Windows Sandbox opens a disposable Windows desktop, isolated from the rest of the PC, which is handy for testing software or a suspicious file: when it closes, all of its content is deleted. It relies on Hyper-V virtualization. When a requirement is missing, the option is absent or greyed out in Windows features, or Sandbox refuses to start.
Problem
- The Windows Sandbox option does not appear or cannot be checked in "Turn Windows features on or off".
- Sandbox cannot be found in the Start menu.
- On launch, a message says
No hypervisor was found. Please enable hypervisor support. - A
REGDB_E_IIDNOTREG,E_FAILorE_UNEXPECTEDerror is displayed.
What to know before acting
- Windows edition: Microsoft lists the editions that support Sandbox: Pro, Enterprise, Pro Education/SE and Education. The Home edition is not listed: on a Home edition, the option does not appear.
- Minimum requirements: AMD64 or Arm64 architecture (Arm64 from Windows 11 version 22H2), virtualization enabled in the BIOS, at least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended), 1 GB of free disk space (SSD recommended), at least two CPU cores (four with hyper-threading recommended).
- One instance at a time: Microsoft states that several Sandboxes cannot be opened simultaneously.
- Inbox apps: starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, Calculator, Photos, Notepad and Terminal are not available inside Sandbox. Their absence is therefore not a fault.
Step 1: check the Windows edition
When to use it: always first.
Suggested solution
- Open Settings > System > About.
- Under Windows specifications, read the Edition line.
Expected result: the edition is Pro, Enterprise, Pro Education/SE or Education.
When to stop: if the edition is Home, Sandbox is not supported. The following steps will not make it appear.
Step 2: check virtualization
When to use it: the edition is compatible, but the option remains absent or greyed out.
Suggested solution
- Open PowerShell or a command prompt.
- Run the command below, then scroll down to the Hyper-V Requirements section.
systeminfo.exe
Expected result: every line in the section reads Yes, or the section states that a hypervisor has been detected (virtualization is then already active).
If virtualization is disabled in firmware:
Suggested solution
- Preferably open this page on another device.
- Go to Settings > System > Recovery, then next to Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
- Enable the CPU virtualization option (often called Intel VT-x, Intel Virtualization Technology, AMD-V or SVM depending on the manufacturer), save and exit.
When to stop: Microsoft recommends changing only what you need to in the UEFI. If you cannot find the option, follow the documentation from your PC or motherboard manufacturer. If the Second Level Address Translation line reads No, the CPU is not suitable.
Rollback: the option is disabled the same way in the UEFI.
Step 3: enable Windows Sandbox
When to use it: the edition and virtualization are correct.
Suggested solution
- In the search bar, type Turn Windows features on or off and open the tool.
- Check Windows Sandbox, then OK.
- Restart if Windows prompts you to.
- Find Windows Sandbox in the Start menu and launch it.
Microsoft also gives the equivalent PowerShell command, to run as administrator:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All -Online
Expected result: a Windows Sandbox window opens with a blank desktop.
When to stop: according to Microsoft, if the Windows Sandbox option is not available in the list, the PC does not meet the requirements. Re-check the edition and virtualization rather than changing other settings.
Rollback: uncheck Windows Sandbox in the same window and restart. Everything inside Sandbox is deleted every time it closes anyway.
Step 4: Sandbox installs but does not start
When to use it: the option is checked, but the launch fails with an error message.
| Message | What Microsoft states |
|---|---|
REGDB_E_IIDNOTREG | Check that the Windows Sandbox component is checked in "Turn Windows features on or off". |
No hypervisor was found. Please enable hypervisor support. | Sandbox only supports the Hyper-V hypervisor; third-party hypervisors are not supported. Check that Hyper-V is active (see below). |
Cannot upgrade to the latest version of Windows Sandbox, WININET_E_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED or WU_E_PT_ENDPOINT_UNREACHABLE | Starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, the app updates itself from the Microsoft Store. Check access to the Internet, Windows Update and the Microsoft Store. The update is also queued in the Microsoft Store's updates and downloads section. |
E_FAIL, E_UNEXPECTED or general failure | Installation may be disabled by Group Policy (check with your IT administrator) or the Microsoft Store timed out (try again later). |
The following settings are enforced by your IT administrator. | A setting in the .wsb file is controlled by Group Policy. |
ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND or E_INVALIDARG | The .wsb configuration file cannot be found or contains an error: check its path and content. |
For the "No hypervisor was found" message, Microsoft's WSL documentation gives a check of the hypervisor launch, to run in PowerShell as administrator:
bcdedit /enum | findstr -i hypervisorlaunchtype
If the line shows hypervisorlaunchtype Off, Microsoft says to run bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype Auto and then restart. If it already shows Auto, change nothing. Rollback: if the value was Off before you changed it (for example for older virtualization software), bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype Off followed by a restart restores it; Sandbox will then no longer work.
Special cases
- Sandbox inside a Hyper-V virtual machine: enable nested virtualization on the host, and update the virtual machine if needed, with
Set-VMProcessor -VMName <VMName> -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $truethenUpdate-VMVersion -VMName <VMName>. - Networking in Sandbox: it is on by default and can be disabled with a
.wsbconfiguration file. Microsoft points out that networking can expose untrusted applications to the internal network.
Final check
- ☐ The Windows edition is Pro, Enterprise, Pro Education/SE or Education.
- ☐
systeminfo.exeshows Yes in the Hyper-V section, or that a hypervisor has been detected. - ☐ Windows Sandbox is checked and the PC has restarted.
- ☐ Sandbox opens from the Start menu.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn: Install Windows Sandbox (updated 03/29/2026: prerequisites, Windows versions, enabling through Windows features or PowerShell, nested virtualization, apps missing since 24H2)
- Microsoft Learn: Windows Sandbox (supported editions, single instance, networking on by default)
- Microsoft Learn: Windows Sandbox troubleshooting (error codes and solutions)
- Microsoft Support: Enable virtualization on Windows (accessing the UEFI from Windows, change only what is needed)
- Microsoft Learn: Hyper-V hardware requirements (check with
systeminfo.exe) - Microsoft Learn: Troubleshooting Windows Subsystem for Linux (checking and enabling
hypervisorlaunchtype)
Still having the problem?
Reply with your Windows edition and version (Settings > System > About), the Hyper-V section of systeminfo.exe, whether the Windows Sandbox option is visible or greyed out, and the full error message. Remove your PC name and user name from screenshots before posting them.