Engee documentation

How to Enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 10 and 11

Page in progress.

What It Is and When You Need It

Hardware virtualization is a CPU feature (Intel VT-x or AMD-V/SVM) that allows you to run guest OSes[1] in virtualization applications (virtual machines, VMs), such as VMware Workstation/Player or Oracle VirtualBox.

If virtualization is disabled, you may not see 64-bit systems in the guest OS list and you can get compatibility errors (“VT-x/AMD-V is not available”, etc.).

Action Plan

  1. Check whether virtualization is supported and whether it is enabled.

  2. Enable virtualization in UEFI/BIOS (if it is disabled).

  3. Configure Windows for VMware/VirtualBox (typically — disable Hyper-V and related features).

  4. Recheck the status and start the VM.

Step 1. Check Virtualization Support and Status

The easiest way:

  • Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) → Performance tab → CPU → the Virtualization line:

    cp virtualization en

  • Enabled — hardware virtualization is enabled, and you are ready to work with VMs.

  • Disabled — you need to enable hardware virtualization in UEFI/BIOS.

  • No line — a rare case; verify your CPU model on the manufacturer website. In even rarer cases the issue can be caused by outdated Windows 10/11 updates—update the OS.

You can also check using vendor utilities:

  • Intel: Intel Processor Identification Utility → CPU Technologies.

  • AMD: AMD-V Detection Utility.

Step 2. Enable Virtualization in UEFI/BIOS

You can enter UEFI/BIOS like this:

  • Windows 11: Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart.

  • Windows 10: Settings → Update & Security → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → then continue as above.

If there is no UEFI firmware settings item, enter BIOS using a hotkey during startup/restart (Del, F2, F10, F12 depending on your motherboard vendor).

Enable the required option:

  • For Intel: Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) → Enabled.

  • For AMD: SVM Mode (sometimes — AMD SVM / AMD-V) → Enabled.

Save the changes (Save & Exit) and let the computer reboot.

Step 3. Configure Windows for VMware/VirtualBox

VMware/VirtualBox usually work better when Hyper-V and related Windows features are disabled.

  1. Open Windows Features:
    Control Panel → Programs and Features → Turn Windows features on or off. On Windows 11, you can also access it via Settings → Apps → Optional features → More Windows features.

  2. Clear the checkboxes for:

    • Hyper-V

    • Virtual Machine Platform

      cp virtualization 1 en

  3. Click OK and reboot the PC.

  4. Check Core isolation[2]:
    Windows Security → Device security → Core isolation → Memory integrity → set the toggle to Off → reboot the PC.

Some VMware/VirtualBox versions can work with Hyper-V enabled, but they are often slower or may fail with errors. If you see “VT-x/AMD-V is not available”, “No 64-bit guest”, or error codes — disable the items above and reboot the PC.

Step 4. Recheck the Result

  • Task Manager → Performance → CPU — Virtualization should show Enabled.

  • In VirtualBox, 64-bit guest OS options should appear (for example, Ubuntu (64-bit)).

  • In VMware Workstation/Player, starting a 64-bit guest OS should not show VT-x/AMD-V warnings.

If It Didn’t Work

  • Virtualization: Disabled — return to UEFI/BIOS and confirm the option is actually set to Enabled, then save (Save & Exit).

  • No such option in UEFI/BIOS — update the firmware or check your PC/motherboard model (sometimes the option is hidden).

  • Errors “VT-x/AMD-V is not available”/“No 64-bit guest” — disable Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, Virtual Machine Platform, and Memory integrity again, then reboot.

  • Very old CPU — it may not support VT-x/AMD-V.

  1. Working with the Engee offline client

1. Guest OS — an additional operating system running inside a virtual machine application “in a window” on your PC; it is separate from the host OS and uses its resources.
2. Core isolation / Memory integrity — a Windows Security feature that uses the hypervisor; it may reduce VMware/VirtualBox compatibility/performance.