Microsoft expands Windows 11 Memory Integrity rollout in October

Microsoft will automatically enable Windows 11 Memory Integrity on eligible PCs starting in October 2026, expanding the virtualization-based security feature to more systems. The change will not affect users who previously disabled the feature. Memory Integrity, also known as Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity, uses virtualization to isolate kernel checks against malicious code. Microsoft says it will consider hardware capability and performance impact before enabling the feature, as older processors may see larger slowdowns. The feature has been a common target for gamers seeking performance gains, with testing showing single-digit percentage losses in CPU-limited scenarios. Microsoft confirmed it will respect existing user and administrator opt-out choices.