Intel’s i5-7500 processor is not compatible with Windows 11. The processor is not supported by Microsoft for upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. The i5-7500 processor based computers would fit in to other compatibility check conditions of Windows 11.
However, the problem seems to be the fact that this is a seventh generation processor of Intel. And, Microsoft’s Windows 11 does not support seventh generation of Intel processors. Obviously, seventh generation Intel processors that are a part of the Microsoft Surface series laptops are fully supported.
If you are running Windows 10 on Intel i5-7500 based system, here are a few quick updates as of September 2025 about the situation:
- At the end of August 2025, 45 percent of all Windows desktops continue to run on Windows 10. These systems will sunset into the end of life status in less than 8 weeks from now.
- A Californian man has sued Microsoft for retiring Windows 10 in October 2025. You can read about the lawsuit here. The Court is yet to hear and pass an order on this lawsuit. We will keep you posted.
- Nearly 250 million Windows 10 computers will become end of life in October 2025. WIthout access to security updates, these computers are highly likely to be exploited by threat actors in launching cyberattacks.
What are the specifications of the Intel i5-7500 processors?
Launched for the first time in Q1 of 2017, Intel’s i5-7500 ticks most boxes in terms of processor capabilities and configuration. It has the following configuration:
- 4 cores
- 3.8 GHz clock speed
- processor based frequency of 3.4 GHz
- 6 MB internal cache
You would see that the processor configuration does not raise any red flags in terms of readiness to run Windows 11 operation system.
Can I install Windows 11 on Intel i5-7500 system?
Yes, you can still install Windows 11 on a system that is based on the Intel i5-7500 system. Microsoft has allowed clean installation of Windows 11 on such unsupported systems.
However, systems based on Intel i5-7500 based processors cannot be upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 using the normal and organic path of Windows Update on the control panel.
Will I get support from Microsoft if I install Windows 11 on an Intel i5-7500 based computer?
If you choose to install Windows 11 on Intel i5-7500, such a Windows 11 install will not be supported by Microsoft. What this means is that you will not have access to:
- feature updates of Windows 11 operating system through the Windows Update program
- quality updates of Windows 11 through the Windows Update program
- security updates of Windows 11 through the Windows Update program (as of writing this)
In other words, an Intel i5-7500 based computer that works on Windows 11 will not have access to any updates through the Windows Update program.
If you use an Intel i5-7500 based computer for business, we strongly suggest to avoid installing Windows 11 on such a system. It is not worth your time and energy to handle an operating system that is installed on an unsupported processor combination.
Windows 11 options for Intel i5-7500 based computers
Practically speaking, you have 3 options for Windows 11 on an Intel i5-7500 based system.
- Do a fresh install and live with a system that won’t get system updates from Microsoft through the Windows update program
- Buy a new system that comes with pre-loaded Windows 11 operating system. PC manufacturers like HP, Dell, Acer and ASUS have already released systems with pre-loaded Windows 11 operating systems.
- Buy the Extended Security Updates for Windows 10. The ESU program for retail computers is $30 a year. For the business computers, ESU for Windows 10 will cost $61.
These three options are for people who wish to work on a computer based on Windows 11 operating system
Can I continue with Windows 10 on Intel i5-7500 computer?
Yes, you can continue to run on Windows 10 based Intel i5-7500 computer. Windows 10 will become end of life in October 2025. This means that all Windows 10 based computers will be supported by Microsoft.
After October 2025, you can enroll in the ESU or Extended Security Update program for Windows 10. Pricing for ESU program for Windows 10 details are available on this page.
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