Setting up Windows Sandbox on Windows is kinda handy if you want to test stuff without messing up your main system. It creates this lightweight, secure virtual environment where you can run untrusted applications — so you don’t have to worry about malware or crashes messing with your main OS. But, yeah, things can get tricky if your hardware doesn’t support virtualization or if some Windows features aren’t enabled properly. It’s frustrating when it just refuses to run, especially when you’re eager to give it a shot. That’s why walking through these steps carefully can save a lot of headaches — and maybe save you some time troubleshooting weird errors.
How to Fix Windows Sandbox Not Working (Or Not Showing Up)
Enable Virtualization in BIOS/UEFI
This step is essential. Windows Sandbox relies on hardware virtualization — without it, Windows just won’t run it at all. Too many folks forget to turn this on in BIOS, and then wonder why it’s dead. When you restart, enter your BIOS — usually by pressing F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during boot. Once inside, look for options like Intel VT-x, AMD SVM, Virtualization Technology, or SVM Mode. Enable these. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary. Save and exit, then boot into Windows as usual.
Pro tip: on some rigs, BIOS might hide these options under advanced menus or different names. If you’re stuck, Google your motherboard/model for “enable virtualization” to find the exact menu. On some setups, rebooting into BIOS might be the only way to get it to recognize the change. Note: on certain machines, enabling virtualization in BIOS is all you need, but on others, you might also need to check your UEFI firmware settings for secure boot or other conflicting options.
Check Virtualization Status in Windows
Once BIOS is sorted, it’s worth verifying Windows actually sees virtualization as enabled. Right-click the Start button, select Task Manager — then head over to the Performance tab, click on CPU. Look for Virtualization — if it says Enabled, great. If not, revisit BIOS or check if any vendor-specific utilities override these settings. Sometimes, Windows reports virtualization as disabled because of outdated drivers or conflicting software, so it’s worth updating your chipset drivers or running a Windows update.
On one setup it worked after a BIOS change, on another it took toggling a setting twice before Windows caught up. Not sure why it works, but it does — until it doesn’t, so double-check.
Enable Windows Sandbox Feature in Windows
If virtualization is enabled and your hardware ticks all the boxes, next you need to turn on the Windows Sandbox feature. Click the Start menu, type ‘Turn Windows features on or off, ’ and hit Enter. This opens a dialog with a long list of Windows features. Scroll down to find Windows Sandbox. Check the box next to it. Click OK. Windows will then fetch some files and configure the feature — be ready for a quick reboot. Sometimes it complains and asks for a restart; just go ahead and restart your machine to apply changes.
Pro tip: if you don’t see the option, your Windows edition might not support this feature. Double-check your version — only Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education (version 18305 or later), plus Windows 11 Pro or higher, get the sandbox. Windows Home doesn’t support it without hacks or third-party tools, which is a pain.
Start and Use Windows Sandbox
After the reboot, hit the Start menu again and type ‘Windows Sandbox, ’ to launch it. You should see a clean, new Windows environment pop up — kind of like a VM but built-in. From here, you can copy over files or run apps to test them safely. To get stuff in, just open File Explorer on your main system, find your untrusted app, right-click and choose Copy. Then, inside the sandbox window, right-click on the desktop and select Paste. You should see the executable appear, ready to run. Double-click it to launch, without risking your main OS. It’s pretty handy for testing suspicious downloads or trying out apps that might be bad news.
Close and Reset the Sandbox
When you’re done poking around, just close the sandbox window — it’s like shutting down a VM. Windows will ask if you really want to turn off and delete everything inside. Because it’s a fresh environment, closing it means all the changes, files, and apps inside are gone. That’s kind of the point. No cleanup needed on your end.
Stuff to Check When Things Go Wrong
If the sandbox refuses to start or show up, make sure you’re not missing anything. Go back through these checks — especially verifying that virtualization is actually on in BIOS and Windows. Sometimes, Windows updates can mess with features, or conflicting software might block it. If sandbox still won’t launch, try disabling it from Windows Features, do a quick reboot, then turn it back on. It’s annoying but might do the trick. Also, update your Windows to the latest version — bug fixes in updates can resolve weird bugs.
Another common pitfall — running Windows on hardware that doesn’t quite meet the requirements. No virtualization, no sandbox. That’s the root cause of most issues.
Summary
- Make sure virtualization is enabled in BIOS/UEFI.
- Check virtualization status in Windows Task Manager.
- Turn on Windows Sandbox under Windows Features.
- Reboot and fire up Windows Sandbox to test your apps.
- If it doesn’t work, recheck hardware requirements and updates.
Wrap-up
Getting Windows Sandbox up and running can be a bit of an ordeal, especially if you’re new to BIOS tweaks. But once it’s working, it’s surprisingly smooth for testing things quickly without messing up your main install. If it’s still stubborn, double-check hardware specs or look for specific BIOS updates. Sometimes, just restarting a couple of times or toggling a setting helps clear the mess. Fingers crossed this gives someone a clearer path to get that sandbox working — because, honestly, it’s kind of a lifesaver when you want to test risky stuff safely.