How to Enable Virtualization on Windows 10/11 (Intel & AMD)

To enable virtualization on Windows 10 or Windows 11, boot into your motherboard’s BIOS/UEFI and turn on Intel VT-x / VT-d (Intel CPUs) or SVM Mode (AMD CPUs). Save, reboot, then open Turn Windows features on or off and tick Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform. Confirm it worked in Task Manager > Performance > CPU, where Virtualization should read Enabled.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 14, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Virtualization is controlled in two places: the BIOS/UEFI hardware flag (Intel VT-x or AMD SVM) and the Windows feature (Virtual Machine Platform).
• Every Intel CPU since Core 2 Duo and every AMD CPU since 2006 supports virtualization — if it is missing from the BIOS, check a BIOS update from your motherboard or laptop vendor.
• Open Task Manager > Performance > CPU to confirm Virtualization: Enabled. This is the fastest verification.
• Virtualization has no measurable impact on everyday performance but is required for VMware Workstation, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, Docker, and Windows Subsystem for Android.

Quick Steps

1. Reboot into the BIOS/UEFI (hold Shift while clicking Restart > Troubleshoot > UEFI Firmware Settings, or tap Del / F2 on boot).
2. Enable Intel Virtualization Technology + VT-d (Intel) or SVM Mode (AMD).
3. Press F10 to save and exit.
4. In Windows, open Turn Windows features on or off and enable Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform.
5. Restart and verify in Task Manager > Performance > CPU.

Step 1: Boot Into the BIOS or UEFI

The cleanest way to enter UEFI on Windows 10 and Windows 11 is from inside Windows itself. Hold the Shift key and click Start > Power > Restart. When the blue recovery menu appears, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart. The PC will reboot directly into the firmware.

On legacy BIOS systems and most laptops you can skip Windows entirely: power on the PC and repeatedly tap the key printed in the boot splash — usually Del, F2, F10, or Esc. Dell laptops typically use F2, HP and Lenovo use F10 or Enter-then-F10, and most desktop motherboards (Gigabyte, MSI, ASUS, ASRock) use Del.

Tip: If you do not know your motherboard model, press Windows + R, type msinfo32, and note the BaseBoard Manufacturer and BaseBoard Product values. See my guide on finding your motherboard serial number for more ways to identify the board.

Step 2: Enable Virtualization for Intel or AMD

The setting name depends on the CPU vendor. Intel calls it Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) plus an I/O extension called VT-d. AMD calls it SVM Mode (Secure Virtual Machine). Both flags do the same fundamental job — they expose the CPU’s hardware-assisted virtualization ring to the OS — and both must be Enabled before Hyper-V, VMware, VirtualBox, Docker, or WSA will work.

Intel CPUs (Core i3/i5/i7/i9, Pentium, Celeron)

1. Open the Advanced, BIOS Features, or CPU Configuration menu (the name varies by vendor).
2. Set Intel Virtualization Technology to Enabled.
3. Set VT-d (or Intel VT for Directed I/O) to Enabled.
4. Press F10, confirm, and let the PC reboot.

AMD CPUs (Ryzen, Athlon, FX, EPYC)

1. Open the Advanced Frequency Settings or Advanced CPU Configuration menu.
2. Set SVM Mode to Enabled.
3. Press F10, confirm, and let the PC reboot.

Note: If the virtualization option is missing entirely, the BIOS may be an old build. Updating the BIOS often adds (or restores) the setting. My Gigabyte BIOS update guide walks through the process, and the same workflow applies to ASUS, MSI, and ASRock boards.

Step 3: Enable the Windows Virtualization Features

The BIOS flag only tells the CPU to expose virtualization. Windows itself has to load the hypervisor components to make them available to VMware, Hyper-V, WSA, and Docker Desktop. Press Windows + S, type Turn Windows features on or off, and open it.

1. Tick Virtual Machine Platform.
2. Tick Windows Hypervisor Platform.
3. If you plan to use Hyper-V on Windows 10 Pro / Windows 11 Pro, tick Hyper-V as well.
4. Click OK and restart when prompted.

If you prefer PowerShell, the same two features can be enabled with a single elevated command. This is useful on Windows Server or when scripting a fresh install:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform, HypervisorPlatform -All

Step 4: Verify Virtualization Is Active

Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, click Performance, and select CPU. Look at the Virtualization line on the right — it must read Enabled. If it reads Disabled, the BIOS flag did not take effect, usually because the changes were not saved or the CPU does not report the flag until after a full power cycle (not a reboot).

For a deeper check, open an elevated Command Prompt and run:

systeminfo.exe | findstr /C:"Virtualization Enabled In Firmware" /C:"Hyper-V"

If Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes appears, the CPU flag is live. If the Hyper-V Requirements block says A hypervisor has been detected, Windows is already using the hypervisor — that is normal when Hyper-V or WSL 2 is installed, and systeminfo will stop reporting the individual requirements.

Troubleshooting Common Virtualization Problems

The virtualization option is missing from my BIOS. Update the BIOS to the latest release from your motherboard or laptop vendor — the setting is sometimes hidden or disabled on older builds. On some OEM laptops (Lenovo, Dell, HP) the option is labelled Virtualization, Intel VT, VT-x, Vanderpool, or Secure Virtual Machine.

Task Manager still shows Virtualization: Disabled after rebooting. Shut the PC down fully — not restart — and cold-boot it. Some motherboards only apply the virtualization flag after power is removed. If it is still disabled, go back into the BIOS and confirm the setting persisted (CMOS battery failure can silently reset BIOS values on boards older than 5 years).

VMware Workstation says “VT-x is not available”. This means Hyper-V has hold of the hypervisor. Either uninstall Hyper-V from Windows Features, or run bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off from an elevated Command Prompt and reboot. To use Hyper-V again later, run bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto.

WSA or Docker Desktop fails to start. Both tools require Virtual Machine Platform specifically — not Hyper-V. Confirm the feature is ticked in Turn Windows features on or off, reboot, and re-launch the app.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if virtualization is already enabled?

Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Performance > CPU, and look for Virtualization: Enabled on the right-hand side. If it is already Enabled, no BIOS change is needed — just turn on the Windows features.

Does enabling virtualization slow down my PC?

No. Intel VT-x and AMD SVM are CPU instructions that only run when a hypervisor actively uses them. If you never run a virtual machine, Docker, WSA, or Hyper-V, the flag has no effect on performance, gaming, or battery life.

Why is the virtualization option not showing in my BIOS?

The option is usually hidden under a different name (Vanderpool, SVM, Intel VT, VT-x) or behind a tab like Advanced or CPU Configuration. On older firmware the setting may only appear after a BIOS update — see your motherboard vendor’s support page for the latest build.

Do Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro both support virtualization?

Yes. Both editions support Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform, which is what VMware, VirtualBox, Docker, and WSA need. Only Hyper-V Manager itself is restricted to Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education.

Can I turn virtualization off again?

Yes. Reverse the BIOS flag (set Intel Virtualization Technology or SVM Mode to Disabled), and untick Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform in Turn Windows features on or off. A reboot returns the system to the non-virtualized state.