Windows 11 24H2: SSE4.2 Required, BitLocker Default

Windows 11 24H2 requires SSE4.2 and encrypts disks by default

With the 24H2 update now rolling out, Windows 11’s annual release maintains its standard requirements—TPM 2.0, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, UEFI with Secure Boot, and DirectX 12-compatible graphics—but adds a new mandate that excludes older hardware: processors must support SSE4.2 instructions. Clean installations also bring two surprises not mentioned in press notes: the system partition is encrypted with BitLocker if you sign in with a Microsoft account, and the installer continues to insist on placing the boot loader on the first EFI partition it finds, even if it isn’t on the target drive.

What actually changes in 24H2

The official changelog isn’t revolutionary. Users performing a fresh install encounter the same experience as before, plus minor additions like native .7z decompression and mouse gestures in Edge. The Copilot icon appears on the taskbar but opens a blank window; Recall remains absent in local-account setups. The consensus is that 24H2 is still Windows 11 with its strengths and flaws, and the taskbar and Start menu remain worse than their Windows 10 counterparts.

The detail that truly impacts user experience is encryption. When installing with a Microsoft account, the system partition is encrypted by default, and the recovery key is saved to that account. For offline accounts, the disk remains unencrypted. This distinction isn’t cosmetic: it determines what happens if users lose access to their account or change their motherboard.

Installer and EFI partitions: the undocumented issue

Clean installs still have pitfalls. The Windows installer tends to write the boot loader to the first detected EFI partition, not necessarily the one on the drive being installed. On multi-disk systems with multiple OSes, this forces workarounds: booting a Linux live USB, temporarily changing the main disk’s partition type, and retrying. The error message near the end of installation offers no explanation, and the issue is attributed to specific machine configurations rather than a general ISO flaw.

Some note that Microsoft publishes keys to bypass requirement checks, suggesting the goal is less about securing existing hardware and more about driving upgrades. The prevailing view is that security improves with TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and virtualization enabled, yet many users disable virtualization in BIOS because it reduces gaming performance. Without it, the system loses part of the protection justifying the upgrade.

Is upgrading from Windows 10 worth it?

The answer depends on your processor. With modern chips and 32 GB RAM, the experience is stable, and performance barely lags behind Windows 10, which remains slightly snappier due to its age. The problem lies with devices that run Windows 10 well but don’t meet requirements: without TPM 2.0 or UEFI, options are forcing installation or migrating to Linux. Windows 10’s end-of-support deadline forces decisions, and Windows 11’s market share among OS users already exceeds 34%, according to Statcounter data cited in early 2025.

Security debates have their own chapter. Some argue Linux dominates financial servers, proving superiority, but comparing a server that doesn’t open PDFs or install games to a home desktop mixes scenarios. Real security for a well-configured Windows 11 depends on virtualization, Secure Boot, and not disabling antiestéticatures enabled by default.

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The unsettling fact isn’t performance or interface: it’s that 24H2 encrypts the disk without asking when users sign in with a Microsoft account, leaving the key in that account’s hands. Those unaware will discover this only when they change their motherboard.