Hyper-V is the hypervisor built into Windows: it lets you create virtual machines without extra software. Microsoft states that there is no Hyper-V download: it is an optional Windows feature, which only appears if the edition and the hardware allow it. When Hyper-V is missing from the list, greyed out, or Hyper-V Manager cannot be found, the cause is almost always one of those below.
Problem
- Hyper-V does not appear in Turn Windows features on or off.
- The Hyper-V (or Hyper-V Platform) checkbox is greyed out.
- Hyper-V Manager cannot be found in the Start menu.
- The enable command fails in PowerShell.
- Since Hyper-V was enabled, VirtualBox or VMware refuses to start a virtual machine or becomes very slow.
Observe before acting
Two checks are enough to find the cause in most cases.
- The Windows edition: Settings > System > Activation, the edition is shown at the top of the page.
- The hardware requirements: open PowerShell or Command Prompt and type:
systeminfo.exe
Scroll down to the Hyper-V Requirements section.
| What you see | Most likely cause | Step |
|---|---|---|
| Home edition | Hyper-V not available on this edition | Step 1 |
| A Hyper-V line in systeminfo says No | Virtualization disabled in BIOS/UEFI or incompatible processor | Step 2 |
| Pro or Enterprise edition, all lines Yes | Feature simply not enabled yet | Step 3 |
| systeminfo says "A hypervisor has been detected" | Hyper-V (or a feature that depends on it) is already running | Step 3, point 4 |
| VirtualBox or VMware stopped working since | Conflict between hypervisors | Step 4 |
Step 1: check the Windows edition
When to use it: Hyper-V is completely missing from the features list.
Microsoft is explicit: the Hyper-V role can't be installed on Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home. The documentation lists Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise.
Suggested solution
- If the edition shown is Home, no setting will make Hyper-V appear. Commands or scripts that claim to add it to the Home edition are not a method supported by Microsoft.
- To use it, you need to move to Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft recommends doing this from the Microsoft Store; for a manual upgrade, the edition and activation status are checked in Settings > System > Activation, and Windows Home must be activated first.
Expected result: after upgrading to the Pro edition, Hyper-V appears in Windows features.
Rollback: upgrading to a higher edition is a purchase: first check that Step 2 will not block you.
Step 2: check hardware virtualization
When to use it: a line in the Hyper-V section of systeminfo says No, or the Hyper-V checkbox is greyed out.
According to Microsoft, Hyper-V requires a 64-bit processor with SLAT (Second Level Address Translation), hardware-assisted virtualization (Intel VT or AMD-V) enabled in BIOS/UEFI, hardware-enforced Data Execution Prevention (XD bit on Intel, NX bit on AMD) and at least 4 GB of memory.
Suggested solution
- Note which line says No in systeminfo.
- If it is virtualization enabled in firmware, restart into the BIOS/UEFI and enable the processor virtualization option. Its name and location depend on the manufacturer (often Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel VT-x, AMD-V or SVM Mode): check your motherboard or PC manual. Do not change other settings while you are there.
- If Second Level Address Translation or Data Execution Prevention is missing while virtualization is enabled, the processor is probably not compatible.
- Run systeminfo again after restarting.
Expected result: every line in the Hyper-V section says Yes.
Rollback: the virtualization option is disabled in the same place in the BIOS/UEFI.
The same requirement blocks WSL 2: if you also get error 0x80370102, see Error 0x80370102 when installing WSL 2 on Windows 11.
Step 3: enable Hyper-V
When to use it: Pro or Enterprise edition and requirements at Yes.
Suggested solution
From the interface:
- Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
- Click Turn Windows features on or off.
- Tick Hyper-V, then OK, and restart when Windows asks.
With PowerShell (opened as administrator, otherwise the command fails):
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
Answer Y to restart and finish the installation.
- If systeminfo shows "A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V will not be displayed.", this is normal: the hypervisor is already running, and the section no longer lists the requirements.
Expected result: Hyper-V Manager appears in the Start menu after restarting.
Rollback: clear Hyper-V in the same window, or:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V
Step 4: VirtualBox or VMware stopped working since Hyper-V
When to use it: Hyper-V is running and another virtualization app no longer starts its virtual machines, or switches to a slow mode.
Microsoft states that this behavior is by design: only one software component at a time can use the processor's virtualization extensions. When the Hyper-V hypervisor is running, third-party apps might not start their virtual machines or might fall back to a slower, emulated mode.
Suggested solution
- Choose the tool you really need. If you keep VirtualBox or VMware, check their publisher's documentation about coexisting with Hyper-V.
- To disable only the hypervisor, Microsoft suggests: Turn Windows features on or off > expand Hyper-V > Hyper-V Platform, then clear Hyper-V Hypervisor. Equivalent in an administrator PowerShell:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-Hypervisor
Expected result: after restarting, the other virtualization app works normally again.
Rollback: tick Hyper-V Hypervisor again and restart.
Warning: Microsoft states that some Windows protections depend on Hyper-V, including Memory Integrity and Credential Guard. Disabling Hyper-V for another app is therefore a security trade-off: do not do it "out of habit", only if you really need that other app.
Final check
- ☐ Pro or Enterprise edition.
- ☐ systeminfo: every Hyper-V line at Yes, or "A hypervisor has been detected".
- ☐ Hyper-V ticked in Windows features.
- ☐ Hyper-V Manager opens.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Install Hyper-V
- Microsoft Learn: Hyper-V host hardware requirements
- Microsoft Learn: Virtualization applications don't work together with Hyper-V
- Microsoft Support: Upgrade Windows Home to Windows Pro
For Windows Sandbox, which has similar requirements, see Windows Sandbox cannot be enabled on Windows 11.
Still having the problem?
Reply to this topic with your Windows edition and version (winver), your processor model, the full Hyper-V section of systeminfo, and the exact message you get when enabling it. Remove the PC name and your user name before copying the result.