{"id":2581,"date":"2026-10-26T14:20:37","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T14:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/?p=2581"},"modified":"2026-10-26T14:21:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T14:21:00","slug":"windows-11-kernel-isolation-whats-changing-starting-in-october-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/windows-11-kernel-isolation-whats-changing-starting-in-october-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 11 Kernel Isolation: What&#8217;s Changing Starting in October 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\">Windows 11 Core isolation is a section of Windows Security that contains the Memory integrity feature (also known as HVCI): a protection mechanism that verifies kernel code in an isolated environment. Starting in October 2026, Microsoft began enabling it automatically on more compatible PCs through regular Windows updates. Below is what this means, who it affects, how to check the feature\u2019s status, and how to disable it if it causes problems.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">What Windows 11 Core Isolation and Memory Integrity Are<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Memory integrity is a Windows feature that uses virtualization (VBS) and the system hypervisor to run kernel code integrity checks in an isolated environment. Put simply, it helps prevent malicious or untrusted code, including drivers, from running at the deepest level of Windows.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In Windows Security, it is located in the \u201cCore isolation\u201d section. It is also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity \u2014 HVCI.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">What Exactly Microsoft Announced<\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2572\" src=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft.webp\" alt=\"What exactly Microsoft announced\" width=\"1672\" height=\"941\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft.webp 1672w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/shho-same-anonsuvala-microsoft-1536x864.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">According to Microsoft, starting in October 2026, regular Windows quality updates will begin enabling memory integrity on a larger number of eligible devices. If virtualization-based security (VBS) is not enabled, updates will also turn it on where required. Before doing so, Windows checks each device to determine whether the hardware supports it, whether drivers and applications are compatible, and whether performance would be affected.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The feature is already enabled by default on clean Windows 11 installations that meet the requirements and on Secured-core PCs. However, on devices upgraded from older versions, the existing default policy was not applied \u2014 and these are the devices the new rollout will primarily cover.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Important: PCs where memory integrity has already been disabled manually will not be automatically changed by this rollout.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Which PCs Need Memory Integrity<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Materials describing the change list the following PC requirements:<\/p>\n<ul dir=\"ltr\">\n<li>Intel 8th-generation processor or newer (for Windows 11 22H2), or AMD Zen 2 or newer;<\/li>\n<li>at least 8 GB of RAM on x64 systems;<\/li>\n<li>SSD with at least 64 GB;<\/li>\n<li>compatible drivers;<\/li>\n<li>hardware virtualization enabled (Intel VT-x \/ AMD-V in BIOS\/UEFI).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If your computer does not meet the requirements or Windows detects driver problems, the feature will not be enabled automatically.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">How to Check Windows 11 Core Isolation and Memory Integrity<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2573\" src=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11.webp\" alt=\"How to check Windows 11 Core isolation\" width=\"1672\" height=\"941\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11.webp 1672w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/yak-pereviryty-izolyacziyu-yadra-windows-11-1536x864.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The announcement sources do not provide step-by-step instructions, so below are the standard Windows methods. Check them on your own build.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Method 1. Through the interface<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol dir=\"ltr\">\n<li>Open \u201cSettings\u201d \u2192 \u201cPrivacy &amp; security\u201d \u2192 \u201cWindows Security\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Select \u201cDevice security\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>In the \u201cCore isolation\u201d section, click \u201cCore isolation details\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Check the \u201cMemory integrity\u201d switch: \u201cOn\u201d or \u201cOff\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Method 2. PowerShell (run as administrator)<\/strong><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"powershell code\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>powershell<\/div>\n<div>\n<pre><code class=\"language-powershell\">Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_DeviceGuard -Namespace root\\Microsoft\\Windows\\DeviceGuard | Select-Object SecurityServicesConfigured, SecurityServicesRunning, VirtualizationBasedSecurityStatus<\/code><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">How to read the result: if <code dir=\"ltr\">SecurityServicesRunning<\/code> contains the value <code dir=\"ltr\">2<\/code>, Memory integrity (HVCI) is running. <code dir=\"ltr\">VirtualizationBasedSecurityStatus<\/code> = <code dir=\"ltr\">2<\/code> means VBS is active.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Method 3. System Information<\/strong> Press Win+R, enter <code dir=\"ltr\">msinfo32<\/code>, and at the bottom of the main page find the lines \u201cVirtualization-based security\u201d and \u201cVirtualization-based security services running\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">What to Do About Incompatible Drivers<\/h2>\n<p>If the feature will not turn on, the most common reason is an incompatible driver. In the \u201cCore isolation details\u201d window, Windows usually displays a list of drivers blocking activation. Update them to the latest versions from the device manufacturer. Microsoft has also documented issues ranging from failures in certain applications to incompatibility with some anti-cheat systems in games. If a driver is old and no update is available, it generally needs to be removed or replaced rather than forcing the system to work with it.<\/p>\n<h2>Does Windows 11 Core Isolation Affect Games<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2574\" src=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11.webp\" alt=\"Does Windows 11 Core isolation affect games\" width=\"1672\" height=\"941\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11.webp 1672w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/chy-vplyvaye-izolyacziya-yadra-windows-11-1536x864.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Yes, it can, but not always. Back in 2022, Microsoft acknowledged that Memory integrity could reduce gaming performance on some configurations and advised users who prioritize performance to temporarily disable it while gaming, while warning that doing so reduces security.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The impact depends on the hardware: newer processors with hardware acceleration for isolation handle it better, while older ones that rely more on software emulation may lose more performance. The announcement sources do not provide specific numbers, so do not trust \u201cuniversal\u201d FPS tables \u2014 test it on your own PC.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">How to Disable Windows 11 Core Isolation (and Whether You Should)<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If enabling it causes problems with a specific game, application or driver, Windows 11 Core isolation can be disabled. A separate case is AMD overclocking: according to user reports, Ryzen Master may refuse to work while virtualization-based security (VBS) is enabled. Before disabling the protection, consider whether you really need that program.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Through the interface:<\/strong> \u201cWindows Security\u201d \u2192 \u201cDevice security\u201d \u2192 \u201cCore isolation details\u201d \u2192 \u201cMemory integrity\u201d switch \u2192 \u201cOff\u201d \u2192 restart.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Through the registry (run as administrator, with a backup):<\/strong><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Code\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<pre><code>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\DeviceGuard\\Scenarios\\HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity<\/code><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The <code dir=\"ltr\">Enabled<\/code> (DWORD) value: <code dir=\"ltr\">1<\/code> \u2014 enabled, <code dir=\"ltr\">0<\/code> \u2014 disabled. A restart is required after changing it. On corporate PCs, the setting may be managed by policy, in which case you should change it through those policies.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Verification after the change:<\/strong> repeat the PowerShell command from Method 2 \u2014 the value <code dir=\"ltr\">2<\/code> in <code dir=\"ltr\">SecurityServicesRunning<\/code> should disappear.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Should you disable it? Generally, no: this is one of the important kernel protection layers. Disable it only for a specific reason (for example, anti-cheat incompatibility or a significant FPS loss), and consider whether updating drivers could solve the issue instead. If you disable it temporarily for gaming, remember to turn it back on.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">In Brief: The Key Points<\/h2>\n<ul dir=\"ltr\">\n<li><strong>Starting in October 2026<\/strong>, Windows 11 updates enable Memory integrity on more eligible PCs<\/li>\n<li>The feature is already enabled on clean installations that meet the requirements and on Secured-core PCs<\/li>\n<li>If you disabled it manually, it will not be turned back on automatically<\/li>\n<li>Windows 11 Core isolation = a section of Windows Security; Memory integrity (HVCI) is its key feature<\/li>\n<li>Requirements: Intel 8th gen+ or AMD Zen 2+, 8 GB RAM, SSD of at least 64 GB, compatible drivers, virtualization<\/li>\n<li>Check it through \u201cWindows Security\u201d \u2192 \u201cDevice security\u201d \u2192 \u201cCore isolation\u201d or PowerShell (<code dir=\"ltr\">SecurityServicesRunning<\/code> = 2)<\/li>\n<li>The gaming performance impact depends on the PC; the sources provide no exact figures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>What is Windows 11 Core isolation?<\/strong> It is a kernel protection feature (HVCI) that verifies code in a virtualization-based isolated environment and prevents malicious or untrusted drivers from running.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Is Memory integrity enabled automatically?<\/strong> Starting in October 2026, Microsoft is enabling it through quality updates on a larger number of eligible PCs. On clean installations that meet the requirements, it is already enabled.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Will it be enabled if I turned it off manually?<\/strong> No. According to Microsoft, devices where the feature was manually disabled will not be automatically changed by the rollout.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Does Memory integrity reduce FPS in games?<\/strong> It can on some configurations, especially on older processors. The sources provide no exact figures, so test it on your own PC.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>How do I disable Memory integrity?<\/strong> In \u201cWindows Security\u201d \u2192 \u201cDevice security\u201d \u2192 \u201cCore isolation details\u201d, switch \u201cMemory integrity\u201d to \u201cOff\u201d and restart the PC. But this reduces security, so do it only when necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Windows 11 Core isolation is a section of Windows Security that contains the Memory integrity feature (also known as HVCI): a protection mechanism that verifies kernel code in an isolated environment. Starting in October 2026, Microsoft began enabling it automatically on more compatible PCs through regular Windows updates. Below is what this means, who it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gadgets","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2587,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581\/revisions\/2587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techvisor.pro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}