How to Enable or Disable Memory Integrity Core Isolation in Windows 11

What is Core Isolation and Memory Integrity?

Core isolation and memory integrity are built-in Windows 11 security features. Core isolation creates a safe, isolated area of system memory and separates normal operating processes from your hardware. Memory integrity is the part that stops malicious software from attacking low-level system drivers.

Drivers are small programs that help Windows talk to hardware such as graphics cards and printers. They run with very high privileges, which makes them a favorite target. If a bad actor tries to put harmful code into a driver, memory integrity blocks that code right away, so it cannot take over your computer.

The feature relies on virtualization built into your processor. On many PCs, that virtualization has to be switched on in the UEFI/BIOS firmware. If memory integrity is missing or will not turn on and no driver is listed as the cause, check that firmware setting. On some new PCs, and on some clean installs of current Windows 11 versions, memory integrity is already on by default.

Older software or specialized hardware drivers sometimes fail to work with this protection. If your computer relies on one of these drivers, Windows blocks it from loading. Programs or devices that depend on it may then stop working properly.

Heads-up: Microsoft has announced that it will expand memory integrity protection across eligible devices. The goal is stronger kernel-level protection by default, with little or no extra configuration. Microsoft’s August 2026 Windows news post gave October 2026 as the expected timing, and this is not in Windows yet. Until it reaches your device, the steps below still apply.

How to Check If Memory Integrity Is Enabled

Open the Windows Security app and check your device security settings to see whether memory integrity is active. The check takes about half a minute and changes nothing on your PC.

1. Click the Start button and type Windows Security. Windows lists matching results as you type.
2. Click the Windows Security app in the search🔍 results. The app opens with a list of protection areas.
3. Click Device security in the left-hand menu. The page shows the security features your hardware supports.
4. Click the Core isolation details link under the Core isolation section. The Core isolation page opens.
5. Read the toggle switch next to Memory integrity. It shows whether the feature is On or Off.

That’s it. You now know whether memory integrity is protecting your drivers, and nothing on your PC has changed.

If you do not see a Core isolation section at all, your hardware or firmware may not support it, or virtualization may be turned off in the firmware. If the toggle is greyed out, an organization may control the setting through policy. In that case, ask your administrator.

How to Enable Memory Integrity in 🪟 Windows 11

These steps turn on the memory integrity setting in Windows 11 from the Windows Security app. The toggle adds protection that stops harmful software from getting into your system drivers. It is available on Home and Pro editions of current Windows 11 versions, and the steps are the same on both.

1. Open the Windows Security app. Search for it from the Start menu⊞.
2. Select Device security from the side menu.
3. Click Core isolation details. The Core isolation page opens.
4. Click the toggle under Memory integrity to move it to On. Windows checks your drivers as you do this.
5. Click Yes if a User Account Control prompt appears. This step requires administrator privileges.
6. Restart your🔄 computer when Windows prompts you. The protection does not become active until you restart.

That’s it. After the restart, memory integrity is on and checks every driver Windows loads.

If Windows says memory integrity can’t be turned on because of incompatible drivers, do not force it. Go to the troubleshooting section below, fix the drivers, and try again. To undo the change later, follow the steps in the next section.

How to Disable Memory Integrity in 🪟 Windows 11

People usually turn memory integrity off when an older game, app, or piece of hardware will not run properly while it is active. Turning it off lowers your protection against driver-based attacks.

If you can, update or remove the one problem driver instead and leave the feature on. If you do turn it off to get something working, consider turning it back on once that software is updated or no longer needed.

These steps show how to use the memory integrity setting to turn off the feature in Windows Security.

1. Open the Windows Security app. Search for it in the Start menu⊞.
2. Click Device security on the left side of the window.
3. Click the Core isolation details link. The Core isolation page opens.
4. Click the toggle under Memory integrity to move it to Off.
5. Click Yes if a User Account Control prompt appears. This step requires administrator privileges.
6. Restart your🔄 computer to apply the change.

You should now have memory integrity switched off. After the restart, open the same page again and confirm the toggle shows Off. To undo this, move the toggle back to On and restart.

How to Fix Common Problems When Memory Integrity Won’t Turn On

When memory integrity will not turn on, an incompatible driver is the usual cause. Windows Security then shows a Review incompatible drivers link. It lists the exact driver files that block the feature.

To fix the problem, update the software that uses each listed driver, or remove that software.

1. Open the Windows Security app and go to Device security › Core isolation details.
2. Click Review incompatible drivers. If the link does not appear, try turning the toggle on first, because Windows runs its compatibility check when you do.
3. Note the names of the drivers or companies listed. Common culprits include older security tools like Trusteer Rapport, older printer software, and niche gaming accessories.
4. Check the maker’s website for an updated driver or app. An update is the best fix, because the hardware keeps working and memory integrity stays on.
5. Open Settings › Apps › Installed apps if no update exists. Find the software tied to those drivers and uninstall it completely.
6. Delete the driver file manually if the app is missing from Installed apps. The last troubleshooting section below explains how to do that safely.
7. Restart your🔄 computer and try turning memory integrity on again. Use the steps in the enable section above.

That’s it. With the blocking drivers updated or removed, memory integrity should now turn on.

If the same driver keeps appearing after you uninstall its app, it is probably left over from old software. Windows keeps the file even though nothing uses it any more.

Alternative Ways to Manage Memory Integrity (Group Policy and Registry)

If the main security menu is locked or unavailable, you can manage memory integrity with Local Group Policy or the registry. These methods let administrators and home users control the feature through policy settings.

Registry changes can cause problems if you make a mistake, so back up the registry or create a restore point first. On Home, the Windows Security toggle is the safest method. The Group Policy Editor is available on Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise and is the better choice there for enforcing this setting.

To use the Local Group Policy Editor:

1. Press Win+R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. This step requires administrator privileges and works only on Pro or Enterprise editions. The Local Group Policy Editor opens.

   💡If gpedit.msc doesn't open on your PC

   If gpedit.msc does nothing or Windows says it can't find it, your PC is most likely running Windows 11 Home, which doesn't include the Local Group Policy Editor. To check your edition, open Settings⚙️ > System > About and look under Windows specifications. If it says Home, skip the Group Policy method and use the Memory integrity toggle in Windows Security instead. Only Pro and Enterprise editions include the Group Policy Editor. If your PC is managed by a work or school, ask your IT administrator before changing any policy settings.

3. Go to Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › System › Device Guard in the left folder tree.
4. Double-click the setting named Turn On Virtualization Based Security. Its settings window opens.
5. Select Enabled.
6. Configure the options below it to turn on Secure Boot and Direct Memory Access Protection, along with virtualization-based protection of code integrity.
7. Choose the code integrity setting without a UEFI lock. That lets you turn the feature off again from Windows later, while a UEFI lock makes it harder to switch off.
8. Click Apply and then OK.
9. Restart your🔄 computer.

You should now have memory integrity managed through policy. To undo the change, return to the same setting, select Not Configured or Disabled, click Apply and OK, and restart. If the toggle in Windows Security is greyed out afterward, a policy like this one is often the reason.

Advanced Troubleshooting: What to Do When Files Are Left Behind

Windows keeps blocking memory integrity if it detects leftover driver files from old software. In that case, find the exact file name shown in the security warning and delete that file from your system storage. You will typically find these files in the system folders where Windows stores hardware instructions.

Be careful with this step. Only remove a driver that belongs to software you have already uninstalled or no longer use. Deleting a driver that a working device still needs can stop that device from working, or in the worst case stop Windows from starting. Do not remove files you cannot identify.

1. Write down the exact file name from the warning. Use the list under Review incompatible drivers.
2. Confirm the software that used the driver is uninstalled or no longer needed.
3. Create a restore point. This gives you a way back if something goes wrong.
4. Find the driver file with that exact name and delete it.
5. Restart your🔄 computer.
6. Open the Core isolation page again and try turning on Memory integrity.

That’s it. With the leftover file gone, Windows Security can turn on memory integrity without the error message.

Summary

What you should see now: memory integrity runs with your drivers protected against malicious code. If a future feature update or driver installation disables the feature, return to the Core isolation settings in the Windows Security app to turn it back on. Check this page after major updates or after installing new hardware drivers, because that is when incompatible drivers tend to appear.