The Performance Penalty of Virtualization
In Windows 11, Microsoft introduced a highly aggressive security protocol called Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), along with a sub-feature called Memory Integrity (HVCI). These features use hardware virtualization to create a secure, isolated bubble inside your computer’s RAM, preventing malicious software from injecting code into critical system processes. While this is fantastic for enterprise laptops connecting to public airport Wi-Fi, it carries a heavy cost for desktop gaming. Running an entire virtualization layer between your video game and your CPU can severely impact framerates, causing stuttering and performance drops of up to 10% in high-end titles. If you are building a dedicated gaming rig where maximum framerates are more important than corporate-level security, you should disable VBS.
How to Turn Off VBS and Memory Integrity
You can strip away the virtualization layer via the main Windows Security dashboard.
- Click the Start Menu and type Core Isolation, then press Enter to jump directly to the correct security page.
- Look for the master toggle switch labeled Memory integrity.
- Toggle this switch to the Off position.
- A Windows User Account Control (UAC) prompt will appear. Click Yes to grant administrator permission.
Rebooting to Apply the Change
The operating system will immediately display a notification stating that a restart is required. Virtualization is baked deeply into the Windows boot sequence, so the change cannot happen while the system is running. Click the Start Menu and restart your PC. Once the computer boots back up, the virtualization hypervisor will be completely disabled, allowing your CPU to communicate directly with your video games without any security overhead slowing it down.