Microsoft Enables Memory Integrity Protection by Default on Eligible Windows 11 PCs

Microsoft is planning to enable memory integrity protection by default on eligible Windows 11 PCs in October 2026. This change will provide stronger kernel-level protection against malicious software and other threats, but it could also have a detrimental effect on game performance.

The feature is built upon Virtualization-based Security (VBS), which uses hardware-level virtualization capabilities to isolate sensitive data and processes within Windows. VBS treats the Windows installation as an isolated virtual machine, and Microsoft previously warned that enabling this feature could hinder performance.

Microsoft has decided that security comes first and will enable memory integrity protection by default, but organizations will be able to change the default configuration by disabling VBS and memory integrity protection. The company also notes that some applications and device drivers might be incompatible with this technology.