How to Enable Virtualization in Windows 11 or 10? Step-By-Step

Enabling virtualization is one of the most important steps to improve the performance of an Android emulator like BlueStacks, LDPlayer, or NoxPlayer. Virtualization allows the emulator to use your computer’s CPU more effectively by simulating an Android environment. Without virtualization enabled, the emulator may run slowly, with lagging performance and stuttering during app usage, especially in resource-heavy apps like games.

Here’s a detailed explanation of what virtualization is, why it’s important, and how to enable it on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer.

Table of Contents

What is Virtualization?

Virtualization is a technology that allows your computer’s hardware to be used more efficiently by creating virtual machines (VMs). A virtual machine acts like a separate computer that runs an operating system (like Android in this case) independently of your main operating system (Windows).

When running Android on your Windows computer via an emulator, virtualization technology enables the emulator to access your computer’s CPU more directly, making the entire process smoother and faster.

Without this feature, the emulator will rely on basic processing, which can cause performance issues like freezing, slow loading times, and poor app responsiveness.

Why Enable Virtualization?

Enabling virtualization provides several benefits:

Faster Performance: Virtualization allows the emulator to use your system’s resources more effectively, which speeds up the process of running Android apps and games.
Smooth Gaming Experience: If you are using Android emulators for gaming, enabling virtualization makes gameplay much smoother, reducing lag and stuttering.
Better Multitasking: Virtualization enables the emulator to handle multiple apps running at the same time more efficiently.
Less CPU Overload: The emulator can offload tasks from the main Windows operating system, resulting in lower CPU usage, which improves overall performance.

How to Enable Virtualization on Windows 10 and 11

Enabling virtualization requires accessing your BIOS or UEFI firmware settings before Windows boots up. These settings are part of your computer’s motherboard, and you can only access them during startup. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Enable Virtualization in BIOS/UEFI

Step 1: Restart Your Computer

Before you can access the BIOS, you need to restart your computer. You can do this by clicking the Start menu, selecting Restart, and waiting for the system to reboot.

Step 2: Enter BIOS/UEFI Settings

As soon as the computer starts to restart, press the BIOS access key repeatedly. Depending on your PC brand and model, this key can be one of the following:

F2 (Common for Dell, ASUS, Acer)
Del (Delete) (Common for MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS)
Esc (Some HP laptops)
F10 (For HP computers)

You must press the key during the first boot screen when the computer’s logo appears (before Windows starts loading). If you see the Windows logo instead, it means you missed the timing and will need to restart again.

Step 3: Locate Virtualization Settings

Once inside the BIOS or UEFI settings, look for options related to Virtualization Technology. The exact name of this option may vary depending on your motherboard manufacturer, but it is usually called:

Intel VT-x (for Intel CPUs)
AMD-V (for AMD CPUs)
SVM Mode (Secure Virtual Machine mode for AMD processors)

These settings are typically found under one of the following sections:

Advanced
CPU Configuration
System Configuration
Security

Look through the menus carefully if you don’t see it immediately.

Step 4: Enable Virtualization

Once you find the virtualization setting, change it to Enabled. You may need to press Enter or select it using the arrow keys and then choose Enabled from the available options.

Step 5: Save and Exit

After enabling virtualization, you need to save the changes and exit the BIOS. To do this:

Press F10 or navigate to the Save & Exit option.
Confirm that you want to save changes when prompted.
Your PC will restart automatically.

Step 6: Boot into Windows

Once your computer restarts, it will boot into Windows 10 or 11 as usual. Now, virtualization is enabled, and your Android emulator should perform significantly better.

How to Verify if Virtualization is Enabled?

After enabling virtualization in BIOS/UEFI, it’s important to verify that it’s working correctly. Here’s how you can do that:

Method 1: Use Task Manager (Windows 10/11)

Open Task Manager by right-clicking on the Taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
Click the Performance tab.
On the left side, you’ll see a list of components like CPU, Memory, and Disk. Select CPU.
In the CPU details on the right, you’ll see the Virtualization field. It should say Enabled. If it says Disabled, double-check your BIOS settings.

Method 2: Use System Information

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type msinfo32 and press Enter to open System Information.
Look for Virtualization-based Security in the system summary. If it says Enabled, then virtualization is correctly activated.

How Does Virtualization Help With Android Emulators?

When virtualization is enabled, the Android emulator can run in a more isolated and optimized environment on your PC, just like an Android device would. It helps the emulator utilize your PC’s CPU and RAM resources in the most efficient way possible.

Without virtualization, the emulator has to manage its own resources on top of running Windows, which causes it to consume more of your system’s resources, slowing down the performance of both the emulator and Windows itself. With virtualization, the emulator gets direct access to the computer’s hardware, improving the experience for running apps, games, and multitasking.

Facing Performance Issues After Enabling Virtualization

If you are still experiencing performance issues even after enabling virtualization, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

Check for Windows Updates: Make sure your system is fully updated.
Re-enable Virtualization in BIOS: Double-check that the setting is still enabled in BIOS, as some systems can reset it.
Update Emulator Software: Make sure you are using the latest version of the emulator.
Check for Conflicting Software: Some antivirus programs or other virtualization applications might conflict with your emulator. Temporarily disabling or configuring them might help.
Increase RAM/CPU Allocation in Emulator Settings: You can adjust the emulator settings to allocate more system resources (like RAM and CPU cores) for better performance.

Conclusion

Enabling virtualization is a simple yet highly effective way to enhance the performance of Android emulators on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. It allows the emulator to run Android apps more smoothly and efficiently by utilizing your system’s resources better.

By following the steps outlined above, you can enable virtualization in BIOS and enjoy a much better emulator experience, whether you’re playing games, using productivity apps, or running Android-based tools.