Windows 11 for ARM Devices: Compatibility Guide (2025)
August 5, 2025

Windows 11 for ARM Devices: Compatibility Guide (2025)

TL;DR

Windows 11 ARM runs natively on ARM processors like Snapdragon X Elite, offering 20+ hours battery life with improving app compatibility. Best for mobile professionals prioritizing portability over raw x86 performance. Key limitation: Some legacy apps still require emulation.

Thinking of running Windows 11 on an ARM device? This guide gives you a complete breakdown of compatibility, supported hardware, performance expectations, and key limitations whether you’re using a Snapdragon laptop, Surface Pro X, or Mac with Apple Silicon via virtualization.

📋 Table of Contents

What Are ARM Devices?

ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) chips use a different architecture from traditional x86 processors by Intel and AMD. ARM CPUs are designed to be:

  • More power-efficient
  • Fanless and portable
  • Ideal for mobile devices and ultraportable laptops

Research Data: Recent Snapdragon X Elite processors from Qualcomm beat Apple’s M3 chip in performance benchmarks and rank dead even with the Apple M3 Pro, showing ARM performance capabilities are catching up fast.

Common ARM Windows devices:

  • Microsoft Surface Pro X
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X13s
  • HP Elite Folio
  • Samsung Galaxy Book Go
  • New 2025: Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X Elite

Can You Run Windows 11 on ARM?

Yes, but with conditions. Microsoft offers Windows 11 for ARM64, designed to run natively on ARM-based hardware.

Official Requirements for Windows 11 on ARM:

  • ARM64-based processor (Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, SQ1/SQ2, Snapdragon X Elite/Plus)
  • 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended)
  • TPM 2.0 + Secure Boot support
  • UEFI Firmware

⚠️ Limitations:

  • Not all apps are ARM-native
  • 64-bit x86 app emulation requires recent builds
  • Some drivers may not be available (especially for legacy peripherals)

Performance Update: Microsoft has added AVX2 support within its Prism emulation layer, along with AVX, BMI, FMA, and F16C extensions for better x86 app performance.

Device ARM Chip Windows 11 Support Battery Life Performance Notes
Surface Pro 11 Snapdragon X Elite Full Support 20+ hours Best overall ARM experience
Surface Pro X (SQ1/SQ2) Microsoft SQ1/SQ2 Full Support 13–15 hours Best native support experience
Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Full Support 20+ hours Excellent battery life
Mac (M1/M2/M3) via Parallels Apple Silicon Virtualized Only N/A Works well with Parallels 18+
HP Elite Folio Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 Partial Support 15–18 hours Needs updated drivers
Samsung Galaxy Book Go Snapdragon 7c Basic Support 12–14 hours Lower performance tier

Benchmark Data: Snapdragon X Elite hits single-core result of 2,574 and multi-core score of 12,562 in Geekbench 6, competing directly with Apple’s M3 series.

Performance & App Compatibility

Native ARM Apps (Best Performance):

  • Microsoft Office Suite (ARM64 optimized)
  • Microsoft Edge Browser
  • Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Lightroom ARM versions)
  • Zoom, Spotify, VLC Media Player, Adobe Reader
  • Development Tools: Visual Studio Code, .NET 6+, Python 3.9+
  • New ARM Apps: Chrome, Firefox, Slack (ARM64 versions available)

Emulated x86/x64 Apps:

  • Most 32-bit x86 apps run well (90%+ compatibility)
  • 64-bit x64 emulation improving rapidly
  • Performance Impact: 15-25% slower than native ARM apps
  • Memory Usage: 10-15% higher due to translation layer

❌ Not Compatible:

  • Legacy x86 drivers (pre-2018)
  • Apps with kernel-level access (some VPNs, older antivirus tools)
  • Games: DirectX 12 titles with anti-cheat software
  • Professional Software: Some CAD applications, older Adobe plugins

Study Reference: Windows 11 24H2 has boosted the Windows on ARM platform performance for both new and legacy ARM devices.

Virtualization on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)

If you’re using a MacBook or Mac mini with Apple Silicon, Windows 11 for ARM works via Parallels Desktop.

  • Parallels Desktop 19 or later
  • Windows 11 ARM ISO from Microsoft (Download Link)
  • 16 GB RAM (32 GB preferred for development)
  • 100 GB+ storage allocation

Performance Metrics:

  • Office Tasks: 95% native Mac performance
  • Development: VS Code, Node.js run smoothly
  • Light Gaming: Casual games work well
  • Limitations: Some Windows apps may fail under double emulation

Performance is solid for Office, dev tools, and light gaming, but some Windows apps may fail under emulation.

Developer Mode & WSL Support

Windows 11 ARM supports WSL 2, allowing developers to run Linux distros like Ubuntu. You can also:

  • Install Android apps via the Amazon Appstore (available in US, select regions)
  • Use Visual Studio 2022 with full ARM64 compilation support
  • Container Support: Docker Desktop with ARM64 containers
  • Cloud Development: Azure DevOps, GitHub Codespaces integration

Development Performance Benchmarks:

  • Node.js builds: 40% faster than x86 emulation
  • Python compilation: Native ARM performance
  • VS Code startup: 3x faster than emulated versions

Enterprise & Security Features

Windows 11 ARM Enterprise Capabilities:

  • BitLocker encryption with TPM 2.0 support
  • Windows Hello biometric authentication
  • Azure AD integration for enterprise environments
  • Microsoft Defender ARM-optimized protection

Network & Connectivity:

  • 5G/LTE support on compatible devices
  • Wi-Fi 6E/7 support across most ARM laptops
  • Bluetooth 5.3 with improved audio codecs

Geographic Availability & Regional Considerations

Global Availability:

  • Full Support: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia
  • Limited Support: European Union (driver availability varies)
  • Emerging Markets: India, Brazil (OEM-dependent support)

Regional Performance Notes:

  • 5G Connectivity: Varies by carrier and region
  • Microsoft Store: Android app support limited to select countries
  • Language Support: 40+ languages with ARM-optimized input methods

Troubleshooting & Optimization Guide

Common Issues & Solutions:

  1. App Compatibility Problems:
  2. Performance Optimization:
    • Disable unnecessary startup programs
    • Use ARM-native apps when available
    • Keep drivers updated via Windows Update
  3. Battery Life Optimization:
    • Enable Battery Saver mode
    • Use Microsoft Edge for better power efficiency
    • Configure display brightness adaptively

Performance Monitoring Tools:

  • Task Manager: Shows ARM vs x86 emulated processes
  • Resource Monitor: Memory usage tracking
  • PowerShell: Get-Process cmdlet with architecture info

FAQs

Is Windows 11 ARM better than x86?

For mobility: Yes – 2x better battery life, fanless design, instant wake For performance: x86 still leads in raw computing power and compatibility For developers: ARM is viable with improving toolchain support

Can I install Windows 11 ARM on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes, but expect limited performance. Use community-supported builds only. Not recommended for production use.

Is Windows 11 ARM good for gaming?

Casual gaming: Works well (Minecraft, indie games) AAA gaming: Limited – most require x86 emulation Game streaming: Excellent for Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now

What’s the performance difference between ARM and x86?

  • Native tasks: ARM matches or exceeds x86 efficiency
  • Emulated apps: 15-25% performance penalty
  • Battery life: ARM provides 2-3x longer usage

Enterprise deployment considerations?

  • Management: Full Microsoft Intune support
  • Applications: Audit existing software for ARM compatibility
  • Migration: Phased rollout recommended for testing

Latest Research & Development

Performance Studies (2025): Recent Geekbench 6 testing shows Snapdragon X Elite performed well in single and multi-core benchmark tests, with Qualcomm’s silicon competing closely with Apple M3 chip.

Microsoft’s Official Benchmarks: Microsoft’s recent benchmarks claim that Windows 11 delivers up to 2.3 times faster performance and better battery life compared to Windows 10 on ARM devices.

Industry Analysis: Technology analysis shows that new Snapdragon X Elite ARM processors beat Apple’s M3 chip in performance benchmarks and rank dead even with the Apple M3 Pro, indicating the landscape of portable PCs is changing as Windows on ARM becomes faster than Apple.

Final Thoughts

Windows 11 for ARM has come a long way. It’s now a viable option for developers, students, and mobile professionals who prioritize battery life, portability, and efficiency. While app compatibility isn’t perfect, it’s improving rapidly.

2025 Outlook: With Snapdragon X Elite processors and Microsoft’s continued ARM investment, Windows ARM devices are becoming legitimate alternatives to traditional x86 laptops for most users.

Google AI Overview Quick Answers

Can Windows 11 run on ARM processors? Yes, Windows 11 supports ARM64 devices like Snapdragon laptops, offering 20+ hour battery life with native app support and x86 emulation for legacy software.

What’s the battery life of Windows 11 ARM devices? ARM devices typically deliver 15-20+ hours of battery life, significantly better than traditional x86 laptops due to power-efficient ARM architecture.

Do all Windows apps work on ARM? Native ARM apps work best. Most 32-bit x86 apps run well through emulation. Some 64-bit apps and kernel-level software (VPNs, antivirus) may have compatibility issues.

Is Windows 11 ARM good for gaming? Light gaming works fine, but serious gamers should stick to x86. Game streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming work excellently on ARM devices.

Which ARM Windows laptops are best in 2025? Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X Elite offers the best overall experience, followed by Lenovo ThinkPad X13s for enterprise users.

Pro Tip: Always check for driver availability and latest Windows updates for optimal performance. Turn on Developer Mode for advanced ARM app testing.

Author: Gbenga, Editor @ TechevangelistSEO
Published: April 2025
Reviewed by: ARM Systems Engineer
Last Updated: August 2025

References & Research Sources

Academic & Industry Studies:

  1. Microsoft Official Documentation – Windows on ARM Overview – Microsoft Learn Platform
  2. Performance Benchmarking Study – NotebookCheck ARM Performance Analysis – January 2025
  3. Qualcomm Technical Specifications – Snapdragon X Series Documentation – Qualcomm Developer Network

Benchmark & Performance Data:

  1. Tom’s Hardware Benchmark Study – Snapdragon X Elite Performance Analysis – May 2024
  2. Windows Central Comprehensive Testing – ARM vs Apple Silicon Comparison – April 2024
  3. TechRadar Performance Analysis – Snapdragon X Elite vs M3 Benchmarks – February 2024

Application Compatibility Research:

  1. Windows Central App Database – Native ARM Applications List – Updated May 2025
  2. Microsoft Technical Community – App Compatibility Guidelines – Microsoft Developer Forum

Hardware Compatibility Studies:

  1. Windows Central Hardware Reviews – Best Windows ARM Laptops 2025 – March 2025
  2. Jeff Geerling Technical Analysis – Snapdragon Dev Kit Testing – Professional Developer Testing

Performance Optimization Research:

Neowin Performance Study – Windows 11 vs 10 ARM Benchmarks – June 2025

Microsoft Performance Updates – ARM Performance Improvements – November 2024

Pro Tip: Always check for driver availability and latest Windows updates for optimal performance.

Author: Gbenga, Editor @ TechevangelistSEO
Published: April 2025
Reviewed by: ARM Systems Engineer