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If Memory Integrity switches itself back on after you restart Windows, the restart is usually applying a policy or firmware setting that is stronger than the Windows Security toggle. Group Policy, Intune or another management service, App Control, registry values, a UEFI lock, and Windows’ default-enablement rules can all turn Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) back on. Find which control is authoritative before changing anything; otherwise the switch will keep reverting.
For a personal, unlocked PC, you can normally turn it off at Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details > Memory integrity, then restart. A managed or UEFI-locked computer needs its policy or firmware configuration changed first. If enabling HVCI causes a boot failure, Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) provides a documented way to disable the enforcing setting.
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What is Memory Integrity in Windows?
Memory Integrity is Microsoft’s name in Windows Security for Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). It is a part of Virtualization-based Security (VBS): hardware virtualization creates an isolated environment where Windows checks kernel-mode code. That separation is intended to make it harder for malicious software to use a low-level driver to tamper with the Windows kernel.
Kernel drivers sit below ordinary applications. They control hardware such as storage, audio, graphics, networking and virtualization, so a compromised or poorly written driver can have far more access than a normal program. HVCI allows Windows to reject drivers that do not meet its code-integrity requirements. The protection is valuable, but an old driver can fail to load when it is enabled.
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Why does Memory Integrity turn on again when I restart?
A restart does not merely remember the position of the Windows Security switch. During startup, Windows evaluates the active management, registry, firmware and default-enablement configuration. If one of those controls says HVCI must be enabled, it can overwrite a local change.
| Possible authority | What it does | Clue you may see |
|---|---|---|
| Group Policy | An administrator sets the Device Guard or HVCI policy for the computer. | The switch is unavailable, says it is managed, or returns after policy refresh. |
| Intune/CSP or App Control | Cloud or application-control policy reapplies the security requirement. | The PC belongs to work or school management and changes do not persist. |
| Registry configuration | Device Guard and HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity values request virtualization-based protection. | The toggle appears changeable but the state returns after reboot. |
| UEFI lock | Firmware-backed protection prevents ordinary local or policy-based disabling. | Changing Windows settings has no lasting effect; firmware security settings are involved. |
| Windows or OEM default | Compatible clean Windows 11 installations and all Secured-core PCs can have Memory Integrity enabled by default. | A newly installed or reset system enables it without a previous personal choice. |
Microsoft also requires a restart for a deliberate change to take effect. Seeing the setting change only after reboot is therefore not, by itself, proof of a failure; it is when the post-restart state differs from the choice you made that another authority should be investigated.
What should I check before changing anything?
Start by establishing whether you control the computer and exactly what Windows is reporting. This prevents you from deleting a driver or editing a value that an administrator or firmware lock will simply restore.
- Record the Windows edition and build. Note whether it is Windows 11, whether the installation was clean or upgraded, and whether the machine is a Secured-core model.
- Check ownership. A work- or school-managed device may receive Group Policy, Intune/CSP or App Control instructions. If Windows Security says the setting is managed by an administrator, contact that administrator rather than forcing a local change.
- Open the exact status page. Go to Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details. Record whether Memory integrity is on, off, unavailable or managed.
- Capture the driver warning. If Windows lists an incompatible driver, write down the complete
.sysfilename and the company name shown on that page. Those two identifiers are more reliable than a filename copied from an internet list. - Change one control at a time. After a controlled change, restart once and verify the result in Windows Security. Changing policy, registry and firmware simultaneously makes it difficult to identify the cause and complicates recovery.
Which driver is stopping Memory Integrity?
The incompatible-driver entry is the first concrete lead. It identifies a kernel driver that HVCI cannot accept, but the filename alone does not tell you whether it belongs to an audio package, storage controller, network adapter, security product, virtualization tool or another component you still need.
Update the driver first
- Use Windows Update’s optional driver updates if the device is offered there.
- If Windows Update has no suitable package, visit the hardware or application manufacturer’s support channel and search by the exact device model and Windows build.
- Install the current signed package, restart, and return to Core isolation details to see whether the warning has cleared.
Remove the owning component only when necessary
If no compatible driver exists, uninstall the device or application that installs it using its normal Windows uninstaller or the device-management procedure supplied by its manufacturer. Do not delete a .sys file or remove a service solely because its name appears on a forum list: doing so can break boot-critical storage, networking, audio or security functions. Keep the installer or rollback package available before removing hardware software.
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How do I stop Memory Integrity from reverting on a personal PC?
On an unlocked, user-controlled installation, use the Windows Security switch and allow the required restart. If it returns to On, work through policy, registry, firmware and default-enablement checks instead of repeatedly clicking the same control.
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- Open Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details.
- Set Memory integrity to Off.
- Accept the restart prompt, or restart Windows yourself.
- After sign-in, open the same page and confirm the state. If it is On again, continue with the checks below.
A restart is mandatory because the hypervisor and code-integrity mode are established during boot. Turning the switch off without restarting does not complete the change.
How do I check Group Policy or management enforcement?
On a computer administered by an organization, the local switch is not authoritative. The administrator must change the policy or the device-management profile; a local user should not try to fight an enforced security baseline.
Group Policy path
On supported editions with the Local Group Policy Editor, inspect Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Guard. Look for settings that enable Virtualization-based Security or Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity. A domain policy can be reapplied at startup or during policy refresh, so a temporary local change will not persist.
Intune, CSP and App Control
For devices enrolled in Microsoft Intune or another mobile-device-management service, review the assigned configuration profile and the relevant virtualization-based-security or code-integrity policy. App Control policies can also require HVCI. The person who administers that service must remove or alter the assignment, then allow the device to synchronize and restart before the new state can be verified.
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If Windows displays “managed by your administrator,” save that message and the device name when opening a support request. It tells the administrator that the effective setting is coming from management rather than the user interface.
Which registry values control HVCI?
Microsoft documents several values that can participate in this configuration: EnableVirtualizationBasedSecurity, Locked, and ScenariosHypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrityEnabled under the Device Guard configuration areas. These values can explain why a switch appears to change and then returns after startup.
Registry inspection should be a diagnostic step, not a blind fix. Before editing, establish whether the computer is managed, export the relevant key for rollback, and record the current values. On a production, work or school machine, ask the administrator to make the change. If a policy or UEFI lock is still active, changing a value locally will either fail, be overwritten, or leave the system in an inconsistent state.
What does a UEFI lock change?
A UEFI lock is firmware-backed enforcement that prevents Memory Integrity from being disabled through ordinary Windows policy or the local toggle. It is intentionally more difficult to bypass because the setting is protected below the operating system.
When a UEFI lock is involved, the normal Windows switch is not the complete off-switch path. Microsoft notes that Secure Boot may need to be disabled in firmware before the recovery steps can complete. Firmware changes vary by manufacturer; document the original Secure Boot and virtualization settings, use the vendor’s firmware instructions, and make sure you have a recovery method before changing them. On an organization-owned PC, do not alter firmware without authorization.
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How do I recover if Memory Integrity causes a blue screen or boot failure?
If Windows becomes unstable immediately after HVCI is enabled, use Windows Recovery Environment rather than repeatedly forcing normal boots. Microsoft’s recovery procedure disables the enforcing policy and sets the HVCI enablement value to zero from the recovery environment.
- Enter Windows Recovery Environment from the automatic recovery screen or Windows installation/recovery media.
- Open the recovery command prompt or registry-editing tools appropriate to your recovery workflow.
- Disable the policy that is enforcing HVCI, if a policy is present.
- Set
HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDeviceGuardScenariosHypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrityEnabledto0. - Restart and confirm that Windows starts. Once you are back in Windows, identify the incompatible driver or management control before attempting to re-enable protection.
Do not treat this as permission to remove an unknown driver offline. First identify its owning hardware or application, obtain a compatible package, or have the organization that manages the computer correct the policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should gamers leave Memory Integrity enabled?
For most systems, leaving HVCI enabled preserves an important defense against kernel-level tampering. The trade-off is compatibility: an outdated driver may be blocked, and older processors can experience a larger performance impact because they rely more heavily on emulation. Microsoft also notes that a conflicting driver can, in rare cases, contribute to a boot failure.
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| Decision factor | Memory Integrity enabled | Memory Integrity disabled |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel security | Maintains the HVCI code-integrity layer against low-level tampering. | Removes that layer while Windows continues running other security features. |
| Driver compatibility | Outdated or incompatible kernel drivers may fail to load. | Those drivers may load, but their age and security quality remain risks. |
| Performance | Usually acceptable on modern hardware; older processors may incur a larger impact through emulation. | Avoids HVCI’s overhead, at the cost of reduced kernel protection. |
| Manageability | May be required by Group Policy, Intune/CSP, App Control or a Secured-core default. | Can be selected only when those controls and any UEFI lock permit it. |
| Recovery | A boot-critical conflict can require Windows RE. | Normal Windows startup is less likely to be affected by HVCI-specific driver rejection. |
For a gaming PC, update the driver that Windows names and test the game or peripheral again before choosing a permanent reduction in protection. If a legacy controller or utility remains incompatible and the computer is personally managed, disabling HVCI may be a reasonable temporary compatibility decision; keep the device off sensitive networks when practical and revisit the driver after the manufacturer releases a fix.
How can I keep HVCI off without breaking Windows?
There is no single universal “keep off” switch when another authority is enforcing the feature. Use this order so that each change has a clear purpose.
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- Identify the named incompatible driver and update or replace its owning component.
- Determine whether the device is managed. If it is, have the administrator change Group Policy, Intune/CSP or App Control.
- Check the documented Device Guard and HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity registry values without editing them blindly.
- Determine whether UEFI lock or Secure Boot-dependent firmware settings are involved.
- On an unlocked personal installation, turn Memory integrity off in Core isolation details and restart.
- Verify the state after reboot and test the affected hardware or game. Keep a record of the change so you can restore HVCI after a compatible driver becomes available.
This sequence matters because Windows can legitimately re-enable HVCI after a restart when a policy, registry value, firmware lock or default-enablement rule still requires it. The durable fix is to change that controlling layer, not to repeat the user-interface action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning Memory Integrity off uninstall the incompatible driver?
No. The switch changes whether HVCI enforces kernel-code checks; it does not remove the driver package or the application that installed it. The driver remains on the system until you update, uninstall or replace its owning component.
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No. Core isolation is the Windows Security area that exposes Memory integrity and related virtualization-based protections. The Memory integrity switch specifically controls HVCI, so changing it does not automatically disable every protection shown on that page.
Can a Windows reset make the setting stay off?
A reset is not a reliable solution. A compatible clean Windows 11 installation or a Secured-core PC may enable Memory Integrity by default, and an organization’s policy or a UEFI lock can reapply it after the reset.
Why does the setting change only after I reboot?
HVCI is established during the boot process, so Windows cannot fully switch its enforcement mode while the current session is running. The restart is the point at which the selected setting and any higher-priority policy are applied.
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