Microsoft has published a new support document, where the company acknowledged potential performance issues when playing games on systems running Windows 11. According to the software giant, memory integrity and the virtual machine platform can lead to a notably worse gaming experience.
The virtual machine platform is the feature your computer needs to run virtual machines, Windows Subsystem for Linux, and Windows Subsystem for Android. The latter is necessary for running Android apps, which are now available in more than 30 countries. Memory integrity is a part of the security toolkit Windows 11 uses to prevent attacks and protect you from malware. It is available in Windows 11 2022 Update, and you can turn it on only after clean-installing the latest Windows 11 release.
Interestingly, this is not the first time we hear about virtualization technologies causing headaches for gamers. Back in 2021, before Microsoft shipped Windows 11, reports emerged about VBS crippling gaming performance.
Microsoft does not detail the exact performance impact the virtual machine platform and memory integrity could cause. Also, there is no information on what hardware configurations get the biggest hit. If you suspect that performance in the games took a nosedive after updating to Windows 11, try the following steps to see if the virtual machine platform and memory integrity are to blame.
Important: Memory integrity is a security measure Microsoft has implemented to guard you against malicious code. Disabling this will not necessarily make your device unprotected, but it will make it less secure. Therefore, proceed at your own risk. Turning off the virtual machine platform has no security implications, but you will lose access to some features, such as virtual machines, WSL, and Android apps.
How to improve gaming performance in Windows 11 by disabling the Virtual Machine Platform and Memory Isolation?
- Press Win + R and type optionalfeatures.
- Uncheck the Virtual Machine Platform option.
- Click Ok and restart your computer.
- Launch the Windows Security app.
- Go to the Device Security tab.
- Click Core isolation details.
- Toggle off the Memory integrity feature.
- Restart your computer.
In non-gaming-related news, Microsoft recently confirmed that Windows 11 2022 Update cripples solid-state drivers. Users can notice a throughput downgrade of up to 40% when copying large files locally or via SMB.
Have you noticed any performance issues after upgrading to Windows 11?