Microsoft: Disable these Windows 11 features to boost gaming

Two settings in Windows 11 may affect gaming performance, says Microsoft. These settings are enabled by default.

Microsoft has made it possible for you to disable these options, but there are also reasons why you might want to keep them on. However, if your computer’s performance in games is less than stellar, they might be worth checking out.

An Alienware + Windows 11 PC gaming setup. — Alienware

Microsoft has posted a new support document detailing the two features and their possible impact. The company has found that Memory Integrity and Virtual Machine Platform (VMP) have affected the gaming performance of some users.

VMP does pretty much what it says on the tin — it provides virtual core machine services for Windows 11. Memory Integrity plays a fairly big role, though, because it’s responsible for checking new drivers and ensuring that they’re coming from a trustworthy source. It protects your system from malicious code. This is why you might want to avoid disabling this feature, and if you do disable it, it’s a good idea to toggle it back on when your gaming session comes to an end.

Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t go into any detail as to how widespread the problem is, only noting that it happens “in some scenarios and some configurations of gaming devices.”

Of course, if you’re experiencing poor frame rates or other issues while you game, there could be any number of reasons why that might be happening — but if you’re a Windows 11 user, you can try to optimize your gaming experience in this fairly easy way first.

Before you get to disabling things, keep in mind that Microsoft recommends turning these settings back on later, and it adds: “If turned off, the device may be vulnerable to threats.” If you want to give it a shot regardless of Microsoft’s warnings, here’s how to do it.

How to disable Memory Integrity and VMP

Person sitting and using a Windows Surface computer with Windows 11. — Windows 11

In order to turn off Memory Integrity, go into your Start Menu by pressing the Windows key, then type in “Core Isolation” in the taskbar. Select it when it pops up, and when you’re on that page, toggle Memory Integrity off. Microsoft recommends that you restart your device afterward.

Turning off VMP is equally simple. Once again, go into the Start Menu, and in search, type in “Turn Windows features on or off.” When you’re in the Windows Features section, find Virtual Machine Platform and deselect it. Press OK to finalize these changes and restart your computer.

If you’re not seeing any benefit from turning off these two settings, it’s best to keep them on. However, if you’re not happy with your frame rates, we have a handy guide that can help you with some more ideas to try out.