Windows Memory integrity can reduce performance on some PCs, but there is no single slowdown figure that applies to everyone. The effect depends mainly on your processor’s virtualization capabilities, what you are doing on the computer, and whether a driver or application is incompatible. Newer processors generally handle the feature better; older processors that must emulate required functions can take a larger hit.
Before switching it off, separate a genuine performance change from a driver problem or ordinary Windows sluggishness. Memory integrity is a security control, so disabling it trades protection for compatibility or performance.
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What Memory integrity is and why Windows uses it
Memory integrity is Microsoft’s name in Windows Security for Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). It uses hardware virtualization to create an isolated environment where Windows performs kernel-mode code-integrity checks. The separation makes it harder for malicious software to abuse a low-level driver and take control of the operating system.
The feature also restricts certain kernel-memory allocations that attackers could otherwise use. Hardware virtualization must be enabled in your computer’s UEFI or BIOS for Memory integrity to operate. On a clean installation of Windows 11, Microsoft enables it by default when the hardware is compatible. The feature is also available in Windows 10, although the exact settings and availability vary by Windows version and hardware.
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Because the checks run in an isolated virtual environment, Windows has additional work to do when loading and running kernel-level code. That overhead is why Microsoft distinguishes between processors with built-in support for the relevant virtualization controls and older processors that emulate them.
Why the processor generation matters
Microsoft identifies two important hardware paths:
| Processor capability | Microsoft’s guidance | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Intel Kaby Lake and later with Mode-Based Execution Control (MBEC) | Memory integrity works better with the processor’s native capability. | The feature is generally less costly than on a processor that has to emulate the function. |
| AMD Zen 2 and later with Guest Mode Execute Trap (GMET) | These processors provide the corresponding hardware capability. | Native support can reduce the overhead associated with HVCI. |
| Older processors without the required capability | Windows relies on an emulation called Restricted User Mode, which Microsoft says has a bigger performance impact. | Older systems are the most plausible place to notice slower responses after enabling Memory integrity. |
These are capability boundaries, not promises about a particular frame rate or percentage. Two computers with processors from the same broad era can still behave differently because of their drivers, storage, memory pressure, background software and workload. Microsoft’s published guidance does not provide a universal slowdown percentage or a general benchmark that can be applied to every PC.
What you may notice in different workloads
The setting does not impose a guaranteed, constant reduction in speed. A workload that spends little time in kernel-mode operations may feel unchanged, while a system that repeatedly exercises drivers or other low-level components can expose more overhead. Use your own before-and-after experience rather than an internet-wide percentage.
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| Situation | What the official evidence establishes | How to evaluate it |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing, documents and ordinary desktop use | No Microsoft figure or universal ranking is stated. | Watch for slower app launches, delayed window response or longer wake times after a restart, then compare with the setting changed under otherwise similar conditions. |
| Gaming | Microsoft cites compatibility examples involving some anti-cheat solutions, but supplies no general gaming benchmark or typical FPS reduction. | Check whether a game or its anti-cheat component fails to start, and compare the same title and settings before deciding that performance justifies a security trade-off. |
| Hardware that depends on a kernel driver | Some drivers and applications can be incompatible; malfunction and, rarely, a boot failure are possible. | Treat an explicit driver warning or a device that stops working as a compatibility issue first, not proof of a frame-rate or CPU-speed problem. |
| Older CPU using Restricted User Mode emulation | Microsoft says the emulation path has a bigger performance impact. | If the computer is older and the slowdown began when Memory integrity was enabled, test the setting after checking other causes. |
Slow performance is not automatically Memory integrity
A computer that feels generally sluggish can have several simultaneous causes. Microsoft’s Windows performance guidance calls out limited free storage, too many startup applications, outdated software and hardware that no longer meets current demands. Malware and pending updates can also change responsiveness. Investigate those factors before attributing every delay to a security setting.
A practical diagnostic sequence
- Record when the problem began. Note whether the change followed a Windows update, a driver installation, a new application or the moment Memory integrity was enabled. A clear timeline helps distinguish correlation from coincidence.
- Check Windows and device updates. Install available Windows updates, then look for current drivers from Windows Update or the hardware maker. An old driver can create both performance problems and HVCI compatibility errors.
- Review free storage. If the system drive is nearly full, free space before judging the security feature. Low storage can make updates, paging and application launches slower.
- Reduce startup load. In Windows’ startup-app controls, disable programs you do not need to launch with every sign-in. Restart and compare the same tasks.
- Check for malware. Run Windows’ available security scan. Malicious software can consume resources or interfere with drivers, producing symptoms that look like HVCI overhead.
- Test a repeatable task. Use the same application, project or game, with the same settings, after a clean restart. Avoid changing several variables at once.
- Only then test Memory integrity. If the system is otherwise current and the timing points to HVCI, temporarily change the setting, restart as required, and repeat the task. Keep notes so you can make a reversible decision.
This process matters because turning off Memory integrity will not fix a full drive, excessive startup software or an outdated operating system. It can also hide a driver problem while leaving the underlying cause unresolved.
When a driver or application is incompatible
Windows may show a message that a driver cannot load on the device when Memory integrity blocks it. Microsoft has observed incompatibilities involving some anti-cheat components, third-party input methods and third-party banking password-protection software. The symptoms can range from a single feature not working to a device or application malfunctioning; in rare cases, incompatibility can contribute to a boot failure.
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Fix the driver before disabling protection
- Open the warning in Windows Security and identify the named driver or the application that installed it.
- Check Windows Update for a newer compatible driver. If none is offered, visit the hardware or software manufacturer’s support channel and look specifically for a Windows 10 or Windows 11 driver that supports Memory integrity.
- Install the compatible version, restart Windows and test the device or application again.
- If no compatible update exists, decide whether the affected device or application is essential. Microsoft’s guidance is to remove or replace the device or app that depends on the incompatible driver when practical.
Avoid downloading a driver from an unrelated mirror simply because it removes the warning. The goal is a signed, supported driver that works with the current Windows security model.
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Should you turn Memory integrity off for gaming?
There is no official, universal FPS penalty to weigh against security. Microsoft’s documentation does not establish a typical gaming reduction, while it does identify compatibility issues with some anti-cheat solutions. Make the decision based on what you can observe on your own machine.
Keep it enabled when
- Your games and peripherals work normally.
- You have a newer processor with MBEC or GMET support and do not observe a repeatable slowdown.
- You use the PC for banking, work, school or other tasks where resistance to low-level malware is valuable.
Consider a temporary test when
- A required game, anti-cheat component or peripheral refuses to run after you have looked for a compatible update.
- The computer is an older model that relies on Restricted User Mode emulation and you can reproduce a meaningful delay in a specific workload.
Make the test reversible: change only Memory integrity, restart, repeat the same workload and decide whether the improvement is worth the reduced protection. If the difference is not clear, leaving the security feature enabled avoids giving up protection for an unmeasured benefit.
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How to change the setting safely
Memory integrity is managed in the Windows Security app under Device security and Core isolation details. The label and surrounding options can differ between Windows 10 and Windows 11, and some managed PCs may prevent changes.
- Open Windows Security.
- Select Device security, then open Core isolation details.
- Locate the Memory integrity switch. Read any listed incompatible-driver name before changing it.
- If you turn it off, save your work and restart Windows. Microsoft requires a restart for the change to take effect.
- Retest the affected workload. If the driver or application still fails, Memory integrity was not the only cause.
- When a compatible driver becomes available, return to the same page, turn Memory integrity on and restart again.
On a Secured-core PC, disabling Memory integrity removes the device from Secured-core status. That is a security-state change, not merely a performance preference, so document the reason and restore the setting when the compatibility issue is resolved.
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Windows 10, Windows 11 and hardware requirements
Memory integrity is supported in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. A clean Windows 11 installation enables it by default only on compatible hardware; an upgrade, an older installation or a system with incompatible drivers may present a different state. Hardware virtualization must be enabled in UEFI or BIOS, but the presence of that option alone does not guarantee that every driver will work with HVCI.
If the toggle is missing, unavailable or immediately turns itself off, check the device’s firmware virtualization setting and review the listed driver incompatibilities. The exact controls depend on the computer maker and Windows edition, so do not change unrelated firmware security options while troubleshooting.
The practical verdict
Memory integrity can slow a PC, especially when an older processor must emulate the virtualization controls that newer Intel and AMD chips provide in hardware. Microsoft does not support a single percentage for all computers, and it has not published a general gaming FPS penalty. A driver or application incompatibility is a separate failure mode that may be more serious than a small performance change.
Start with updates, storage, startup applications and malware checks. Then identify the processor capability and reproduce the problem with a controlled test. Keep Memory integrity enabled when your system works normally; if a critical device or application is blocked, seek a compatible driver or replacement first, and disable the feature only as a deliberate, restart-required trade-off.
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