Windows 11: Pluton will no longer act as the TPM on new AMD and Qualcomm PCs

Microsoft has changed which component acts as the TPM, the module that stores a computer's cryptographic keys, on new PCs with AMD and Qualcomm processors. As the Polish tech site Antyweb reported on 28 October 2026, citing Microsoft's documentation, Pluton is no longer the "TPM guardian" on these platforms.

What is changing

The information appeared in Microsoft's documentation on 16 September 2026 but was initially overlooked. The document describes AMD and Qualcomm platforms on which Pluton will no longer be responsible for the TPM. Intel is mentioned in connection with alternative solutions.

According to Antyweb, Microsoft has not given a reason for the change. It is also unclear which specific processors are affected.

Windows 11 still requires TPM 2.0

The requirement for TPM version 2.0 to install Windows 11 is unchanged. What changes is who supplies that component. The TPM protects security keys, data and user credentials, and checks the integrity of the operating system as it starts. It is used by, among other things, BitLocker drive encryption and Windows Hello.

A TPM can be a separate chip on the motherboard, an element integrated into the platform, or a firmware-based solution (fTPM) running in a trusted execution environment inside the processor. Individual implementations have different properties, so simply having a TPM does not tell you how resistant a computer is to attack.

Who supplies the fixes

Pluton was meant to simplify security updates, because its firmware was updated through Windows Update. Microsoft presented it in 2020 as a solution that moves protection into the processor. Such a design was also meant to make it harder to eavesdrop on communication between the processor and a separate TPM module, provided an attacker has physical access to the computer.

On the new platforms, fixes for the fTPM will be supplied by the processor maker. They may reach users, for example, as part of BIOS or UEFI updates. They may also arrive through Windows Update, but they do not have to. Antyweb points out that what matters is whether a fix reaches the user at all.

The author recalls that in 2026 AMD described two vulnerabilities in its reference TPM 2.0 code. Fixing them required installing new firmware, so users looked for BIOS updates from laptop and motherboard makers. In the author's view, the change may lower the level of protection, but it does not have to.

Owners of AMD and Qualcomm computers from 2025 or earlier, in which Pluton acts as the TPM, still have full support.

What this means for you

The change mainly affects people buying new laptops and computers with AMD or Qualcomm processors. The requirements for installing Windows 11 stay the same, and hardware from 2025 or earlier with Pluton is still supported. When buying a new computer, however, it is worth checking how the manufacturer delivers BIOS and firmware updates, and installing them regularly.