How to Enable and Use Windows Sandbox on Windows 11

Windows Sandbox is a lightweight virtualization feature built into Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It is designed to provide a secure and isolated environment for testing software, browsing risky websites, or experimenting with untrusted files. Whether you’re a developer, IT professional, or cautious user, Windows Sandbox offers a safe way to run suspicious apps without worrying about your main system. In this article, we’ll explore what Windows Sandbox is, its purpose, how it works, and a step-by-step guide to enable and use it on Windows 11.

What is Windows Sandbox?

Windows Sandbox is a temporary, isolated virtual desktop environment that allows you to run applications or files without affecting your host operating system. Introduced in Windows 10 and enhanced in Windows 11, it creates a clean, lightweight virtual machine (VM) using Microsoft’s Hyper-V technology. Each time you launch Windows Sandbox, you get a pristine Windows installation—identical to your host OS version—that vanishes when you close it, ensuring no traces of tested apps or files remain.

This feature is very useful to run the software that you want to check out, so that it can’t harm the underlying operating system or steal data.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Isolation: Windows Sandbox uses hypervisor-based virtualization to create a completely isolated environment, prevents any changes or installed software from affecting your host machine.
• Security: It’s ideal for testing untrusted software, exploring potentially malicious files, or running applications you’re not entirely sure are safe.
• Lightweight: Unlike full virtual machines, Windows Sandbox is resource-efficient and uses less memory, making it faster to launch and use.
• Temporary: Everything within the sandbox is deleted when you close it, ensuring a clean slate every time you use it.
• Ease of Use: It’s simple to launch and close, requiring minimal configuration and management.
• Flexibility: You can install applications, open files, and perform various tasks within the sandbox without fear of impacting your main system.

How Windows Sandbox Works

Windows Sandbox uses hypervisor-based virtualization technologies to create a secure, isolated environment, making it lightweight and fast to launch. When you close the sandbox, all data, including installed applications, is deleted, providing a clean, fresh environment each time.

• Hyper-V Integration: It uses Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor to run a separate kernel, isolating the sandbox from the host system.
• Dynamic Base Image: Instead of storing a full VM, it shares immutable OS files with the host and maintains a small (500 MB) dynamic base image for mutable files, making it lightweight (100 MB compressed).
• Disposable Nature: All changes, including installed apps or downloaded files, are deleted when the sandbox is closed, ensuring a clean slate each time.
• Hardware Virtualization: It relies on hardware-based virtualization for kernel isolation and supports virtual GPU (vGPU) for smooth graphics performance.
• Smart Resource Management: The sandbox dynamically adjusts memory and CPU usage, optimizing performance and minimizing impact on the host.
• Networking: Enabled by default, networking can be disabled for added security when testing untrusted apps.

Note: Since Windows 11 version 22H2, Windows Sandbox supports reboot persistence. It allows data to persist through restarts initiated within the sandbox, which is ideal for testing apps requiring reboots.

How to Enable Windows Sandbox on Windows 11/10

Windows Sandbox is available only on Windows 11/10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions—not Home. Before enabling it, ensure your system meets the requirements and virtualization is enabled.

Check System Requirements

• OS: Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (64-bit).
• Processor: CPU with virtualization support (Intel VT-x/AMD-V).
• RAM: At least 4 GB (8 GB recommended).
• Storage: 1 GB free space (SSD recommended).
• Virtualization: Enabled in BIOS/UEFI and Windows.
• Hyper-V: Must be enabled (usually automatic when enabling Sandbox).

Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the Performance tab. Ensure Virtualization says “Enabled” under the CPU section. If not, enable it in your BIOS/UEFI settings.

Enable Windows Sandbox

• Press Win + S, type Turn Windows features on or off, and select it.
• Scroll to Windows Sandbox and check the box.
• If prompted, check Hyper-V and Virtual Machine Platform as well.
• Click OK and follow the on-screen wizard to finish installing it – restart your PC when prompted.

Alternatively, you can open Windows Terminal (Admin) (Win + X, select Terminal (Admin)). Run: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName “Containers-DisposableClientVM” -All and Restart your PC.

Using Windows Sandbox

Once enabled, using Windows Sandbox is straightforward.

Launch Windows Sandbox:

• Press Win + S, type Windows Sandbox, and select Run as administrator.

• A new window opens with a clean Windows 11 desktop, including basic apps like Edge, File Explorer, and Notepad.

Test Software or Files:

• Copy Files: In your host system, copy an executable (.exe, .msi) or file (e.g., from File Explorer). Paste it onto the Sandbox desktop by right-clicking and selecting Paste.
• Download Files: Use Microsoft Edge in the Sandbox to download apps or files directly.
• Install and Test: Double-click the installer to run it. Test the app as you would on your main system.
• Browse Securely: Open Edge in the Sandbox to visit websites.

Close and Discard:

• Click the X button to close the Sandbox. All changes, files, and apps are deleted, leaving no trace.
• Use Ctrl + Alt + Break to toggle full-screen mode if needed.

Related Terms to Understand Windows Sandbox

• Virtual Machine (VM): A software-based emulation of a computer running an OS. Windows Sandbox is a lightweight VM optimized for Windows.
• Hyper-V: Microsoft’s virtualization platform that powers Windows Sandbox enables isolated environments.
• Sandboxing: A security mechanism to isolate programs, preventing them from affecting the host system. Windows Sandbox is a specific implementation.
• vGPU: Virtual GPU allows the sandbox to use the host’s graphics resources for better performance, enabled by default on non-Arm64 devices.
• Dynamic Base Image: A technology that shares host OS files to reduce storage needs for the sandbox.
• Container: A lightweight virtualization method that Windows Sandbox uses to achieve efficiency compared to traditional VMs.
• Windows Features: Optional components in Windows, like Windows Sandbox, that can be enabled or disabled via settings.

Also read: Windows Sandbox failed to start, Error 0xc0370106? Try these solutions