Core Isolation in Windows 11 and 10: what it is and how to turn it off

Windows 11 has a setting most people only discover when something stops launching: Core Isolation. On new laptops and clean installs it’s on by default, and it’s the reason a loader says “failed to load driver” or just closes without a word.

What Core Isolation is

Core Isolation is part of a Windows protection called VBS (Virtualization-Based Security). The system starts a small hypervisor and moves its most sensitive checks into a separate virtual environment, out of reach of malicious code.

Its main feature is Memory Integrity (HVCI in the documentation). It checks every driver before it loads. No valid signature, or the driver is on the vulnerable list — loading is blocked.

For antivirus protection that’s good. For software that works through its own driver, it’s a wall: loaders, spoofers and some overclocking tools won’t start until Memory Integrity is off.

1. Games and apps the loader asks to load a driver
2. Windows kernel drivers run here
3. VBS hypervisor Memory Integrity: unsigned — refused
4. CPU and memory

How to check whether it’s on

The line below it, “Virtualization-based security Services Running”, shows what exactly is on. If it lists Hypervisor enforced Code Integrity, that’s Memory Integrity.

How to turn Core Isolation off

The steps are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10:

The same page has a Microsoft Vulnerable Driver Blocklist toggle. It blocks specific old drivers, even signed ones. If your software’s instructions ask you to turn it off, it’s right there.

If the toggle is greyed out or turns itself back on

There are two scenarios.

“This setting is managed by your administrator.” A group policy turned Core Isolation on. On Windows Pro, open gpedit.msc and go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → System → Device Guard. Set Turn On Virtualization Based Security to Disabled.

The toggle goes off but is back on after a restart. This happens after major Windows updates. Turn it off in the registry:

Hyper-V and the Virtual Machine Platform

Even with Memory Integrity off, the Windows hypervisor can keep running. Virtualization features hold it up, and some loaders mind it just as much.

The check is simple: open a command prompt and run systeminfo. If the very end says “A hypervisor has been detected”, the hypervisor is running.

How to turn it off:

To undo all of it, turn the same features back on and run bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto.

Is it safe, and will FPS go up

A computer without Core Isolation works the same as with it. You lose one layer of protection against malicious drivers, so be extra careful about what you download and run.

Performance is the interesting part. The hypervisor takes some CPU resources, and Microsoft’s own page on gaming performance in Windows 11 suggests turning off Memory Integrity and the Virtual Machine Platform while gaming. The gain is usually a few percent, more noticeable on some systems.

What else gets in the loader’s way

Core Isolation rarely gets in the way alone. Secure Boot and Windows Defender usually sit next to it. The checker finds all of it in half a minute:

Check your PC in 30 seconds R1XON Checker finds what blocks the launch: Defender, anti-cheats, Secure Boot, Hyper-V, Windows build. It changes nothing in the system.

Download R1XON Checker

If the loader still won’t start after that, go through the checklist and write to support with the checker report.

FAQ