Windows Sandbox Failed to Start — Hypervisor and Virtualization Errors

Fix Windows Sandbox failing to start with hypervisor errors, virtualization not enabled, or the Sandbox feature unavailable in Windows Features. This guide covers everything you need to know about this topic, including common causes, step-by-step solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Here are the key things to understand: Windows Sandbox provides a temporary, isolated desktop environment for running untrusted software. It requires Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (not available on Home edition). Sandbox uses hardware virtualization (Hyper-V technology) which must be enabled in BIOS. Each Sandbox session starts clean and is destroyed when closed — no data persists. Sandbox requires 4GB+ RAM, 1GB+ free disk space, and a 64-bit processor with virtualization support. Understanding these fundamentals will help you diagnose and resolve this issue more effectively.

The most common reasons this occurs include: Hardware virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) disabled in BIOS/UEFI settings. Windows Sandbox feature not enabled in Windows Features. Conflicting hypervisor — VMware, VirtualBox without Hyper-V compatibility mode. Insufficient system resources (RAM or disk space) to start the Sandbox virtual machine. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward finding the right solution.

To resolve this, follow these recommended steps: Enable virtualization in BIOS: restart > BIOS setup > CPU settings > enable VT-x or AMD-V. Enable Windows Sandbox feature: Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off > check Windows Sandbox. Restart the computer after enabling the feature (required for Hyper-V components to load). Resolve VMware/VirtualBox conflicts: upgrade to versions that support Hyper-V coexistence or disable them. Ensure at least 4GB free RAM: close unnecessary applications before starting Sandbox. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider consulting additional resources or a qualified professional.

This article is part of our Windows Error Codes collection on Error Codes Wiki. We provide comprehensive, up-to-date information to help you find solutions quickly.