How to enable virtualization on pcs

Enable virtualization on Windows 11 PCs

Virtualization lets your PC emulate a different operating system, like Android™ or Linux. Enabling virtualization gives you access to a larger library of apps to use and install on your PC. If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your PC, these steps will help you enable virtualization.

Note: Many Windows 10 PCs—and all PCs that come preinstalled with Windows 11—already have virtualization enabled, so you may not need to follow these steps.

Before you begin, determine your device model and manufacturer. You’ll need this info later in the process.

Before you begin, we recommend opening this page on a different device. Here’s how to get to the UEFI from Windows:

Save your work and close any open apps.

Select Start > Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup, then select Restart now.

Once your PC restarts, you’ll see a screen that displays Choose an option. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Settings > Restart.

Your PC will restart again and you’ll be in the UEFI utility. At this step, you might see the UEFI referred to as the BIOS on your PC.

The way the UEFI (or BIOS) appears depends on your PC manufacturer. Once you’ve enabled virtualization and exited the UEFI, your PC will restart.

Important: Only change what you need to in the UEFI (or BIOS). Adjusting other settings might prevent you from accessing Windows.

Instructions based on your PC manufacturer

Choose your PC manufacturer for specific instructions on enabling virtualization. If you don’t see your manufacturer listed, refer to your device documentation.

These are external links to the manufacturers’ websites.

Enable virtualization on Windows 11 PCs

Virtualization lets your PC emulate a different operating system, like Android™ or Linux. Enabling virtualization gives you access to a larger library of apps to use and install on your PC. If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your PC, these steps will help you enable virtualization.

Note: Many Windows 10 PCs—and all PCs that come preinstalled with Windows 11—already have virtualization enabled, so you may not need to follow these steps.

Before you begin, determine your device model and manufacturer. You’ll need this info later in the process.

Before you begin, we recommend opening this page on a different device. Here’s how to get to the UEFI from Windows:

Save your work and close any open apps.

Select Start > Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup, then select Restart now.

Once your PC restarts, you’ll see a screen that displays Choose an option. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Settings > Restart.

Your PC will restart again and you’ll be in the UEFI utility. At this step, you might see the UEFI referred to as the BIOS on your PC.

The way the UEFI (or BIOS) appears depends on your PC manufacturer. Once you’ve enabled virtualization and exited the UEFI, your PC will restart.

Important: Only change what you need to in the UEFI (or BIOS). Adjusting other settings might prevent you from accessing Windows.

Instructions based on your PC manufacturer

Choose your PC manufacturer for specific instructions on enabling virtualization. If you don’t see your manufacturer listed, refer to your device documentation.

These are external links to the manufacturers’ websites.

Enable virtualization on Windows 11 PCs

Virtualization lets your PC emulate a different operating system, like Android™ or Linux. Enabling virtualization gives you access to a larger library of apps to use and install on your PC. If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your PC, these steps will help you enable virtualization.

Note: Many Windows 10 PCs—and all PCs that come preinstalled with Windows 11—already have virtualization enabled, so you may not need to follow these steps.

Before you begin, determine your device model and manufacturer. You’ll need this info later in the process.

Before you begin, we recommend opening this page on a different device. Here’s how to get to the UEFI from Windows:

Save your work and close any open apps.

Select Start > Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup, then select Restart now.

Once your PC restarts, you’ll see a screen that displays Choose an option. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Settings > Restart.

Your PC will restart again and you’ll be in the UEFI utility. At this step, you might see the UEFI referred to as the BIOS on your PC.

The way the UEFI (or BIOS) appears depends on your PC manufacturer. Once you’ve enabled virtualization and exited the UEFI, your PC will restart.

Important: Only change what you need to in the UEFI (or BIOS). Adjusting other settings might prevent you from accessing Windows.

Instructions based on your PC manufacturer

Choose your PC manufacturer for specific instructions on enabling virtualization. If you don’t see your manufacturer listed, refer to your device documentation.

These are external links to the manufacturers’ websites.

How to Enable virtualization (VT-x) in Windows 10 BIOS?

When you install a virtual machine on your system, it is possible that the machine may not start and you may encounter an error telling you that VT-x is disabled (or referencing a problem with AMD-V if you have an AMD CPU). This means that the hardware acceleration settings required by the CPU to support virtualization are currently disabled in your BIOS. In this article, we will be resolving this issue.

Note: Accessing the BIOS might differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Additionally, it is also possible that the same manufacturer may implement different BIOS versions depending on the age or model of the computer.

Checking if Virtualization is Disabled:

Follow the below steps to check if virtualization s disabled:

Step 1: Open up the command prompt.

Step 2: Now run the below command:

Find hyper v requirements and to the right, you will find virtualization enabled in the firmware.

If it is disabled that is if it is No we can move on.

Enabling Virtualization:

Follow the below steps to enable virtualization on your windows 10 system:

Step 1: Navigate to the start menu and click on settings.

Step 2: Find update and security and click on it.

Step 3: A tab will open now find recovery and click on it.

Step 4: In recovery, you have to find advance startup, under advance startup you will see the restart now button, click on restart now.

Step 5: Once you see the blue screen with some icons, you have to select the Troubleshoot one.

Step 6: Select Advanced options.

Step 7: Since our problem is with the firmware we have to find that setting. Once we find UEFI firmware settings select that and again restart button will appear so hit enter on restart.

click on UEFI Filmware setting ( windows 10)

Click on restart

Step 8: We have to find the BIOS setup and click on the respective function key. Here it is F10. So press F10 (for Lenovo system press Fn+F10).

Step 9: New panel will open, here go to the System configuration (just by pressing up down left right key you can move here )and find Virtualization Technology. Once you go to virtualization technology hit the enter key.

Click on enable

Your virtualization technology is enabled at this point. You can press F10 to exit here.

How to enable or disable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

Hardware Virtualization, also called Platform, Server virtualization is the virtualization of computers as complete hardware platforms. In this post, we will show you how to enable or disable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10, via the BIOS settings.

Disable or Enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

While most recent PCs support hardware virtualization, not all computer vendors enable this feature as shipped from the factory. The setting may be called VT-x, AMD-V, SVM, Vanderpool, Intel VT-d or AMD IOMMU if the options are available.

If you are unable to find the Virtualization settings in your BIOS it may mean that your PC does not support it. Nevertheless, you can check if your Windows 10 PC supports HAV.

If your computer doesn’t offer any options to access its BIOS before your OS loads then it is possible that it uses UEFI instead. On a UEFI-based computer, there is often no button press prompt before the OS loads. Instead, you will access these settings from within the OS.

For a Windows system; hold down the Shift key as you click Restart in Windows to reboot straight to that menu. To access the UEFI Firmware Settings, click the Troubleshoot tile, select Advanced Options, and select UEFI Firmware Settings. Click the Restart option afterward and your computer will reboot into its UEFI firmware settings screen.

Different MOBOs use different BIOS configurations – s o to enable or disable Hardware Assisted Virtualization (HAV) on your Windows 10 device, you can see the sections below for a list of the most common computer manufacturers and information regarding accessing the BIOS settings for each PC manufacturer.

Acer

Most commonly: F2 or Delete.

Asus

Most commonly: F2.

Read: How to disable VBS?

DELL

Newer models: F2 key whilst Dell logo is on screen.

Alternatively: F1, Delete, F12, or F3.

Older models: CTRL+ALT+ENTER or Delete or Fn+ESC or Fn+F1.

HP

Most commonly: F10 or ESC.

Alternatively: F1, F2, F6, or F11

Lenovo

Most commonly: F1 or F2

Older hardware: the key combination CTRL+ALT+F3 or CTRL+ALT+INS or Fn+F1.

Enabling VT-x in ThinkPad (Tablets/Convertibles/Notebooks):

Enabling VT-x in ThinkCentre (Desktops):

Sony

Sony VAIO: F2 or F3

Toshiba

Most commonly: F2 key.

Alternatively: F1 and ESC.

Hope you find this post informative enough!