How to Enable Virtualization in BIOS

Virtualization in BIOS is a hardware CPU feature that allows you to run virtual machines, emulators, and other programs in separate virtual environments. Most modern PCs support this technology by default, but sometimes it has to be enabled manually. In this guide, we will explain what virtualization is and how to enable it on different computers.

Virtualization lets you use the resources of one computer to run separate virtual environments. For example, you can use Linux or another version of Windows inside Windows without reinstalling your main system.

It is useful for:

Enabling VT-x or AMD-V in BIOS usually does not interfere with normal PC operation. Problems may appear later because of specific Windows features that use virtualization, such as Hyper-V or VBS, if a particular program is incompatible with them.

Some older or specialized processors may not support hardware virtualization. You can check whether the feature is available and what its current status is in several ways.

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, open Performance → CPU, and find the Virtualization line. It will show whether the feature is enabled or disabled.

PowerShell is a built-in Windows tool for running system commands. To open it, press Win, type PowerShell in search, and launch Windows PowerShell. In Windows 11, you can also press Win+X → Terminal. PowerShell usually opens inside it by default.

Then run this command: Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object VMMonitorModeExtensions

The VMMonitorModeExtensions parameter shows whether the processor supports extensions for hardware virtualization, but it does not reliably tell you whether virtualization is enabled directly in BIOS/UEFI. To check the current state, it is better to use Task Manager.

Find your model in the Intel ARK database or on AMD's official website. For Intel, look for Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) support. For AMD, look for AMD-V or SVM.

If virtualization is disabled, it usually has to be enabled in BIOS or UEFI. Because of that, you first need to open your computer's firmware settings.

To enter BIOS, restart the computer and press the BIOS key several times immediately after turning it on. On desktop PCs, Delete or F2 is most commonly used. The exact key depends on the motherboard or laptop manufacturer.

For example, ASUS suggests using Delete or F2 on motherboards, Dell uses F2, and HP uses F10. On a specific model, the key combination may be different, so check the manufacturer's manual if needed.

In Windows 11, you can enter UEFI directly through the system:

In Windows 10, the beginning of the path is different: Settings → Update & Security → Recovery. Then open Advanced startup and go to UEFI settings.

The BIOS interface differs noticeably depending on the manufacturer and even the specific board model. Because of that, change only the settings related to virtualization. You do not need to disable TPM, Secure Boot, or other security features for a standard VT-x or SVM setup.

On computers with Intel processors, the required BIOS setting may be called:

The general process looks like this:

On modern ASUS motherboards, the path is usually:

BIOS → F7 → Advanced → CPU Configuration → Intel (VMX) Virtualization Technology → Enabled.

After changing the setting, press F10 and confirm saving the settings. ASUS notes that the appearance of the interface and the location of items may differ slightly depending on the model and firmware version.

On MSI laptops that support Intel Virtualization Technology, it is usually enabled by default. To check the setting, press Delete during startup, open the Advanced section, and find Intel Virtualization Technology. Switch the option to Enabled and save the changes with F10.

On MSI desktop motherboards, the location of the setting may differ, so focus first on the Intel Virtualization Technology name and the manual for your specific model.

On AMD processors, hardware virtualization is called AMD-V, but in the motherboard BIOS, its toggle is usually labeled SVM Mode.

To enable it:

The IOMMU setting, which is sometimes located nearby, is responsible for input-output virtualization. For normal virtual machine use, enabling it together with SVM is not required.

For ASUS motherboards, the official path is: BIOS → Advanced → CPU Configuration → SVM Mode → Enabled.

After that, press F10 and confirm saving. ASUS lists SVM Mode as the main virtualization toggle for AMD platforms.

On many Gigabyte motherboards, the SVM Mode setting is located inside the Advanced CPU Settings section. Depending on the BIOS generation, you can reach it through Tweaker or M.I.T.

Open the advanced CPU settings, find SVM Mode, and set it to Enabled. In official Gigabyte manuals, this setting is directly described as a virtualization feature that allows the system to work with independent virtual environments.

Different motherboard generations have different menu structures, so if you do not see SVM Mode in the listed location, it is better to open the manual for your exact model instead of changing similar-looking settings at random.

Laptop BIOS menus often contain fewer settings, and the location of the toggle depends especially heavily on the manufacturer.

After enabling VT-x or SVM, be sure to save the changes. In most BIOS interfaces, this is done with F10, or Save & Exit. Confirm saving, after which the computer will restart.

When Windows starts, open Task Manager again → Performance → CPU. The Virtualization line should show Enabled. Intel officially recommends Task Manager as one of the ways to check the VT-x status.

First, check whether your processor supports the technology. If VT-x or AMD-V is listed in the official specifications, but there is no corresponding BIOS option, study the documentation for your computer or motherboard.

On some systems, virtualization is always enabled, and the toggle is not shown to the user. For example, on Surface devices, virtualization is already enabled, and MSI uses a similar approach on some newer AMD laptops.

If the feature is supposed to be configured manually but the required item is missing, check whether a newer BIOS version is available on the official device page. However, you should not update firmware blindly: first study the instructions and the changelog.

Do not disable Secure Boot, TPM, or other security features at random, and do not change overclocking settings. They are not standard requirements for enabling VT-x or SVM.

Enabling VT-x or SVM in BIOS gives Windows access to hardware virtualization features, but some programs also require additional system components.

For example, WSL 2 requires the Virtual Machine Platform component: search Windows for Turn Windows features on or off, check Virtual Machine Platform, confirm the installation, and restart the computer.

Hyper-V, WSL 2, VirtualBox, VMware, and emulators can have different requirements. In addition, the active Windows hypervisor can affect some third-party solutions. Because of that, if Task Manager already shows virtualization as enabled, but a specific program still complains about VT-x or AMD-V, check that program's documentation and requirements before changing BIOS again. In some cases, third-party software may be affected by Hyper-V, VBS, Memory integrity, or Credential Guard.

For regular virtual machines, the main setting is VT-x. VT-d is required for input-output virtualization and some advanced device-related scenarios.

AMD-V is the name of the technology, while SVM Mode is the common name of the BIOS toggle. Set SVM Mode to Enabled.

From Windows, you can go directly to the UEFI interface and enable the required software components, but the user-accessible hardware toggle for VT-x or SVM is changed in BIOS/UEFI.

Yes, it is a standard hardware feature of modern platforms. When working with BIOS, follow the instructions for your specific model and do not change other settings unless necessary.