Your PC might not support Windows 11, but the OnePlus 6T (sort of) does
TL; DR
- Windows 11 has been unofficially ported to the OnePlus 6T and several other Snapdragon 845 phones.
- It’s not perfect yet as some aspects like audio and Wi-Fi are not currently working.
- The news comes after a hacker ported Windows 11 to Microsoft’s latest flagship Windows Phone.
Microsoft released a preview for Windows 11 last week that consumers can use to test out the new update. But we also saw the platform ported to the 2015-era Lumia 950 XL Windows Phone. Now we’ve seen Windows 11 ported to Android flagships from 2018.
The port was done by a group called the Renegade Project, which are dedicated to porting Windows, Linux, and Arm-based versions of other operating systems to Snapdragon 845 phones. More specifically, one of the members posted a video showing how to install Windows 11 and eventually run on the OnePlus 6T. Check it out below.
The video description indicates that the CPU, touchscreen, USB and Bluetooth functions are working. But Wi-Fi, non-Bluetooth audio, cellular connectivity, and other sensors aren’t running yet. It also appears that GPU support is currently only partially implemented due to the lack of a working GPU driver.
Renegade Project member Richard Gráčik also confirmed opposite Android authority that the company has succeeded in porting Windows 11 to the OnePlus 6 and “some other telephones” with the Snapdragon 845. The project lists several supported phones like the Xiaomi Mi 8, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, Poco F1 and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. However, it is unclear whether they also specifically support Windows 11 or support other arm-based platforms in general as part of the overall project.
More computer coverage: Apple Macbook Air M1 in the test – Apple’s silicone for Apple’s laptop
Nor is this the first time Windows on Arm has run on Snapdragon 845 phones, as the project previously ported Windows 10 on Arm to Snapdragon 845 devices. The group even keeps a list of PC games they’ve tested, and Crysis actually appears to be working (albeit in slow motion).
In any case, Windows 11 should provide a smoother experience on Snapdragon 845 devices than on the Snapdragon 810-toting Lumia 950 XL. But we also hope that at some point the update will be ported to the Snapdragon 865 series and Snapdragon 888 phones.
