Windows 11’s Virtual Workspaces let you enable Hyper-V and Sandbox via Settings app

You can now manage virtualization components from the Settings app on Windows 11.

Virtual Workspaces components
Virtual Workspaces components / Image: Mauro Huculak
  • Windows 11 now lets you manage virtualization components through the Settings app through the new Virtual Workspaces page.  
  • This page allows you to enable or disable Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Containers, and more with a single click.

On Windows 11, you can now enable Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and other components from the new “Virtual Workspaces settings” page, and here’s all you need to know.

Microsoft continues its efforts to make the Settings app the one location to find, and while there are still many features the company needs to bring from the Control Panel, in the December 2025 Security Update, Microsoft is introducing the “Virtual Workspaces” page in the “Advanced” section.

The direct path is Settings > Advanced > Virtual Workspaces. On this new page, you can now enable (or disable) many of the virtualization-related features that were previously available through the “Windows Features” ( or “Turn Windows features on or off”) page, including:

  • Containers: Provides services and tools to create and manage Windows Server Containers and their resources.
  • Guarded Host: Enables the device to create and run Shielded Virtual Machine using remote attestation.
  • Virtual Machine Platform: Enables platform support for virtual machines
  • Windows Hypervisor Platform: Enables virtualization software to run on the Windows hypervisor.
  • Windows Sandbox: Enables the dependencies required to run Windows Sandbox scenarios.
  • Hyper-V GUI Management Tools: Includes the Hyper-V Manager snap-in and Virtual Machine Connection tool.
  • Hyper-V Module for Windows PowerShell: Includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets for managing Hyper-V.
  • Hyper-V Hypervisor: Provides the Hyper-V Hypervisor.
  • Hyper-V Services: Provides the services that you can use to create and manage virtual machines and their resources.

Once you enable the feature, you’ll see a loading image letting you know that the feature is being installed, and then, you may need to restart the computer to complete the process.

Virtual Workspaces components
Virtual Workspaces components / Image: Mauro Huculak

While it’s now possible to manage these virtualization services from the Settings app, you can still use the legacy “Windows Features” page and the equivalent PowerShell commands to enable these features.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 22 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.

Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.

Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.

You can follow him on YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].