How to Install and Enable Windows Sandbox in Windows 11/10 Pro

Do you want to enable Windows Sandbox on your Windows computer then you are in the right spot? In this post, you’ll learn how to enable Windows Sandbox in Windows 11 Pro Edition.

Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft included the Windows Sandbox functionality to assist establish a safe environment that separates running programs from the main system. This functionality is very valuable for security experts who are evaluating apps that are untrustworthy or unknown.

Meanwhile, On Windows 11, you may enable Windows Sandbox, a safe environment that separates running programs from the rest of the system. It’s great for trying out new programs and software that you’re not sure about.

What is Windows Sandbox?

In a nutshell, Windows Sandbox is a hybrid of a program and a virtual machine. It allows you to easily create a virtual clean OS imaged from your current system state, allowing you to test applications or data in a safe environment apart from your primary system. The state is destroyed when you close the sandbox. Nothing can go from the sandbox to your regular Windows installation, and nothing stays once it’s closed.

Furthermore, the Windows Sandbox feature appeared in Windows 10 and is still available in Windows 11. This is a useful feature for isolated environments. It’s similar to a virtual machine that runs a different kernel to isolate a Windows Sandbox session from the host using Microsoft’s hypervisor and hardware virtualization. It’s about 100MB in size and installs and runs untrustworthy traditional apps in a separate installation from the main one.

System requirements

Windows Sandbox, like any other piece of software, has prerequisites that must be met before it can be used. Even if you’re using the Windows 10 Home Edition, you must meet the following requirements:

1. At least Windows 10 Version 1903.
2. Hardware Virtualization is enabled (from BIOS settings).
3. Have at least 4 GB of RAM and 1 GB of free space on the hard drive.
4. At least 2 processor cores.

Install Sandbox in Windows 10/11 Pro

So, here are the steps to install Windows Sandbox in Windows 11 Pro edition:

Note Sandbox feature is not available in home editions of Windows 11.

Step 1. Press the Win + R shortcut keys and type optionalfeatures.exe into the Run dialog. Hit Enter.

Run

Step 2. When the Windows optional features panel opens, select Sandbox from the list and click OK.

Sandbox

Step 3. Now, click on the Restart now.

Your computer will reboot to install and enable the Windows Sandbox feature on Windows 11. 

Note  If Windows Sandbox is greyed out on your PC or you cannot select it, either your PC does not support Hardware Virtualization or is not enabled on BIOS/UEFI.

Step 4. To access the Windows Sandbox, click on the Start button and type Sandbox. From the search result, click on Windows Sandbox to launch it. 

Step 5. Windows Sandbox will now open, allowing you to download and run dubious programs. It has no effect on the host PC because it operates in its own environment. All data will be automatically erased after you close the Sandbox application.

 Alternative Methods to Enable Sandbox in Windows 11

Enable Windows Sandbox via PowerShell

• Run Windows PowerShell as an administrator.
• Enter the following command and hit Enter.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All

• If prompted to restart the OS, type Y.
• To disable, enter the below code:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -Online

Enable Sandbox via CMD

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• type the following command to enable the Sandbox:

dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All

• Press Y to restart.
• To disable, enter the below code:

 dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"Containers-DisposableClientVM

These were the methods to enable Windows Sandbox in Windows 11 Pro Edition.

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