A virtual machine app, Windows Sandbox, Docker Desktop, WSL2, or an Android emulator says virtualization is disabled even though the computer should support it. This applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs with Intel or AMD CPUs from roughly the last decade.
Does This Affect You?
Hardware virtualization is called Intel VT-x on Intel systems and AMD-V or SVM on AMD systems. It lets the processor run virtual machines efficiently and is required by many developer, sandbox, and emulator tools. Many computers support it but ship with the BIOS setting turned off.
Changing this setting is reversible and does not alter your files or Windows installation. Still, change only the virtualization option unless you understand the rest of the firmware menu. We provide no warranty; proceed at your own risk.
Enable Virtualization in BIOS
The name and location vary by brand, so look for the common terms.
- Restart the PC and repeatedly press the BIOS/UEFI key as it starts. Common keys include Delete, F2, F10, or Esc.
- Open a menu such as Advanced, CPU Configuration, Advanced CPU Configuration, or sometimes Security.
- Find Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel VT-x, SVM Mode, or AMD-V.
- Set the option to Enabled.
- If your workload needs device passthrough or nested features, also look for VT-d on Intel or IOMMU on AMD, but most basic VM users do not need to change it.
- Choose Save & Exit, often with F10, and let the computer restart.
Confirm It Is Actually Enabled
Verify from Windows after the reboot.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
- Go to Performance and select CPU.
- Look for Virtualization. It should say Enabled.
- You can also open Command Prompt and run systeminfo, then look for Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes.
- If it still says disabled, go back to BIOS and make sure you saved the correct Intel or AMD setting before exiting.
Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, WSL2, and Virtual Machine Platform can conflict with older versions of VirtualBox or VMware even when BIOS virtualization is enabled. If another VM app still complains, check Windows Features for Hyper-V-related components and decide which virtualization stack you want active.
On managed business laptops, the virtualization option may be hidden, locked, or protected by a BIOS password. That usually means an IT policy controls it. Some consumer laptops hide the toggle until a firmware update, so check the manufacturer support page if the option is missing.
Sources
- Intel – How to enable Intel Virtualization Technology (2025)
- Microsoft – Windows Sandbox and virtualization requirements (2025)
- VMware – Enabling hardware virtualization in BIOS (2024)