Windows 11 memory integrity is about to reach a much wider group of PCs, and gamers may want to pay attention. Microsoft plans to expand the kernel-level security feature to more devices next month, extending protection that blocks malicious code and drivers from running on a Windows 11 system.
The company has previously acknowledged that this same protection can reduce PC gaming performance on certain hardware, creating a trade-off between stronger security and higher framerates.
What memory integrity does
Memory integrity is a kernel-level safeguard that only permits trusted kernel-mode code and drivers to run on a machine. According to Peter Waxman, group program manager at Microsoft, “Windows quality updates will begin enabling memory integrity protection on eligible devices.”
Waxman added that, “if not already enabled, these updates will also enable Virtualization-based Security (VBS), helping make additional security capabilities available and reflecting our commitment to making Windows secure by design and secure by default.”
How it affects gaming performance
The security benefits come with a caveat for gamers. On some systems, enabling memory integrity can lower game performance. Newer processors see less of an impact, but users with older CPUs may notice a more pronounced framerate drop in select titles.
Importantly, Microsoft will not automatically turn the feature back on for anyone who has already chosen to disable it. Those who previously switched off memory integrity will keep it off after next month’s rollout.
How to check and toggle the setting
To see whether the feature is active on your machine, type Core Isolation into Windows search, open the result, and use the toggle for memory integrity in the Windows Security app. From there you can turn the protection on or off.
For users who prioritize gaming performance, Microsoft recommends turning memory integrity off only while playing and re-enabling it once you have finished. The wider rollout, delivered through Windows quality updates, begins on eligible devices next month.
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Image: theverge.com
