How to Enable Windows Sandbox in Windows 11

This post shows students and new users how to enable Windows Sandbox when using Windows 11.

Microsoft introduced the Windows Sandbox feature starting with Windows 10 to help create a secure environment that isolates running apps from the main systems.

This feature is very useful, especially for security professionals testing apps that are not trusted or are unknown.

Enable Windows Sandbox to create an on-demand lightweight temporary desktop session to run untrusted apps without accessing files, the Windows registry, and other critical parts of the main Windows OS.

Apps already installed on the system won’t access the secured Sandbox environment. You must first enable Windows Sandbox, then install untrusted apps you want to test or run within the Sandbox environment.

To enable Windows Sandbox in Windows 11, follow the steps below:

Enable Sandbox from Apps and Features

To enable Windows Sandbox from Apps and Features, press the Window key + R to open the Run Apps box. Then, type the commands below into the box and press Enter to open.

optionalfeatures.exe

When the Windows optional features panel opens, select Sandbox from the list and install.

Install from Command Prompt

Another way to turn Windows Sandbox on and off is via Windows Command Prompt. If you’re logged in as administrator, use Windows search and open the Command Prompt as administrator.

Then, run the commands below to enable the Windows Sandbox feature.

dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All

After running the commands above, restart your computer for your changes to apply.

If you want to uninstall Sandbox, run the commands below:

dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"Containers-DisposableClientVM"

Enable Windows Sandbox via PowerShell.

Windows Sandbox is also enabled and turned on and off via PowerShell. To enable via PowerShell, use the Windows search feature to open PowerShell as administrator.

When PowerShell opens, run the commands below to enable it.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All

Restart your computer for the changes to apply.

To disable via PowerShell, run the commands below:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -Online

That should do it!

Using Windows Sandbox

Now that Sandbox is enabled, log in and begin using Windows Sandbox to test untrusted apps.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Windows Sandbox is a valuable tool for safely testing untrusted applications in a contained environment.
• Enabling Windows Sandbox can be achieved through multiple methods: Apps and Features, Command Prompt, and PowerShell.
• Ensure your system meets the requirements for running Windows Sandbox, including virtualization capabilities.
• Regular usage of sandboxing can enhance security by isolating potentially harmful applications.
• Remember to disable the Sandbox feature when it’s no longer needed to free up system resources.