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Windows 7: System Requirements

Before you begin

Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor for a more detailed understanding of whether your PC can run Windows 7.

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If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:

  • 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

  • 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)

  • 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

  • DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Additional requirements to use certain features:

  • Internet access (fees may apply)

  • Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware

  • For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required

  • Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware

  • HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7

  • DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive

  • BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2

  • BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive

  • Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on

  • Music and sound require audio output

Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware.

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