Don’t know if your computer has TPM? Follow these steps to check if your computer has TPM and check the TPM version in Windows OS.
Recently, Microsoft announced Windows 11. And with that, Microsoft also dropped a shell that the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is now a minimum requirement. If you don’t have TPM or a supported TPM version, you might not be able to install Windows 11. In case you don’t know, TPM is a hardware security feature that available in almost all modern laptops and desktops. That being said, Microsoft may change this strict requirement in the future or remove it altogether. In the meantime, it is better to check if your computer has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and check the TPM version.
There are multiple ways to check the TPM version in Windows. I will show two of the easiest ways find if your computer has TPM and the current TPM version. Follow the one you like.
Check TPM version in Windows
Do one of the following things to check if your computer has TPM and the TPM version.
- Use TPM.msc to check the TPM version
- PowerShell command to check TPM version
Use TPM.msc to check TPM version
Windows has a dedicated TPM console snap-in that tells you whether the TPM is available on your computer. If it is available, it will show you the current TPM version. Here is how to use it.
First, open the Run dialog box with the “Windows key + R” keyboard shortcut. In the run window, type “tpm.msc” and press “Enter.”
As soon as you press the button, the “Trusted Platform Module Management” application should open. If it opens, you have the TPM module. If you see an error message like “Compatible TPM cannot be found,” you don’t have the TPM module.
You will find the TPM version right next to the “Manufacturer version” under the “TPM Manufacturer Version” section. In this case, my TPM version is 3.42.0.5.
PowerShell command to check TPM version
Windows has a dedicated PowerShell command that tells you if there is a Trusted Platform Module and the current TPM version. Here is what that command is and how to use it.
First, we need to open PowerShell with admin rights. To do that, open the Start menu, search “PowerShell,” right-click on the result and select the “Run as administrator” option.
The above action will open PowerShell as admin. In the PowerShell window, type “get-tpm” and press Enter. This will show all details regarding the TPM module on your computer. You can see the current TPM version next to the “Manufacturer Version” heading. In my case, the TPM version is 3.42.0.5.
If your computer doesn’t have a TPM module, you will see an error notification. It will be something like the “Compatible TPM cannot be found.”
Check if TPM is disabled in BIOS/UEFI
Sometimes, the TPM module might be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI itself. If that’s the case, you might see the same kind of error. In that case, I recommend you go through the UEFI settings of your computer and enable it. Unfortunately, each manufacturer has their own way of implementing UEFI. So, you might have to consult the motherboard or laptop manual or go through the manufacturer documentation to know where to find and enable the TPM module.
What is Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
With all this, you might be wondering what is TPM and what is its uses?
In simple terms, TPM is a crypto-processor chip in your computer that provides security-related features. Windows uses the TPM module to check for system integrity and protect the computer with hardware-based encryption. For example, if you sign in to your computer with a Microsoft account, it will automatically use the TMP module to encrypt the disk. The same is true if you turn on BitLocker. It makes sure that there are no unauthorized changes.
The chip is mainly designed to be tamper-resistant. This means malicious programs cannot interfere with the TPM functioning to infect the system or modify it anyway. To know more about TPM, visit this Wikipedia page.
That is all. It is that simple to check if your computer has a TPM module and check the TPM version.
I hope that helps.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
