Windows Sandbox provides a secure desktop environment where you can work on a new project, install unsafe apps, and check them for possible threats or malicious codes. With Sandbox enabled on Windows 11, you get a lightweight environment where you can all those untested programs in isolation without affecting your main system image.
All those apps that you install in this environment will remain isolated from the host machine and run separately. The moment you close this application, all the software and related files will be deleted effectively. This implies that you get a brand-new Windows OS every time you start Sandbox on your computer. Let’s explore how to enable Sandbox on Windows 11, however, get to know the minimum prerequisites to have this program first –
How to enable or disable Windows Sandbox feature on Windows 10
Minimum system requirements to enable Sandbox on Windows 11
Before you enable Sandbox on Windows 11, you need to ensure these minimum system requirements –
- You must be on Windows 11/10 Edition – Pro, Enterprise, or Education.
- RAM – A minimum of 4 GB, however, 8 GB is recommended.
- Disk Space – 1 GB of free disk space (SSD recommended).
- CPU Cores: A minimum of two CPU cores. “Four cores with hyperthreading” is recommended.
- BIOS – Enabled Virtualization capabilities inside BIOS.
- System Architecture – AMD64
Only when your device meets the minimum system requirements as elaborated above, proceed ahead to install this feature on your PC.
How to activate Windows Sandbox on Windows 11
If you are willing to turn ON Sandbox on Windows 11, follow these easy steps –
- Press Win + S to launch the Search window.
- Type “Turn Windows Features on or off” in the text field, and press Enter.
- Windows Features will launch next.
- Tick the box left of “Windows Sandbox“, and hit OK.
- Windows Features will start looking for the requested files.
- Once this is over, hit Close and restart your PC.
Sign back into your device again and this time type “Sandbox” on the Start Menu. Click on the top result and the Sandbox starts running on your computer.
Enabling Sandbox on Windows 11 provides you with a regular Windows Desktop Environment that you may use to install and run an untrusted application on your PC. With Windows Sandbox turned On, these untrusted applications won’t affect your current Windows installation.
Note: When you close the Sandbox window, it will get rid of all its data, installed apps, etc. As a result, your device won’t have any data related to that program or whatsoever.
How to enable Sandbox on Windows 11 via PowerShell
Alternatively, you may also activate Windows Sandbox features by executing a single-line command on Windows PowerShell (Admin) –
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All -Online
What is Sandbox and how it works?
Windows Sandbox is a security tool on Windows 11 that allows installing even untrusted applications on your computer. With this feature enabled, you get a safe and isolated desktop environment where your device is safe to install untested or untrusted programs. As this is an isolated environment, it won’t cause any damage to your existing system image.
In cases where this tool detects malicious codes or infected files, the same will be removed proactively. By default, this will offer the following security practices –
- Proactively monitors malicious software for threats. A great tool to test untrusted software sources or the ones who came recently in the market.
- If you are a developer and are working on a project, you may use Sandbox to test possible vulnerabilities before it goes live.
- Every time Windows Sandbox runs, it’s as clean as a brand-new installation of Windows.
- With this tool, you need not require to download any VHD.
- This doesn’t store any data from the applications that you run on this tool.
- It uses the integrated kernel scheduler, smart memory management, and virtual GPU.
I hope you are now able to activate Sandbox on your Windows 11 PC.
