The big picture: One of the main reasons for the relatively low adoption rate of Windows 11 is its stringent hardware requirements, which prevent even some newer PCs from being updated to the new OS. Additionally, Microsoft has also made TPM 2.0 mandatory for Windows 11, further reducing the number of devices that can install the new operating system.

While enterprising users have discovered unofficial ways to bypass these hardware requirements and install Windows 11 on unsupported machines, some have now found a straightforward method to circumvent the restrictions without resorting to complex tricks or third-party utilities. As noted by Twitter user Bob Pony, simply adding the "/product server" switch to setup.exe in the Windows 11 setup directory allows users to bypass the restrictions and install Windows 11 on virtually any PC.

It's worth noting that this method was originally detailed by another Windows 11 user who posted in a Vietnamese forum about his discovery more than a year ago. However, it flew under the radar until recently when Twitter user Tomy Kwong pointed out the original post. In any case, reports suggest that the "/product server" trick works on the latest Canary build of Windows 11, but it remains to be seen if Microsoft will close this loophole in the future.

Individuals interested in installing Windows 11 on unsupported PCs should be aware that the OS runs well on most devices compatible with Windows 10. However, certain minor features requiring newer hardware and TPM 2.0 may not function on these devices. Nevertheless, this new method should facilitate the upgrade to Windows 11 from older Windows versions, allowing users to take advantage of the new features and enhanced security provided by Microsoft's latest OS.

Windows 11 has generally received positive feedback from users worldwide. Still, it faces a few persistent issues that have prevented it from achieving unmitigated success. Two years after its release, the OS still lags behind Windows 10 in terms of overall market share. According to Statcounter, Microsoft's latest desktop operating system is installed on 23 percent of all PCs globally, while Windows 10 is running on 71 percent of all Windows computers.

Although this new method should encourage more people to upgrade to the latest operating system, it is unlikely to supplant Windows 10 as the dominant Windows OS anytime soon.