How to Find and Install TPM 2.0 Module on Windows PC

Microsoft recently released Windows 11 to the world that packs in some captivating and innovative features. The stable version of Windows 11 would drop anytime in the late fall, but it presents a collection of pre-requisites that must be met to avail a free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

For Windows 11, the key requirement is that a TPM 2.0 chip must be installed. Another prime requirement is the Secure Boot must be enabled. Many existing users of Windows users wondered about what it means by TPM 2.0. Other related questions they have are –is a TPM 2.0 chip needed? Is a TPM module needed for Windows 11? How I can install TPM 2.0 on Windows? You will get answers to all these questions from the below sections:

What Is TPM 2.0?

TPM is the abbreviation of Trusted Platform Module. Essentially, it is a hardware module useful for secure boot and testing system integrity. Moreover, Windows OS also utilizes it for disk encryption and file encryption alongside BitLocker.

It was launched in 2019 and is known to be the recent version and upgrade of TPM 1.2 (it was released in 2011). Most of the cutting-edge and business-class PCs or laptops that are launched after 2016 come with TPM 2.0 pre-installed. If you are uncertain about the TPM version, then the following section lets you easily check that in Windows 10 and Windows 7.

How to check TPM Status and Version:

Follow the below steps:

To verify if you own a TPM module or not you need to press Win+R to activate the Run prompt. Now you have to type ‘tpm.msc’ and hit Enter.
Now on the TPM management page, your TPM status will be shown. For example, in my case, that status is “The TPM is ready for use“. At the bottom, under the TPM Manufacturer Information, the TPM version is mentioned.
If the status of your TPM module is turned off, it is mandatory to enable it from your UEFI firmware settings menu.

Keep in mind that the options for the menu are different for each laptop based on the manufacturer. Typically, you can search the TPM option from the Security or Advanced Settings. Moreover, the TPM module is named dPTT for Intel processors and is fTPM for AMD processors.

How to check TPM Header support in my motherboard?

If your PC does not include a TPM chip, there is no need to worry. The majority of motherboards contain a PM header and it is possible to manually install a TPM module. But if you are uncertain about that then you can check that on the website of the motherboard manufacturer. All you need to do is search the motherboard model number on Google and find out the technical specifications on the website of the manufacturer.

For example, let’s test this for the ROG Strix-B450F motherboard. From the Asus website, when you find out under the technical specifications, the TPM header is shown under I/O ports. It implies that the Asus B450F motherboard comes with an option for TPM module installation.

If you cannot get the info on the website of the manufacturer then you can manually check that on your motherboard. Usually, it is near the COM ports or the RGB header. In our example i.e. in the ROG Strix B450F, you will find the TPM header next to the COM port.

How to Install TPM 2.0 Module?

If your PC contains a TPM header, it is easy to obtain a TPM 2.0 module for the motherboard. Doing this makes your Windows 11 PC compatible if you meet other requirements. But searching for the correct TPM 2.0 module is challenging. You must obtain the precise pin layout and pin number of the TPM header of your motherboard.

To better understand this, let’s take the example of the B450F motherboard. The manual mentions that it contains a 14-1 PIN header with a corresponding PIN layout. Therefore, I need to purchase a 14-1 PIN TPM 2.0 module.

It is necessary to make sure that the TPM module you purchase contains an identical PIN layout like that of your TPM header. Significantly, it comes with an identical PIN lockout. Now in my case, the TPM module should have a lockout PIN located in the 5th row.

It is recommended to buy a TPM module from that company which is the same as that of your motherboard manufacturer. Furthermore, due to the high demand, certainly, the prices of the TPM module are quite high. It is difficult to get them on Amazon, Walmart, or BestBuy.

Here are the TPM modules I got from Amazon, with affordable pricing:

Check on Amazon

If you are uncertain, it is recommended to contact customer support of your motherboard manufacturer. The team will advise you to choose the correct TPM module.

Install your TPM module on the motherboard, after you buy it. Also, you have to enable the TPM module available in the UEFI firmware menu. The majority of the TPM modules work readily, if compatible, without requiring any installation. But they do require a system restart.

Final Words: Install TPM 2.0 on Windows PC:

As discussed, most computers must already come with TPM 2.0 installed on the corresponding motherboard. By default, it is turned off, for plenty of users. If your Windows computer contains a TPM chip, you can easily enable it. Either you can install it manually or hand over your computer to a repair shop. This process does not take much time. All you require is a compatible motherboard.

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