Summary
- Starting in October 2026, Windows quality updates will gradually enable Memory Integrity and, on some eligible PCs, VBS.
- Memory integrity may reduce gaming performance, particularly on older processors, although the impact varies between games and hardware.
- Benchmark before disabling it: turning off Memory Integrity may recover performance, but it also removes an important kernel-level security layer.
Microsoft is about to switch on Memory Integrity across more Windows 11 PCs through regular quality updates. According to the official announcement on the company's community blog, Windows will gradually enable the protection on eligible devices beginning in October 2026. On some devices, the updates will also activate virtualization-based security (VBS) if it is not already enabled.
The feature is designed to stop untrusted code and drivers from running inside the Windows kernel. While that makes your PC safer, it can also reduce gaming performance, especially if you game on a PC with an older processor. Microsoft will evaluate hardware capabilities, compatibility, and performance before enabling it, but passing that test does not necessarily guarantee that your frame rate will be unaffected.
Memory integrity can cost you frames
But you should test the difference before disabling it
The way it works is sort of like creating a virtual vacuum chamber inside your computer. Memory Integrity uses VBS to move Windows' code-integrity checks into an isolated environment that is harder for malware to tamper with. Running that additional virtualization layer can introduce some overhead.
Windows settings do not affect every system equally; even Game Mode can lower performance on certain hardware despite being intended to help games. In one of our tests, disabling Windows’ virtualization-based security recovered as much as 11 percent of gaming performance, although the average frame-rate gains were smaller. The difference between having it on and off will vary considerably between processors and games. Newer CPUs are expected to take a smaller hit.
To check whether the protection is active, follow:
Windows Search > Core Isolation > Open > Memory Integrity
Thankfully, Microsoft says the rollout will respect devices on which a user has explicitly disabled Memory Integrity. So, if you have already turned it off yourself, the October rollout will not override your choice. If it is on and your games have become noticeably slower, you can switch it off and restart your PC when prompted.
It’s best to benchmark your favorite games before changing anything permanently. This is, after all, a layer of security that you would be manually disabling. That sort of self-inflicted vulnerability is exactly what makes it easier for malware to exploit drivers or tamper with the Windows kernel. Run the same game, scene, resolution, and graphics preset before and after toggling Memory Integrity, then compare both the average frame rate and 1% lows.
Also, before disarming security layers on your PC in hopes of achieving a consistently higher frame rate, make sure you have tried the less risky performance tweaks available elsewhere. Features including Hardware-Accelerated GPU scheduling and Resizable BAR may improve gaming performance without weakening Windows’ kernel protections. Updating your graphics driver and closing unnecessary background applications may also recover enough performance to make disabling Memory Integrity unnecessary.
Windows may decide that your PC can afford the extra security, but your frame counter gets a vote too; it just shouldn't be the only factor you consider. If the difference is negligible, leave Memory Integrity enabled. If it seriously hurts performance on an older gaming PC, you can disable it, although Microsoft recommends turning it back on after playing.