GoKawiilMicrosoft to turn on VBS memory integrity by default in Windows 11 next October
Microsoft confirmed that starting in October 2026, memory integrity protection built on Virtualization-based Security will be switched on by default for eligible Windows 11 PCs. The feature runs Windows as a guest OS under Hyper-V to isolate the kernel from tampering, but Microsoft has previously acknowledged it can hurt gaming performance. Organizations will retain the ability to disable it, though the default posture is shifting toward security-first.
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This marks a fundamental shift in how the average Windows PC operates, since virtualizing the OS itself carries real performance costs that Microsoft has downplayed in its messaging. Gamers and performance-sensitive users may see frame rate drops unless they know to manually disable the feature, while enterprises get a stronger default security baseline against kernel-level malware.
- VBS-based memory integrity becomes default in Windows 11 starting October 2026 updates.
- The feature relies on Hyper-V virtualization, which Microsoft has previously said can reduce gaming performance.
- Users and organizations can still manually disable VBS and memory integrity if performance matters more than security.
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (retail license) — If you're planning to take advantage of memory integrity and Virtualization-based Security, a proper Windows 11 Pro license gets you the full set of enterprise-grade security tools on modern Intel and AMD hardware. It's the straightforward way to move an older PC onto the platform where these kernel-level protections are being turned on by default.
See Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (retail license) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Alfonso Maruccia, 2026-09-02
Published there as: “Microsoft will soon enable memory integrity by default on eligible Windows 11 PCs”
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