Before you start
- Windows 11 or 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education
- Virtualization enabled in the BIOS
- At least 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
Method 1 Turn on Windows Sandbox
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Step 1: Check virtualization
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc > Performance > CPU. Virtualization should say Enabled. If not, turn on Intel VT-x or AMD SVM in your BIOS.
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Step 2: Open Windows features
Search Start for Turn Windows features on or off and open it.
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Step 3: Tick Windows Sandbox
Tick Windows Sandbox, click OK, and restart when asked.
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All -OnlineMethod 2 Use the Sandbox
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Step 1: Open it
Search Start for Windows Sandbox and open it. A clean Windows desktop appears in a window.
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Step 2: Copy files in
Copy a file on your PC (Ctrl + C) and paste it inside the Sandbox (Ctrl + V). Then open or install it there.
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Step 3: Close to wipe
Close the Sandbox window. Everything inside is deleted permanently, and your real PC isn’t affected.
Troubleshooting
Windows Sandbox is missing from Windows features
You’re on Windows Home, which doesn’t include it. Upgrading to Pro adds it.
“No hypervisor was found”
Enable virtualization in the BIOS, and check that Virtual Machine Platform isn’t blocked by other virtualization software settings.
Frequently asked questions
Does anything stay in the Sandbox after closing?
No. It starts fresh every time.
Can I use Sandbox on Windows Home?
Not officially. Use a free virtual machine app like VirtualBox instead.
Summary
Enable virtualization, tick Windows Sandbox in Turn Windows features on or off, and restart. Paste suspicious files into the Sandbox to test them, and close it to wipe everything.
