Microsoft announced that starting in October 2026, more eligible Windows PCs will automatically enable the Memory Integrity security feature, extending kernel-level protection to more existing devices.
Memory Integrity primarily uses Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and the Windows hypervisor to move kernel-mode code integrity checks into an isolated environment, preventing malicious or untrusted code and drivers from executing within the Windows kernel.
This feature has existed since the Windows 10 era, initially released as part of the Device Guard security technology. With Windows 11, it was upgraded to become a default security feature for new installations.
Currently, Memory Integrity is enabled by default on new Windows 11 devices that meet the hardware requirements. This update will expand its coverage to existing eligible devices.
Key requirements include Intel 8th Gen and newer processors, AMD Zen 2 and newer processors, at least 8GB of RAM for x64 systems, an SSD with over 64GB of storage, compatible drivers, and enabled hardware virtualization.
Additionally, Microsoft acknowledged as early as 2022 that Memory Integrity and the Virtual Machine Platform (VMP) could affect gaming performance on some Windows 11 devices, recommending that players seeking optimal performance temporarily disable these protections while gaming.
Microsoft's official gaming guide has also continued to recommend temporarily disabling Memory Integrity and VMP when they interfere with game performance.
As for the impact, it mainly depends on the hardware itself. Newer processors have hardware features that accelerate isolation operations, resulting in better performance, while older CPUs relying on software simulation suffer greater performance losses.
For users who have manually disabled Memory Integrity, Microsoft has clearly stated that this update will not automatically change their settings.
