Microsoft will expand Windows 11 Memory Integrity feature to more PCs starting in October — security feature reduces gaming performance on some systems
Microsoft will begin enabling Memory Integrity by default on more eligible Windows PCs through quality updates in October, expanding kernel-level protection while preserving existing opt-outs for users who previously disabled the feature.
Microsoft plans to broaden the deployment of its Memory Integrity security feature across a wider array of Windows PCs via quality updates starting in October 2026. This enhancement will safeguard more devices against attacks on the Windows kernel while preserving configurations for PCs already with Memory Integrity disabled. The updates will also activate Virtualization-based Security (VBS), providing an isolated environment that underpins Memory Integrity.
Microsoft's evaluation process will consider each device's hardware capabilities, compatibility, and performance before applying the changes. The rollout aims to fortify protection against malicious or untrusted code and drivers targeting the Windows kernel. While Windows 11 generally made Memory Integrity a default security feature on new installations, gamers often disabled it to improve performance.
Microsoft has acknowledged the impact on gaming performance, advising gamers to temporarily disable the feature when necessary. However, the security feature's performance impact varies depending on the hardware, with newer processors generally performing better than older CPUs that rely on software emulation. Users can continue to control the setting, as systems where Memory Integrity has been disabled will not automatically change during the rollout.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
