks, the continuum feature in Windows 10 might not automatically detect when the computer is in tablet or desktop mode. You can manually switch between modes in the Action Center.

Some computers do not support DirectX 12. You might not be able to use some new features in the XBOX app or use applications that require DirectX 12.

If your computer has an Intel 11th generation processor and a hard drive cannot be found for the Windows installation, see HP PCs - No drives can be found during Windows 11 or Windows 10 installation (Intel 11th Generation processors).