Quick answer: To enable virtualization on an Intel or AMD computer, restart into the BIOS/UEFI (on Windows 11: Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings), find the CPU or Advanced section, and switch on Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) on Intel PCs or SVM Mode (AMD-V) on AMD PCs. Press F10 to save and exit. Then, inside Windows, turn on Virtual Machine Platform from “Turn Windows features on or off” if you want WSL 2 or Android emulators. Check that it worked in Task Manager > Performance > CPU, where it should say Virtualization: Enabled.
What is virtualization and why do you need it?
Virtualization is a hardware feature built into almost every modern Intel and AMD processor. It lets your computer run a second, “virtual” computer inside software, with its own operating system, while your main Windows keeps running. Intel calls it VT-x (Virtualization Technology) and AMD calls it AMD-V, which most AMD motherboards label as SVM Mode (Secure Virtual Machine).
On many new laptops it is already on, but a lot of desktops, especially with Intel boards and older AMD boards, ship with it turned off. You need it switched on for:
- Virtual machines in VirtualBox, VMware Workstation or Hyper-V, for example to try Linux or another copy of Windows safely. See our list of the best free virtual machines for Windows.
- Android emulators like BlueStacks, LDPlayer, MuMu and the Android Studio emulator. Without virtualization they run very slowly or refuse to start. Compare options in our guide to the best Android emulators for PC.
- WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and Docker Desktop, used by students and developers.
- Windows Sandbox and security features such as Memory Integrity, which use the same hardware.
Requirements before you start
| Item | What you need |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any Intel Core / Pentium / Celeron or AMD Ryzen / Athlon from the last 10+ years. Almost all support VT-x or AMD-V. |
| Windows | Windows 11 or Windows 10. Basic virtualization works on Home; Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox need Pro, Education or Enterprise. |
| Access | An administrator account on the PC. Some office or school PCs lock the BIOS with a password. |
| Time | About 5 minutes and one or two restarts. |
Not sure which edition you have? Our Windows 11 Pro vs Home comparison explains what each one includes.
Step 1: Check if virtualization is already enabled
Save yourself a trip to the BIOS. First check what Windows already sees:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click the Performance tab, then CPU.
- Look at the bottom right for Virtualization: Enabled or Disabled.
For a more exact check, open Command Prompt and type systeminfo, then press Enter. Scroll to the bottom:
- If it says “Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes”, it is already on in the BIOS.
- If it says “A hypervisor has been detected”, virtualization is on and Windows is already using it (Hyper-V, WSL 2 or Memory Integrity).
- If it says “Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: No”, follow the steps below.
Step 2: Open the BIOS / UEFI settings
Method A: From Windows 11 or 10 (works on every brand)
- Open Settings > System > Recovery (Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Recovery).
- Next to Advanced startup, click Restart now.
- On the blue screen, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
The PC restarts straight into the BIOS. This is the easiest method on fast-booting laptops where you never get time to press a key.
Method B: Press the BIOS key at startup
Restart the PC and tap the key two times per second as soon as the screen turns on. The common keys are:
| Brand | BIOS key |
|---|---|
| HP laptops and desktops | Esc (then F10) or F10 directly |
| Dell | F2 (F12 opens the one-time boot menu) |
| Lenovo IdeaPad / Legion / LOQ | F2 or Fn + F2 (or the small Novo button) |
| Lenovo ThinkPad | Enter, then F1 |
| Lenovo desktops | F1 |
| ASUS laptops | F2 |
| ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock motherboards | Delete (Del) |
| Acer | F2 or Delete |
If the key does not work, use Method A. Keys can change between models, so the message on your boot screen or your manual is the final word.
Step 3: Turn on Intel VT-x or AMD SVM
The option name and menu change by brand. Look in sections called Advanced, CPU Configuration, Configuration, Security, System Configuration or Overclocking/OC.
On Intel computers
- Find Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel VT-x, VTx or (on old boards) Vanderpool and set it to Enabled.
- If you also see Intel VT-d (VT for Directed I/O), you can enable it too. It is useful for advanced VM setups and harmless for normal use.
On AMD computers
- Find SVM Mode, SVM, AMD-V or Secure Virtual Machine and set it to Enabled.
- On many ASUS and MSI Ryzen boards it is under Advanced > CPU Configuration or OC > Advanced CPU Configuration. On some older ASUS boards it sits under Advanced > AMD CBS > CPU Common Options.
- IOMMU is the AMD equivalent of VT-d. Optional.
Where to look on popular brands
| Brand | Usual location |
|---|---|
| HP | Advanced (or System Configuration) > Virtualization Technology (VTx) |
| Dell | Virtualization Support > Virtualization / Enable Intel Virtualization Technology |
| Lenovo | Configuration > Intel Virtualization Technology or AMD SVM Technology (ThinkPad: Security > Virtualization) |
| ASUS motherboards | Press F7 for Advanced Mode, then Advanced > CPU Configuration |
| MSI motherboards | Press F7 for Advanced, then OC > CPU Features (Intel) or OC > Advanced CPU Configuration (AMD) |
| Gigabyte motherboards | Tweaker > Advanced CPU Settings > SVM Mode / Intel Virtualization Technology |
| Acer | Advanced or Configuration > Intel VTX / AMD-V |
Microsoft’s own advice is worth repeating: change only the virtualization setting. Changing other BIOS options (Secure Boot, SATA mode, boot order) can stop Windows from starting.
Step 4: Save and restart
Press F10 (or go to the Exit tab and pick Save Changes and Exit), confirm with Yes, and let the PC restart. Some PCs fully power off once after this change, which is normal.
Step 5: Turn on the Windows features you need
Enabling it in the BIOS makes the hardware available. Some apps also need a Windows feature:
- Click Start, type Windows features and open Turn Windows features on or off.
- Tick what you need:
- Virtual Machine Platform: for WSL 2 and many Android emulators.
- Windows Hypervisor Platform: lets VirtualBox, VMware and some emulators run alongside Hyper-V.
- Hyper-V: Microsoft’s own VM software (Pro and higher only).
- Windows Sandbox: a throwaway Windows desktop for testing unknown files (Pro and higher only).
- Click OK and restart when asked.
For WSL you can simply open Terminal as administrator and run wsl --install; it turns on the required features for you.
Troubleshooting
I cannot find the virtualization option in my BIOS
- Switch to Advanced Mode (F7 on ASUS and MSI boards). EZ Mode hides most CPU options.
- On many MSI laptops with newer Ryzen chips and many recent Intel laptops it is already on and the option is hidden. Check
systeminfo: if it says “Yes”, you are done. - Update the BIOS from your laptop or motherboard maker’s support page. Some old firmware versions do not show the option.
- Some Acer and HP laptops only show advanced options after you set a supervisor password in the Security tab. Write it down if you do this.
Task Manager still says “Disabled” after enabling it
Make sure you saved with F10 and did a full restart. Also check you enabled the right item: on AMD it is SVM, not “AMD fTPM” or “Precision Boost”. If systeminfo says “Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes”, the BIOS part is done even if Task Manager looks different.
VirtualBox shows “VT-x is not available (VERR_VMX_NO_VMX)” or runs very slowly
This usually means Windows’ own hypervisor (Hyper-V, WSL 2 or Memory Integrity) is already using the hardware. Update to the latest VirtualBox 7.x and turn on Windows Hypervisor Platform so both can share it. If it is still slow, you can turn off Hyper-V from Windows features, or turn off Memory Integrity in Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation. Keep in mind that Memory Integrity is a security feature, so turning it off is a trade-off.
BlueStacks or another emulator says “Virtualization is disabled”
Enable VT-x/SVM in the BIOS as above, then turn on Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform. Use the Hyper-V compatible version of your emulator if it offers one.
The PC will not boot after changing the BIOS
Go back into the BIOS and choose Load Optimized Defaults (or Setup Defaults), save, and restart. Then enable only the virtualization option again.
My BIOS has a password I don’t know
On office, school or college PCs, ask the IT team. Do not try to reset or bypass someone else’s BIOS password.
Does enabling virtualization slow down or harm my PC?
No. Turning on VT-x or SVM does nothing until an app uses it, and it does not affect battery or temperatures by itself. Gaming performance is normally unaffected. The only time you may notice a small difference is when Windows features like Hyper-V or Memory Integrity are running in the background, and that comes from those features, not from the BIOS switch.
Verdict
Enabling virtualization is a one-time, five-minute job. Check Task Manager or systeminfo first, enter the BIOS through Settings > Recovery if your BIOS key does not work, enable Intel VT-x or AMD SVM Mode, press F10, and then switch on Virtual Machine Platform in Windows. After that, VirtualBox, WSL 2, Docker and Android emulators will all run at proper speed. If you are using this to try Linux, our guide to installing Linux Mint 22.3 is a good next step.
FAQs
Is VT-x the same as AMD-V and SVM?
They do the same job. VT-x is Intel’s name; AMD-V is AMD’s name, and SVM Mode is the label most AMD motherboard BIOS menus use for AMD-V.
Can I enable virtualization on Windows 11 Home?
Yes. The BIOS setting, WSL 2, Virtual Machine Platform, VirtualBox and Android emulators all work on Home. Only Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox need Windows 11 Pro or higher.
Is it safe to leave virtualization enabled all the time?
Yes. It is on by default on many new laptops, and Windows uses it for security features like Memory Integrity.
Can I enable virtualization without going into the BIOS?
No. The hardware switch lives only in the BIOS/UEFI. But you can reach the BIOS from Windows using Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup, so you don’t need to press any key at boot.
What if my processor does not support virtualization?
Very few processors sold in the last decade lack it. You can confirm on Intel’s ARK site or AMD’s product page for your CPU model. If yours really does not support it, VMs and emulators will not run properly, and upgrading the CPU or PC is the only fix.
Do I need to enable VT-d or IOMMU?
Not for normal VMs, WSL or emulators. They are only needed for advanced tasks such as passing a graphics card directly to a virtual machine. Enabling them is safe.
Sources and Credits
- Microsoft Support: Enable Virtualization on Windows
- Microsoft Learn: Install WSL
- Tom’s Hardware: BIOS keys by manufacturer
- wintips.org: How to enter BIOS setup on all PCs
- Salad support: enabling virtualization on ASUS, Acer, Lenovo and MSI PCs
- Oracle VirtualBox downloads
- Manufacturer guides linked by Microsoft: HP, Dell, Lenovo, ASUS and Acer support sites
