Windows 11 KB5132061 may turn on Memory Integrity: lower FPS or a game that won’t launch? How to check it, and when to turn it off

Video: “Windows 11 KB5132061 is Now Auto-Enabling Memory Integrity!”, BrenTech YouTube channel, published November 11, 2026 (5:09 PM Paris time), 2 min 29 s. Independent creator, not Microsoft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbl4qdqmErM

Since the October 28 preview update KB5127936, and now for everyone with the November 10, 2026 Patch Tuesday update KB5132061, Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2 can switch on Memory Integrity (HVCI, part of Core isolation) by themselves during an update. If a game suddenly runs a little slower or refuses to start after the November update, this is one thing to check. Sources read on November 12, 2026 around 12:30 PM Paris time; TricknFix has not benchmarked it.

Microsoft’s KB5127936 notes: “Supported PCs may now have memory integrity (HVCI) enabled during updates (…) while respecting existing user or IT administrator choices.” KB5132061 includes the October preview changes.

It is a gradual rollout: installing KB5132061 does not mean your PC gets the change right away.

Microsoft’s Windows IT Pro Blog (September 1, 2026): Windows checks “hardware capabilities, compatibility, and performance considerations” first, also turns on Virtualization-based Security (VBS) if needed, and “devices where memory integrity has already been disabled won’t be automatically changed”.

Enterprise policy takes precedence over automatic enablement (same Microsoft post).

Open Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details.

The Memory integrity toggle shows its state. If Windows lists incompatible drivers there, update them from the device or software maker first.

Microsoft wrote in a 2022 support article (since removed) that “in some scenarios and some configurations of gaming devices there may be a performance impact” with Memory Integrity and Virtual Machine Platform.

Benchmarks reported by Windows Latest: about 5% average with Tom’s Hardware, up to 10% in some games; under 3% with Digital Trends. XDA measured a 1% low of 116.8 FPS instead of 124.5 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 on a newer PC.

Older CPUs without hardware support (MBEC/GMET) tend to be hit harder than recent ones.

Microsoft’s driver compatibility documentation, as cited by Windows Latest, lists “anti-cheat solutions with gaming” among software that has had issues with Memory Integrity. Update the game and its anti-cheat first.

If an incompatible driver makes the PC fail to boot soon after it is turned on, Windows can turn Memory Integrity back off automatically.

Our advice: leave it on unless you measure a clear loss in your own game, or a game or driver really breaks. It blocks untrusted kernel drivers, which is what many cheats and malware use.

To test: switch Memory integrity off in Core isolation details, restart, compare in the same game scene, then switch it back on if the gain is negligible.

Once you turn it off yourself, the rollout will not turn it back on, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft, KB5132061 (November 10, 2026): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/os/windows-11/2026/11/kb5132061-windows-11-24h2-25h2-26h2-security-update

Microsoft, KB5127936 preview (October 28, 2026): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/os/windows-11/2026/10/kb5127936-windows-11-25h2-26h2-update

Microsoft Windows IT Pro Blog, “Expanding memory integrity protection across Windows devices” (September 1, 2026): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/expanding-memory-integrity-protection-across-windows-devices/4551984

Windows Latest (November 11, 2026): https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/11/11/windows-11-is-now-force-enabling-memory-integrity-a-feature-microsoft-admitted-can-hurt-gaming-performance-and-heres-how-to-turn-it-off/

XDA Developers: https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-has-enabled-memory-integrity-but-gamers-shouldnt-worry-that-much/

Other KB5132061 issues: https://tricknfix.com/articles/windows-11-kb5132061-install-error-0x800f0993-0x800f0989-what-to-try-november-2026/

Discussion: did Memory Integrity turn on for you after the November update? Share your results in our forum topic: https://tricknfix.com/topic/windows-11-november-update-did-memory-integrity-turn-itself-on-for-you-and-did-you-see-an-fps-drop-or-an-anti-cheat-problem-4b94d69e40/