Did you know that if you enable Hyper-V on Windows 10, you can create, delete and manage virtual machines? Using a virtual machine (VM) lets you test out any new and unstable operating systems and try out new apps and features in a contained virtualized desktop environment.
It also helps keep your physical PC safe from any bugs, performance, and/or stability issues of the VM. Hyper-V is Microsoft’s implementation of a virtual machine manager, although there are others, notably from Oracle and VMWare.
Of course, this is only the case if your PC meets these necessary requirements to enable Hyper-V on Windows 10:
- Windows 10 Enterprise, Pro, or Education edition
- 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)
- CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPUs)
- Minimum of 4 GB RAM
There are a couple of things that need to be addressed before we go any further:
1. Hyper-V cannot be enabled on Windows 10 Home.
2. Hyper-V is built into Windows 10 as an optional feature that needs to be enabled, so there is no “Hyper-V download” available.
The best thing you can do is to upgrade to a different Windows version either by opening Settings > Update and Security > Activation or purchase a Windows license directly from Microsoft.
Another cool trick is that you can upgrade your Windows edition via the Microsoft Store directly on your Windows PC.
Enable Hyper-V on Windows 10
If your PC meets all of the requirements, then you are ready to go. So how do you enable Hyper-V? Enable Hyper-V by using Windows Settings, Command Prompt (CMD) and the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool (DISM), and Windows PowerShell.
Here are the three simple methods:
1. Windows Settings
1. Right-click the Windows button on your desktop and select Apps and Features
2. Choose Programs and Features located on the right.
3. Select Turn Windows features on or off.
4. Check the box next to Hyper-V, including Hyper-V Management Tools and Hyper-V Platform, and click OK.
2. CMD and DISM
1. Open Command Prompt (CMD) as Administrator.
2. Copy and paste the following command:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Hyper-V
3. Press Enter when finished to run the command.
3. Windows PowerShell
1. Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Copy and paste the following command:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
3. Press Enter when finished to run the command.
Whichever method you choose to enable Hyper-V, you will be prompted to restart your system for the changes to take effect. You will not be able to use Hyper-V until you restart your Windows 10 PC.
Once you restart your PC, you can get started using desktop virtualization tools, including the ability to create a Windows 11 virtual machine on Windows 10.
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Do you know of any other ways to enable Hyper-V on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments!
