How to Enable Hyper-V in Windows 11

Hyper-V is a built-in virtualization technology in Windows 11 that allows you to create and run virtual machines (VMs) on your PC. It’s an incredibly useful feature for developers, IT professionals, and anyone who needs to test software or run different operating systems without affecting their main system. In this article, we'll guide you through enabling Hyper-V in Windows 11.

What is Hyper-V

Hyper-V is a hypervisor-based virtualization tool provided by Microsoft, which allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single physical machine. Each OS runs within its own virtual machine, ensuring isolation and efficient resource usage. This is ideal for running Linux distributions, older versions of Windows, or testing software in a sandboxed environment.

Enabling Hyper-V in Windows 11

You can enable Hyper-V in Windows 11 in 3 quick and easy ways, follow these steps:

Method 1: Using Windows Features

The easiest and most straightforward way to enable Hyper-V is to use the Windows Features dialog. Here's how to do it:

• Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures.exe, and press Enter to open the Windows Features dialog.

• In the Windows Features dialog, check the boxes for Hyper-V and its subcomponents: Hyper-V Management Tools and Hyper-V Platform.

• Click OK and allow Windows to install the necessary files. This may take a few minutes.
• Restart your computer.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt

Alternatively, you can enable Hyper-V using Command Prompt:

• Type cmd in the search bar and select the Run as administrator option.
• In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

•  Type Y to restart your computer.

Method 3: Using PowerShell

If you prefer using PowerShell, you also can enable Hyper-V by running a simple command.

• Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
• In the terminal, type the following command and press Enter:

 

• Type Y to restart your computer.

Conclusion

Enabling Hyper-V in Windows 11 is a straightforward process that can unlock powerful virtualization capabilities on your PC. Whether you need it for development, testing, or other purposes, following these steps will help you enable Hyper-V with ease.