Windows 11 to Auto-Enable Memory Integrity Starting in October
Microsoft will start automatically turning on Memory Integrity for eligible Windows 11 devices via regular quality updates beginning in October 2026. The feature is already enabled by default on fresh installations of Windows 11 and on Secured-core PCs, and the October update will bring it to systems that have been upgraded from previous versions of Windows or that originally had the feature turned off.
Memory Integrity includes a security measure that checks kernel-mode code, although it could lead to a decrease in gaming performance on older processors. For devices on which the feature had been disabled manually, that setting will be retained, according to Microsoft.
The company makes the change via the usual monthly quality-update channel rather than through a feature update. This means that IT administrators who manage enterprise fleets can expect the update to be installed automatically unless current policies counter this action.