Without modifications, attempting to boot a Windows 11 ISO on Workstation 15 Pro will result in the infamous error: "This PC can’t run Windows 11." But as you’ll see, there are three reliable workarounds.
: You may be prompted to encrypt the VM. Use a strong password—this protects the vTPM state.
: Ensure VMware Tools is installed. If already installed, reinstall it in interactive mode and select "Complete" installation. vmware workstation 15 pro windows 11
This is the critical step for performance on Workstation 15.
When Microsoft launched Windows 11, it introduced a seismic shift in system requirements: TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module), Secure Boot, and a compatible 64-bit processor with specific instruction sets (like SSE4.2 and PopCnt). For IT professionals, developers, and tech enthusiasts relying on virtualization, this posed an immediate question: Does my current hypervisor support the new OS? Without modifications, attempting to boot a Windows 11
Then reboot your physical machine.
Running on Windows 11 (or running Windows 11 as a guest) requires specific configurations due to the hardware requirements introduced by Microsoft, particularly TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot . While Workstation 15 is an older version, you can still make it work with the right tweaks. Compatibility Overview : Ensure VMware Tools is installed
This is the most compliant method. It fools Windows 11 into thinking it’s running on hardware with TPM 2.0.