To enable CPU virtualization, open Settings > System > Recovery in Windows 11 (or Settings > Update & Security > Recovery in Windows 10), choose Advanced startup > Restart now, then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart. In the firmware interface, enable Intel Virtualization Technology/VT-x/VMX on an Intel system or AMD-V/SVM Mode on an AMD system, save, and restart.
Disabling virtualization uses the same path: change the firmware option to Disabled, save, and reboot. The exact menu and save key vary by motherboard or PC manufacturer. Firmware support and Windows features such as Virtual Machine Platform are separate requirements.
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What CPU virtualization does
CPU virtualization is a processor feature that lets software create and run virtual machines. A virtual machine behaves like a separate computer with its own operating-system environment, even though it shares the physical PC’s processor and memory. Windows virtualization features, desktop virtual-machine software, Windows Sandbox, and Android emulators can depend on this hardware capability.
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The setting is controlled in UEFI firmware, not by an ordinary Windows switch. Many modern PCs still call the firmware screen “BIOS,” while newer systems use the term UEFI. The practical operation is the same for this purpose: enter the firmware setup, change the processor-virtualization option, save, and restart.
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Intel and AMD names for the same capability
| Processor family | Common firmware labels | Microsoft terminology | What to select |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel | Intel Virtualization Technology, VT-x, or VMX | VMX (hardware-assisted Intel virtualization) | Enabled to permit virtualization; Disabled to turn it off |
| AMD | AMD-V or SVM Mode (Secure Virtual Machine) | SVM (the AMD counterpart to VMX) | Enabled to permit virtualization; Disabled to turn it off |
A label can differ even between two models from the same manufacturer. Search for the terms above under menus named Advanced, CPU, Processor, or Security.
Open UEFI firmware settings from Windows
Using Windows’ Advanced startup route avoids guessing which key your PC accepts during power-on. Save open work first: the procedure deliberately restarts the computer.
Windows 11
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then Recovery.
- In Recovery options, find Advanced startup and select Restart now.
- When the blue recovery menu appears, choose Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options.
- Choose UEFI Firmware Settings, then select Restart.
Windows 10
- Open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security, then Recovery.
- Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
If UEFI Firmware Settings is not offered, the PC may use a different firmware mode, an administrator may have restricted access, or the manufacturer may provide another entry method. Check the exact model’s support instructions rather than changing unrelated recovery options.
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Enable virtualization in UEFI or BIOS
Once the system restarts into firmware, the mouse may work, but many firmware interfaces are keyboard-driven. The wording and menu arrangement are manufacturer-specific; the following sequence identifies the setting without assuming one vendor’s layout.
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- Open a menu labeled Advanced, CPU Configuration, Processor, Security, or a similar hardware-settings category.
- Locate the processor virtualization entry. On Intel, look for Intel Virtualization Technology, VT-x, or VMX. On AMD, look for AMD-V or SVM Mode.
- Change the value from Disabled to Enabled. If the value already reads Enabled, no firmware change is needed.
- Use the firmware’s Save and Exit command. MSI documents F10 for saving and restarting on its systems, but another PC may use a different key or menu command.
- Confirm the save prompt if one appears. The computer will restart and Windows should load normally.
Change only the virtualization option. Firmware screens expose many unrelated controls; altering boot mode, storage-controller mode, security settings, memory timings, or other values can prevent Windows from starting or make the system harder to access.
Disable virtualization in UEFI or BIOS
Disabling is the reverse operation and uses the same entry path. You might do this for compatibility testing, to comply with a corporate configuration, or to troubleshoot software that behaves differently when hardware virtualization is available.
- Open Settings > System > Recovery in Windows 11, or Settings > Update & Security > Recovery in Windows 10.
- Select Advanced startup > Restart now.
- Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
- In firmware, open the processor or security menu containing the virtualization control.
- Set Intel Virtualization Technology/VT-x/VMX or AMD-V/SVM Mode to Disabled.
- Choose the firmware’s save-and-exit command and allow the PC to restart.
Afterward, software that requires hardware virtualization may stop launching or may report that virtualization is unavailable. Re-enable the same setting if you need those workloads again.
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Enable the Windows component an application may require
Turning on the firmware capability does not automatically install or activate every Windows virtualization component. Firmware support and the operating-system environment are separate prerequisites.
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For Windows features that use Microsoft’s virtualization platform, open the optional-features dialog:
- Open the Start menu and search for Turn Windows features on or off.
- Open that control-panel result.
- Select Virtual Machine Platform.
- Choose OK.
- Restart when Windows requests it.
Microsoft notes that this Windows step can be particularly relevant after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. The firmware option must still be enabled; selecting Virtual Machine Platform cannot substitute for a disabled VT-x, VMX, AMD-V, or SVM setting.
Software categories that can depend on both layers
- Desktop virtual-machine applications such as VMware Workstation and Oracle VirtualBox.
- Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines.
- Windows Sandbox.
- Android emulators.
Each application can impose additional Windows edition, driver, or configuration requirements. If an app reports that virtualization is disabled after you enabled it in firmware, check whether its instructions also require Virtual Machine Platform or another Windows component.
Intel versus AMD: what differs and what does not
| Question | Intel systems | AMD systems |
|---|---|---|
| What label should I search for? | Intel Virtualization Technology, VT-x, or VMX | AMD-V or SVM Mode |
| Where might it appear? | Advanced, CPU, Processor, or Security menus | Advanced, CPU, Processor, or Security menus |
| What determines availability? | A VT-x-capable processor and a BIOS/UEFI implementation that supports VT-x | Processor capability and firmware support from the PC or motherboard vendor |
| What Windows step may follow? | Enable Virtual Machine Platform when the application or Windows feature requires it | Enable Virtual Machine Platform when the application or Windows feature requires it |
Neither vendor’s label guarantees a universal menu path. The motherboard or PC maker controls the firmware interface, so a setting can be nested in a different submenu or exposed only after another firmware page is opened.
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If the virtualization option is missing
Identify the exact hardware
Record the complete PC model, or the motherboard model for a self-built computer. A generic “Intel PC” or “AMD laptop” description is not enough: support depends on the precise processor and the firmware supplied for that model.
Check processor and firmware support
Intel states that VT-x requires both a supported Intel processor and a VT-x-supported BIOS. If the option is absent, consult the motherboard or PC manufacturer’s documentation for that model. Microsoft similarly directs users to manufacturer support material, including documentation from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
Look in the likely menus
Return to the firmware’s Advanced, CPU, Processor, and Security sections. Search for all applicable names rather than only one spelling: Intel systems may use VT-x, VMX, or Intel Virtualization Technology; AMD systems may use AMD-V or SVM Mode.
Do not substitute unrelated settings
Do not enable an option merely because its name includes “virtual,” “security,” or “hypervisor.” Firmware contains controls for unrelated security and boot functions. Microsoft warns that changing other firmware options can prevent access to Windows.
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When Windows still says virtualization is unavailable
The firmware change was not saved
Re-enter UEFI and confirm that the selected option still reads Enabled. Use the actual save-and-exit command, then accept the confirmation prompt. A change made without saving is discarded at restart.
The Windows platform component is off
If the firmware setting is enabled but an application still cannot create a virtual machine, open Turn Windows features on or off, select Virtual Machine Platform, choose OK, and restart. This addresses the separate Windows-side requirement; it does not change the firmware setting.
The processor or BIOS is unsupported
An unavailable menu entry can indicate that the processor does not provide the required capability or that the installed firmware does not expose it. Verify support for the exact processor and BIOS version with the PC or motherboard manufacturer. Do not assume that another model’s instructions apply.
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Virtual-machine software, Hyper-V, Sandbox, and emulators can require different Windows editions, optional features, or updates. Read the application’s requirements after confirming the two foundational conditions: virtualization enabled in firmware and any requested Windows virtualization component enabled.
Practical decisions before changing the setting
Leave virtualization enabled when you use virtualized workloads
Keep the firmware option enabled if you run virtual machines, Windows Sandbox, Android emulators, or other software that explicitly requires VT-x, VMX, AMD-V, or SVM. Enabling it is a prerequisite, not a guarantee that every application will work without additional configuration.
Disable it only for a defined reason
Disabling removes the processor capability those workloads depend on. If you are testing whether a particular application behaves differently, record the original state so you can restore it. The setting can be changed again through the same Advanced startup route.
Use the manufacturer’s procedure when the screen differs
Firmware interfaces are not standardized at the menu level. Follow the exact documentation for your model when the control is hidden, named differently, or protected by an administrator password. Do not copy a save key or menu path from a different motherboard without checking that it applies to yours.
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Safe-change checklist
- Save work before selecting Restart now.
- Confirm whether the PC is Intel or AMD so you search for the correct label.
- Use the Windows Advanced startup path to reach UEFI when available.
- Change only the virtualization option.
- Save and exit through the firmware’s own command; F10 is documented for MSI systems but is not universal.
- After rebooting, enable Virtual Machine Platform in Windows if the application requires it.
- If the option is missing, verify exact processor and BIOS support with the manufacturer instead of changing unrelated settings.
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