SMART automatically validates whether a device is eligible for Windows 11 licensing under Microsoft’s refurbishment requirements.
This means refurbishers do not need to manually review processor lists, TPM requirements, or other Windows 11 hardware requirements before licensing a device.
How SMART Checks Compatibility
During the licensing process, SMART validates the device against Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements.
This includes checks such as:
- Processor compatibility
- OS Version
- TPM support
- Secure Boot capability
- Other Microsoft-defined Windows 11 requirements
These checks help ensure that Windows 11 licences are only applied to supported hardware.
Why Does SMART Block Unsupported Devices?
Microsoft requires refurbishers to license only devices that meet the supported Windows 11 hardware requirements.
As part of our obligations under the Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) programme, SMART must enforce these requirements and cannot provide bypasses or exceptions for unsupported hardware.
By preventing Windows 11 licensing on unsupported devices, SMART helps refurbishers avoid:
- Licensing compliance issues
- Customer dissatisfaction
- Unsupported Windows installations
- Potential update and support limitations
Unsupported Processor Messages
If SMART reports that a processor is unsupported, it means one of the following:
- The processor does not meet Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements.
- The processor has not yet been added to SMART’s compatibility database.
New processor models are released regularly, and occasionally a supported processor may not yet be recognised by SMART.
CPU Requirements
For Intel Core processors, support generally begins with selected 8th-generation models, but eligibility depends on the exact processor model appearing on Microsoft’s official supported processor list.
Windows 11 can sometimes be installed on unsupported hardware using bypass methods. Successfully installing Windows does not make the device eligible for MAR licensing.
SMART cannot inject a Windows 11 licence into hardware that Microsoft does not officially support.
Check the exact processor against Microsoft’s supported processor list.
What If I Believe the Processor Is Supported?
If you believe a processor should be compatible with Windows 11:
- Make a note of the processor model.
- Contact SMART Support.
- Provide the processor details and, where possible, a screenshot of the message shown by SMART.
Our team will review the processor against Microsoft’s official Windows 11 compatibility requirements.
If the processor is officially supported by Microsoft, we will add it to SMART’s compatibility database.
Can SMART Enable Unsupported Processors?
No.
SMART cannot enable or whitelist processors that are not officially supported by Microsoft for Windows 11.
Doing so would violate Microsoft’s refurbishment programme requirements and would place both SMART and the refurbisher outside the programme’s compliance framework.
There is no override, bypass, or exception process available for unsupported processors.
Summary
SMART automatically validates Windows 11 compatibility during the licensing process.
If a processor is officially supported by Microsoft but has not yet been added to SMART, our team can review and update the compatibility database.
If a processor is not supported by Microsoft, SMART cannot enable Windows 11 licensing for that device.