How to Enable or Disable Windows Hypervisor Platform in Windows 11

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using the Settings App

Recent builds of Windows 11 include a toggle for this feature in Settings. If you can’t find it there, use the Windows Features method further down, 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 side. The system options appear on the right.
3. Click Advanced on the right side. 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 to open it. A page with virtualization-related switches appears.
5. Turn the Windows Hypervisor Platform switch On. Windows may ask you to confirm, and it may ask for a restart.
6. Close Settings. Restart the 🔄 PC if Windows asked you to, because the feature is not active until you do.

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

Settings

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 all current builds of Windows 11, Home and Pro. 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, and 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.

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 the checkbox cannot be changed, a work or school policy may be managing the PC, so ask whoever runs it.

Turn On Windows Hypervisor Platform Using Command Prompt

If you prefer text commands, or you need to configure several machines, Command Prompt works well. You need administrator rights, because the command changes Windows components. 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.

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 only applies after a reboot.

To turn the feature off, open an administrator Command Prompt the same way and run the disable syntax shown here:

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

Restart the PC again after the disable command 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. As with Command Prompt, it must be opened as an administrator. 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.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "HypervisorPlatform"

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

To turn the feature off, use 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 only available 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 do 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 not turned on, 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 your virtual machine. You will choose a name, a generation, memory, networking, a virtual disk and an installation source such as an ISO file.

Once the platform is on, you can run other operating systems side by side with Windows 11. Each virtual machine is an isolated environment, so you can test software without risking your main installation. Linux distributions, for example, can run in a virtual machine on the same hardware, with no dedicated physical machine needed.

Summary

• Windows Hypervisor Platform helps you run virtual machines on Windows 11.
• You can turn it on or off through Settings, Control Panel, Command Prompt, or PowerShell.
• After enabling it, you can create and manage virtual machines using Hyper-V Manager.
• This is useful if you want to try out other operating systems or test software safely.
• For more tips on Windows 11, check out Geek Rewind.