You’d be surprised by what your PC can actually do, and that doesn’t mean getting more performance out of it. Instead, there are features that unlock completely new ways to use your PC.
I’m talking virtualization, which is your computer’s ability to run multiple systems on a single physical machine.
The setting for virtualization is called VT-x/AMD-V, and it’s a setting that everyone should enable, whether you think you need it or not. You don’t need a specific application to enable it, and once done, it can massively boost performance on certain workloads.
What virtualization actually does
One PC, multiple isolated environments
In a nutshell, virtualization enables a software-based simulation that adds an abstraction layer over your physical hardware, so you can run two or more computers at the same time that exist separately and never interact with each other.
A hypervisor does the work: it acts as a bridge between the OS and the VM (Virtual Machine), allocating resources from the physical machine to the virtualized one on top.
There are two types of hypervisor:
- Type 1: Often called bare-metal, a Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on the hardware, managing access for VMs and the OSes on top of it. Type 1 hypervisors are mostly used in server applications and data centers, and they offer better resource management because the hypervisor can configure resources directly at the hardware level.
- Type 2: This is a hosted hypervisor that runs as an application inside another OS. You’ll need to install a Type 2 hypervisor inside an OS like Windows or Linux, and then run a new VM inside the application. While this makes for a more convenient setup, it’s mostly used for desktop PCs, testing, development, etc.
The different types of hypervisors, as you may assume, have different uses; sometimes you use a hypervisor to run a virtual machine on your existing hardware, while you may use a different one to run a whole different operating system on the hardware itself while managing different hardware.
Android emulators lean on it for speed
Emulators like BlueStacks benefit largely from virtualization enabled
Since Android apps run on ARM architecture and most desktop PCs use x86, emulators like BlueStacks have to translate a lot of that code. These emulators don’t explicitly require virtualization to work, but enabling it significantly speeds up the process.
The libhoudini layer inside BlueStacks translates code to x86, while virtualization lets the emulator use the CPU more efficiently by passing specific commands directly to the CPU instead of translating every instruction via the emulator’s software emulation. Together, they deliver better performance, faster load times, and fewer crashes.
Developers rely on it for sandboxing and testing
WSL, Windows Sandbox, and Hyper-V each solve a separate problem
Some development and similar workloads require virtualization, and that’s where it stops being optional. For instance, Hyper-V is a Type 1 hypervisor by Microsoft that developers use to test software and networking configurations.
WSL 2 is an environment built on top of Hyper-V that lets you run a real Linux environment alongside Windows. You can use it to test native Linux code, run Docker containers, or run a Linux-specific program without dual-booting. Then there’s Windows Sandbox, also powered by Hyper-V, which lets you spin up a clean, disposable copy of Windows at your current build, usually to test specific software without risking your main OS.
Conversely, VMware Workstation, a Type 2 hypervisor, lets you run a Linux environment inside Windows, so you can run two OSes simultaneously and isolate testing. The hypervisor also offers features like saving the VM’s state in case things go south and you need to roll back, using networks between VMs to test network configuration, and more.
Turn on virtualization from the BIOS
Depending on your CPU, the option might be VT-x/AMD-V
Virtualization isn’t always enabled by default, even though it’s very useful. However, if you’re willing to experiment with your PC and create VMs, you’ll need to enable it in the BIOS.
To do so, follow these steps:
- Enter the BIOS by either pressing F2 or Delete at startup (or what is applicable for your motherboard).
- Go to Advanced -> CPU Configuration/Advanced CPU Configuration/Security.
Now, depending on whether you have an AMD or Intel processor, you’ll see a dropdown for VT-x/AMD-V, or something similar. Enable it.
Windows will automatically enable virtualization on your system
Windows Security uses virtualization to create a safe, isolated environment for the Windows kernel
Virtualization used to ship disabled, but it’s now becoming mandatory for several features on your PC, so you might find it enabled on newer systems. One example is Windows Security, which uses virtualization to isolate parts of the kernel and keep them safe from malware attacks.
In the October 2026 update for Windows 11, Microsoft will automatically enable VBS on select PCs; that is, the aforementioned virtualized environments to isolate certain elements from the normal OS. Memory Integrity will also be enabled on eligible devices, a VBS feature that checks Windows drivers and code to ensure they’re trustworthy before letting them load at startup.
However, these features come at a steep performance cost that will affect gaming on lower- to mid-end hardware.
Should you enable virtualization?
To check whether virtualization is turned on your PC, open Task Manager and check the Performance section; it will tell you if it is. For emulation, development, and testing, I highly recommend using virtualization, and I’ve personally stopped dual-booting my PC and avoided the hassle by using hypervisors.
However, keep in mind it comes with performance overhead, especially with security features, though lightweight options like KVM/QEMU and others aren’t too taxing on the hardware.