Microsoft stirred up a lot of confusion with theTrusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 requirementfor Windows 11. TPM is usually a dedicated chip on a motherboard that provides hardware encryption for features like Windows Hello and BitLocker. Most motherboards you can buy don’t come with a dedicated chip, but they do come with firmware that can look and act like TPM in Windows.
Now, major motherboard companies have finally come out with guidance on which boards come with the feature.
Asus, ASRock, Biostar, Gigabyte, and MSI are among the first motherboard makers to round up all of the chipsets that support TPM. Instead of a dedicated module, theTPM firmwareuses power from the CPU for processing. This is enabled by Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT), which is available on most consumer motherboards. It offers the same capabilities of a discrete TPM, just without a dedicated module.
Although all of the chipsets below support firmware TPM, that doesn’t mean they all support Windows 11. CPU support only goes back to AMD Ryzen 2000 and Intel 8th-gen. Make sure to consult the list ofsupported AMD processorsandsupported Intel processorsbefore upgrading.
After enabling TPM and running thePC Health Check appto make sure your machine is up to snuff, you candownload Windows 11and check out the new operating system.
Asus includes support for firmware TPM on the most recent AMD chipsets and Intel chipsets dating back several years.
To activate it on Intel motherboards, head to the BIOS, go to theAdvancedtab, selectAdvancedPCH-FW Configurationand changePTTtoEnable.
AMD motherboards follow the same process but with different names. Look forAdvancedAMD fTPM Configurationin theAdvancedtab, and switch theTPM Device Selectionsetting toFirmware TPM.
ASRock supports firmware TPMon most Intel and AMD motherboards, but it’s important to check if you have a compatible processor. Although firmware TPM may work on Intel 100-series chipsets, for example, that doesn’t mean your CPU will work with Windows 11.
On Intel boards, go to the BIOS and select theSecuritytab to enable TPM. Find theIntel Platform Trust Technologysetting in this section and change it toEnabled.
If you have an AMD board, go to theAdvancedtab and find theAMD fTPM Switchsetting. Change this setting toAMD CPU fTPM.
Biostar supports firmware TPMon a few Intel and AMD chipsets. The company hasn’t provided any guidance on how to enable TPM in the BIOS, but the process should be similar to the brands above. Look for aSecurityorAdvancedtab, where you should find a setting for TPM or Intel PTT.
Outside of a single new AMD motherboard — which supports TPM 2.0 — EVGA only sells Intel boards. Once again, these are the chipsets that support TPM 2.0, not the ones that support Windows 11. The steep CPU requirements on Windows 11 mean that some of the below chipsets won’t work on the OS.
Toenable TPM 2.0, enter the BIOS, selectSetup,go toAdvanced,and find theTrusted Computingoption. There, selectIntel PTT Support,save your changes, and reboot your machine.
Gigabyte motherboardswith the latest AMD and Intel chipsets support firmware TPM. As with Biostar, Gigabyte hasn’t provided any guidance on enabling the feature, but you will likely find it in theSettingsmenu with a reference to TPM or Intel PTT.
MSI supports firmware TPM on the last several AMD and Intel chipsets. Similar to ASRock, the list below compromises chipsets that support TPM 2.0, not chipsets that support Windows 11. Make sure to check your processor against the list of officially supported ones.
To enable TPM on Intel boards, go to the BIOS and select theSettingsmenu. Then, followSecurity > Trusted Computingand change theTPM Device Selectionsetting toPTT.
For AMD, go to the BIOS and select theSecuritytab, then turn onSecurity Device Supportand selectAMD fTPM Switch.
