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To configure Hyper-V in Windows 11, first confirm that your PC runs Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise and meets the hardware requirements. Enable the Hyper-V optional feature, restart, then create a virtual machine in Hyper-V Manager. Choose a virtual switch only if the guest needs network access.
Check that your PC can run Hyper-V
Microsoft supports the Hyper-V role on Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise; it cannot be installed through the documented supported path on Windows 11 Home. Hyper-V is an optional Windows feature, not a separate download. Microsoft’s installation guide lists the supported editions and installation methods.
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The host needs a 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), VM Monitor Mode extensions, at least 4 GB of RAM, and hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS or UEFI. To check the requirements, open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run Systeminfo.exe. Review the Hyper-V Requirements section of the output. Microsoft’s host hardware requirements explain the checks. The 4 GB minimum is for the host setup; the host and all running virtual machines need enough memory for their workloads.
Enable Hyper-V and restart
Use Windows Features
- Open Control Panel.
- Select Programs, then Programs and Features.
- Select Turn Windows features on or off.
- Select Hyper-V, choose OK, and restart the PC if prompted.
Use an elevated command line
For PowerShell, open it as an administrator and run:
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Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
Alternatively, run Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator and use DISM:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Hyper-V
Restart to complete installation. Microsoft documents both commands in its Hyper-V installation guide.
Create and install a virtual machine
- Open Hyper-V Manager, select the host PC, then select Actions → New → Virtual Machine.
- Enter a name and choose where to store the VM configuration files.
- Choose a generation. Generation 2 is Microsoft’s general recommendation; select Generation 1 only when a specific guest compatibility need requires it.
- Assign startup memory. You can enable Dynamic Memory in the wizard, but make sure the host has enough memory for the VM and its own workload.
- Select a virtual switch if the guest needs network access. You can also configure networking later.
- Create a virtual hard disk, choose an existing VHD or VHDX, or defer adding a disk.
- Choose an ISO or another installation source, review the summary, and select Finish.
- In Hyper-V Manager, start the VM and connect to it to complete the guest operating-system installation.
Microsoft’s VM creation guide describes the wizard and its choices. PowerShell’s New-VM is an alternative for administrators who prefer command-line setup.
Choose a virtual switch for the VM’s network needs
Networking is optional. In Hyper-V Manager, open Virtual Switch Manager, select a switch type, and create the switch. The available types serve different scopes:
| Switch type | Use | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| External | Connects VMs to an external network through a selected host network adapter. | Creating the switch may temporarily disrupt the host’s network connection. |
| Internal | For narrower networking that includes communication between the host and VMs. | Choose it when the guest needs host communication without the external-network connection of an external switch. |
| Private | For VM-to-VM communication without host communication. | Use it when the guests need to communicate with each other but not with the host. |
Microsoft describes these switch types and the external-switch connectivity warning in its virtual switch documentation. For advanced or production network designs, confirm the detailed behavior against that documentation before configuring the network.
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Windows 11 guests need additional VM settings
Running Windows 11 inside Hyper-V has requirements separate from those for installing Hyper-V on the host. Microsoft’s Windows 11 guest requirements call for a Generation 2 VM, at least 64 GB of storage, at least 4 GB of memory, and at least two virtual processors. Secure Boot and a virtual TPM must also be enabled, and the host processor must meet Windows 11 processor requirements. These guest specifications appear in Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements, last updated July 14, 2026. An existing Generation 1 VM cannot be upgraded in place to Generation 2 for this purpose; create a Generation 2 VM instead.
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Use checkpoints carefully
A checkpoint can provide a rollback point before software changes, but it is not a backup. Microsoft distinguishes two checkpoint types:
- Standard checkpoints capture the VM’s state, including memory. They can cause data-consistency issues with replicated systems.
- Production checkpoints use VSS for Windows guests or a Linux file-system freeze to create a data-consistent checkpoint without capturing memory. Microsoft says production checkpoints are selected by default on Windows 10 and 11 Hyper-V.
For important or replicated data, use a separate backup strategy rather than relying on checkpoints. See Microsoft’s checkpoint documentation for details.
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