Windows 11 Memory Integrity Automatically Enabled in October

Starting in October 2026, Windows 11 quality updates will begin automatically enabling Memory Integrity, a kernel-level security feature, on eligible PCs where it isn't already active.

Microsoft detailed the plan in a Windows IT Pro Blog post this week, according to BetaNews, and confirmed that the rollout will arrive through the standard Windows quality-update channel rather than requiring a separate feature-version upgrade, per The Verge.

Memory Integrity already runs by default on compatible clean Windows 11 installations and all Secured-core PCs. The October change expands automatic enablement to more eligible devices where the protection is currently off. Anyone who previously disabled Memory Integrity, whether manually or through an administrator policy, keeps that choice once the rollout begins.

You can check the current setting by searching Core Isolation in Windows Search, opening Core isolation details in Windows Security, and looking at the Memory integrity toggle under Device Security.

Windows 11 Memory Integrity rollout: which PCs are eligible

Microsoft's published minimum requirements for automatic Memory Integrity enablement include:

• Intel: 8th-generation processors or newer on Windows 11 version 22H2 and later

• AMD: Zen 2 or newer

• Qualcomm: Snapdragon 8180 or newer

• RAM: At least 8GB on x64 systems

• Storage: An SSD of at least 64GB

• Firmware: Hardware virtualization enabled

• Drivers: Memory Integrity-compatible drivers installed

One Intel caveat remains in Microsoft's documentation: 11th-generation Core desktop processors aren't included in its current default-enablement logic, although Microsoft still recommends the platform for Memory Integrity and OEMs can enable it.

Meeting those requirements doesn't guarantee that October's update will switch the feature on. Windows evaluates each device before automatic activation using readiness signals that include hardware capabilities, compatibility, and performance considerations.

IT-managed PCs are included in the broader rollout, but existing Group Policy, Intune, administrator, and user choices remain in force. Microsoft specifically says devices where Memory Integrity has already been disabled won't be automatically changed.

What Memory Integrity (HVCI) actually protects against

Memory Integrity, also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity or HVCI, runs on top of Virtualization-based Security. VBS uses the Windows hypervisor to create an isolated environment that protects security-sensitive operations from the rest of the operating system.

Memory Integrity moves kernel-mode code-integrity checks into that protected environment. Kernel memory pages can become executable only after passing code-integrity validation, and executable pages aren't allowed to remain writable, making it harder for malware to modify kernel code or abuse low-level drivers.

If VBS isn't already active on an eligible PC, Microsoft's October rollout will enable it alongside Memory Integrity.

Memory Integrity also works alongside Microsoft's vulnerable-driver blocklist, but the two protections do different jobs. The blocklist specifically blocks drivers with known vulnerabilities, malicious behavior, malicious signing certificates, or behavior that can bypass the Windows security model.

Memory Integrity instead strengthens the environment in which Windows performs kernel-mode code-integrity enforcement. Microsoft notes that the vulnerable-driver blocklist is also enforced when Memory Integrity is active.

Memory Integrity incompatible drivers: what could break before October

Windows checks compatibility before automatically enabling Memory Integrity to reduce the likelihood of software, driver, or boot problems.

Microsoft has documented incompatibilities involving anti-cheat systems, third-party input methods, and some third-party banking password-protection software. Other incompatible hardware drivers can also prevent the feature from activating or stop the associated device from working properly.

One user reported being unable to enable Memory Integrity on Windows because of an incompatible Sonix camera driver, snUVC.sys, in a Microsoft Community Hub post. That's an individual case rather than evidence of a widespread problem, but it illustrates the type of conflict Windows can surface.

Kernel-driver security enforcement has caused broader software problems before. Microsoft's April 2026 security updates blocked vulnerable versions of the psmounterex.sys driver, causing some backup applications to fail when mounting or managing disk images, according to Microsoft Support.

That incident involved Microsoft's separate vulnerable-driver blocklist rather than Memory Integrity itself, but it shows how blocking incompatible or vulnerable kernel drivers can affect applications that depend on them.

Microsoft has a safeguard for a more serious case. If automatically enabled Memory Integrity blocks an incompatible boot-critical driver and causes startup crashes, Windows can silently switch Memory Integrity back off during the first few boots to help prevent an unbootable system.

For other compatibility problems, Microsoft's guidance is to look for an updated version of the affected driver or application before disabling Memory Integrity.

Gaming performance and how to check or disable Windows 11 Memory Integrity

Memory Integrity can carry a performance cost, particularly on older hardware.

Microsoft says the feature works more efficiently on Intel processors with hardware support for Mode-Based Execution Control and AMD Zen 2 or newer processors with Guest Mode Execute Trap support. Older processors without equivalent hardware acceleration have to emulate some of that functionality, which can have a larger performance impact.

Gaming is one workload where that difference can show up. Microsoft has previously acknowledged that Memory Integrity can reduce frame rates in some games and configurations, with older supported hardware more likely to feel the impact.

Neither Microsoft's October announcement nor the current reporting establishes one universal frame-rate penalty. The effect depends on the processor, game, drivers, and other system conditions.

To check the feature, search Core Isolation in Windows Search and open Core isolation details in Windows Security. The Memory integrity toggle shows whether it is currently enabled.

You can also turn it off there if compatibility or performance problems arise. A restart may be required. Disabling Memory Integrity lowers the system's protection against kernel-level attacks, so Microsoft's guidance is to re-enable it after temporary performance troubleshooting rather than leave it disabled unnecessarily.

The toggle only shows the feature's current state. It doesn't tell you whether the PC will pass Microsoft's October readiness evaluation for automatic activation.

What to check before October

Open Windows Security now and check Device Security > Core isolation details > Memory integrity.

If Memory Integrity is already on, the October rollout doesn't require any action. If you deliberately turned it off, Microsoft says the rollout will respect that choice.

If it's off without a deliberate user or administrator setting, the PC may be considered for automatic enablement beginning in October, provided it passes Microsoft's hardware, driver, compatibility, and performance checks.

Anyone relying on older peripheral drivers, anti-cheat systems, third-party input software, or banking-protection tools should make sure those applications and drivers are current before the rollout begins.

If something stops working after Memory Integrity turns on, update the affected driver or software first. Turning the protection off remains available as a fallback, but Microsoft recommends resolving compatibility problems where possible rather than giving up the additional kernel protection permanently.