How to Enable Windows Sandbox on Windows 11 and 10 (All Methods)

Windows Sandbox gives you a temporary, isolated desktop environment for testing untrusted apps and files without risking your main system. It runs as a separate, disposable instance of Windows on top of your existing installation, so anything you download, install, or run inside it stays completely walled off from your real files, drivers, and registry. This makes it useful for opening suspicious email attachments, trying out software from unfamiliar sources, or testing installers before rolling them out on a production machine.

Unlike a full virtual machine, it needs no separate disk image or setup wizard, since it uses your existing Windows installation. On Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, data persists through restarts you trigger from inside the sandbox itself, though the entire environment is still wiped the moment you close the window. Network access is also enabled by default inside the sandbox, which is worth turning off if you are opening something you don’t fully trust. Here is how to turn it on and start using it on both Windows 11 and Windows 10.

What Is Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox is a lightweight virtual machine built into Windows that runs a clean copy of Windows for temporary use. Everything inside it is discarded the moment you close it, so nothing you install or run there affects your actual PC.

Beyond testing unknown installers, it is also useful for secure browsing of unfamiliar websites, demoing new software before committing to a full install, and running a separate sandbox for each version of a dev tool or language you need to test against.

Requirements Before You Enable It

Check these requirements first, since Windows Sandbox will not enable without them.

• Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (Home edition does not support it)
• Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, version 1903 or later, build 18362 or later
• 64-bit processor with virtualization support enabled in the BIOS or UEFI
• At least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended)
• At least 1 GB of free disk space (SSD recommended)
• At least 2 CPU cores (4 cores with hyperthreading recommended)

Method 1: Enable Virtualization in BIOS/UEFI

Windows Sandbox depends on hardware virtualization, so this needs to be turned on before Windows will let you enable the feature.

1. Restart your PC and enter BIOS/UEFI setup (usually by pressing F2, F10, Del, or Esc during startup, depending on your motherboard).
2. Look for a setting named Intel VT-x, Intel Virtualization Technology, or AMD-V under CPU or Advanced settings.
3. Set it to Enabled.
4. Save changes and exit (usually F10).
5. Once Windows boots, open Task Manager, go to the Performance tab, and confirm Virtualization shows as Enabled.

Method 2: Enable Windows Sandbox via Settings

On Windows 11 24H2 and later, the Settings app is the primary way to turn on Windows Sandbox, replacing the older Windows Features route for most users.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click System.
3. Click Advanced.
4. Click Virtual Workspaces.
5. Turn on the Windows Sandbox toggle.
6. Click Restart now to apply the change.

Method 3: Enable Windows Sandbox via Windows Features

This method still works on both Windows 11 and Windows 10, and remains the only option on builds where the Settings toggle is not yet available.

1. Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and press Enter.
2. In the Windows Features window, scroll down and check the box next to Windows Sandbox.
3. Click OK and wait for Windows to apply the changes.
4. Restart your PC when prompted.
5. After restart, search for “Windows Sandbox” in the Start menu and open it to confirm it launches correctly.

Method 4: Enable Windows Sandbox Using PowerShell

If neither of the above panels shows the option, or you prefer a command-based method for scripting across multiple PCs, PowerShell works as an alternative.

1. Right-click Start and select Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
2. Run the following command:

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

3. Restart your PC when the command finishes.
4. Open Windows Sandbox from the Start menu to verify it works.

Disable Windows Sandbox

If you no longer need the feature, you can turn it off using whichever method you used to enable it.

• Settings: Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Virtual Workspaces and turn the Windows Sandbox toggle off, then restart.
• Windows Features: Open optionalfeatures, clear the Windows Sandbox checkbox, click OK, then restart.
• PowerShell: Run Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -Online as administrator, then restart.

Why Windows Sandbox May Not Be Available on Your PC

• Virtualization is disabled in BIOS/UEFI, or the PC is running inside another virtual machine
• The Windows edition is Home, which does not support Windows Sandbox
• Windows is not fully updated to a build that includes the feature
• Another hypervisor (such as VirtualBox in certain configurations) is conflicting with Hyper-V based virtualization

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tech How-To

• How to Enable Hyper-V on Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Install VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 on Windows 11 (Free)
• Windows 11 Requirements for VMware and Hyper-V (Complete Setup Guide)

Errors & Fixes

• Windows 11 Requirements for VMware and Hyper-V (Complete Setup Guide)
• How to Disable Hyper-V on Windows 11 Home
• Hyper-V Failed to Connect to Local Computer