Windows 11 Core Isolation: How to Disable Memory Integrity and Restore Gaming FPS

The Windows 11 Core isolation feature (Memory Integrity / HVCI) is being forcibly activated on all compatible computers starting in October. Microsoft developers promote this technology as a baseline barrier against malicious drivers and rootkits. However, for PC owners with older-generation processors, automatic virtualization activation results in noticeable frame rate drops in modern games. Let’s explore how the mechanism works and how to restore previous performance.

How Windows 11 Core Isolation Affects Performance

The technology is based on the VBS (Virtualization-Based Security) mechanism. The operating system creates an isolated virtual environment, blocking execution of unsigned code in the critical kernel space. On the latest chips with built-in hardware security instructions, the protection’s impact is practically unnoticeable. However, on processors like Intel Core 8th–10th generation and early AMD Ryzen, constant instruction translation consumes up to 10–15% of CPU computing power. In projects with high CPU dependency (Cyberpunk 2077, CS2, Spider-Man), this leads to microstutters and drops in rare events (1% Low FPS).

We previously examined how the September Windows 11 update changes thread scheduler distribution, and the overlay of heavy VBS virtualization only worsens kernel latency.

Step-by-Step Memory Integrity Disabling

If stable gaming frame rates are your priority, you can disable the security isolation using built-in operating system tools:

1. Open the Start menu, type “Windows Security” in the search bar, and press Enter.
2. In the left column, go to the “Device security” section.
3. In the “Core isolation” block, click the blue link “Core isolation details”.
4. Toggle “Memory integrity” to the “Off” position.
5. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Disabling via Registry (if the toggle is locked)

In some Windows 11 builds, the toggle in the interface may be grayed out due to security policies. In that case, deactivation is performed through the command line as administrator:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceGuard\Scenarios\HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity" /v "Enabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

After executing the command and performing a mandatory restart, the HVCI service will stop intercepting system interrupts, freeing up processor resources for game graphics rendering.

Technical reference: Detailed driver compatibility requirements and HVCI specifications are published in the Microsoft documentation center.