How to Enable or Disable Windows Hypervisor Platform in Windows 11

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using the Settings App

To check without rebooting, open Task Manager and select the Performance tab. Under CPU, the Virtualization line should read Enabled.

Enabling the hypervisor can slow down or conflict with some virtual machine tools, games with anti-cheat protection, and older versions of VirtualBox or VMware. Use current versions of those tools. If problems appear, turn the feature off and restart.

Recent builds of Windows 11 have a switch for this feature in Settings. If you can’t find it, use the Windows Features method below, which works on every build. These steps turn on Windows Hypervisor Platform from Settings:

1. Press Win+I to open Settings⚙️. You can also click the Start button⊞ and select Settings.

   

2. Click System on the left. The system options appear on the right.

   

3. Click Advanced on the right. If you don’t see it, your build of Windows 11 is probably too old, so skip to the Windows Features method.

   

4. Click Virtual Workspaces. A page with virtualization switches opens.
5. Turn the Windows Hypervisor Platform switch On. Windows may show a UAC prompt, ask you to confirm, and ask for a restart.
6. Close Settings. Restart the🔄 PC if Windows asks, because the feature stays inactive until you do.

After the restart, your virtual machine software can use the Windows hypervisor.

To undo the change, return to the same page, turn the switch Off and restart again.

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using Control Panel

The classic Windows Features dialog is the most dependable way to do this through the interface. It works on Home and Pro editions of a currently supported Windows 11 version (24H2 or 25H2). It requires an administrator account. If your virtual machine tool conflicts with the feature, return here and clear the box. These steps turn on Windows Hypervisor Platform from that dialog:

1. Click Start⊞ and type Turn Windows features on or off. Click the matching result. The Windows Features window opens with a list of optional components.
   

   

2. Scroll down to Windows Hypervisor Platform. The list is long, so keep scrolling past the entries that start with H.
3. Check the box next to Windows Hypervisor Platform. To turn it off later, clear the box instead.

   

4. Click OK. Windows applies the change and shows a progress window.
5. Click Restart now when prompted. The change does not take effect until you restart.

Windows Hypervisor Platform runs once the restart finishes.

If the entry is missing, scroll further and look again. If it is still not there, check that Windows 11 is fully updated and that you are signed in with an administrator account. If you can’t change the checkbox, a work or school policy may manage the PC, so ask whoever runs it.

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using Command Prompt

Command Prompt suits you if you prefer text commands or need to configure several machines. It requires administrator rights, because the command changes Windows components. The same compatibility caution applies: use current versions of your virtual machine tools, and run the disable command later if something breaks. These steps turn on Windows Hypervisor Platform from Command Prompt:

1. Click Start⊞ and type Command Prompt. Right-click the result and choose Run as administrator.

   

2. Click Yes if the User Account Control prompt appears. A Command Prompt window opens with “Administrator” in its title bar.
3. Paste the command below and press Enter. Wait for it to finish. Windows reports that the operation completed successfully.
   

   ⬛Command Prompt

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   DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"HypervisorPlatform"

4. Restart the🔄 PC. Windows may ask you to restart at the end of the command. Either way, the new state applies only after a reboot.

The feature becomes active after the reboot.

To turn the feature off, open an administrator Command Prompt the same way and run this disable command:

DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"HypervisorPlatform"

Restart the PC again so the change takes effect.

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using PowerShell

PowerShell is the better choice if you plan to script this or run it on several PCs. It requires an administrator window, as with Command Prompt. If the hypervisor causes trouble with your other virtualization software, the disable command below reverses it. These steps turn on Windows Hypervisor Platform from PowerShell:

1. Click Start⊞ and type PowerShell. Right-click the result and choose Run as administrator.
2. Click Yes if the User Account Control prompt appears. An administrator PowerShell window opens.
3. Paste the command below and press Enter. PowerShell may ask whether you want to restart now.
   

   ⬛PowerShell

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   Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "HypervisorPlatform"

4. Restart the🔄 PC. If PowerShell offered a restart, type the answer it shows. Otherwise restart manually later, because the feature is not active until then.

The feature takes effect after the restart.

To turn the feature off, run the matching disable command in an administrator PowerShell window:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "HypervisorPlatform"

Restart the PC afterwards so the change takes effect.

How to Create Virtual Machines Using Hyper-V Manager

Hyper-V Manager is Microsoft’s own tool for creating and managing virtual machines. It is separate from Windows Hypervisor Platform, so you may not need it. Third-party tools like VirtualBox have their own consoles. Hyper-V Manager is available only on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education, and only after you turn on the Hyper-V feature in Turn Windows features on or off. Windows 11 Home does not include it. If you use it, these steps create a virtual machine:

1. Click Start⊞ and search for Hyper-V Manager. If nothing appears, the Hyper-V feature is off or you are running Home.
2. Open Hyper-V Manager. In the menu, choose Action › New › Virtual Machine. The New Virtual Machine Wizard opens.
3. Follow the wizard to set up the virtual machine. You choose a name, a generation, memory, networking, a virtual disk and an installation source such as an ISO file.

The new virtual machine appears in Hyper-V Manager, ready to start and install an operating system on.

Each virtual machine is isolated, so you can run other operating systems beside Windows 11 and test software without risking your main installation. Linux distributions, for example, can run on the same hardware without a dedicated physical machine.

Summary

• Windows Hypervisor Platform lets virtualization software run virtual machines on Windows 11.
• You can turn it on or off through Settings, Control Panel, Command Prompt or PowerShell.
• Hyper-V Manager can then create and manage virtual machines on editions that include it.
• This suits you if you want to try other operating systems or test software safely.

For more tips on Windows 11, check out Geek Rewind.

What to do next

If a virtual machine tool, game or older VirtualBox or VMware version misbehaves after the change, turn Windows Hypervisor Platform off with the same method you used and restart. If the feature is missing or its checkbox is locked, check for a pending Windows update and ask whoever manages the PC about work or school policies. To build virtual machines with Microsoft’s own tool, turn on the Hyper-V feature on a Pro, Enterprise or Education edition and open Hyper-V Manager.