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It can, but there is no single slowdown figure that applies to every PC. The effect depends in part on your processor’s virtualization capabilities and your own workload. Microsoft says systems with newer supported processor features handle Memory integrity better; older processors that rely on emulation can see a bigger performance impact. Microsoft’s guidance does not give a universal percentage or gaming frame-rate reduction.

Before turning the feature off, check whether Windows is reporting an incompatible driver and rule out other common causes of sluggishness. Memory integrity protects an important part of Windows, so disabling it trades some security protection for a possible performance or compatibility benefit.

What Memory integrity does

Memory integrity is a Windows security feature, also known as Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). It uses hardware virtualization to create an isolated environment for code-integrity checks. Those checks help stop malicious software from using low-level drivers to hijack the PC.

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In practical terms, the feature helps protect the Windows kernel, the core of the operating system, by running kernel-mode code-integrity checks in that isolated environment. It also restricts certain kernel memory allocations that could otherwise be useful in an attack. This is security work performed by Windows, not a general-purpose speed or cleanup setting.

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Hardware virtualization must be enabled in your PC’s UEFI or BIOS for Memory integrity to work. The feature is available in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft says it is enabled by default on clean Windows 11 installations when the hardware is compatible; availability and settings can vary with Windows version and hardware. Its presence on a PC therefore does not mean that every system has identical support or performance.

How much performance impact should you expect?

There is no reliable one-size-fits-all percentage to apply to your PC. Microsoft’s official guidance does not provide a universal slowdown number, and it does not establish a typical reduction in frame rate or application speed. The defensible expectation is that an impact is possible, and that processor capabilities and your configuration matter.

The key hardware distinction Microsoft describes is whether the processor supports features that make the virtualization-based checks more efficient. Microsoft identifies Intel Kaby Lake and later processors with Mode-Based Execution Control (MBEC), and AMD Zen 2 and later processors with Guest Mode Execute Trap (GMET), as processor generations and capabilities that work better with Memory integrity.

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Older processors may rely on an emulation called Restricted User Mode instead. Microsoft says these processors “will have a bigger impact on performance.” That is a relative warning, not a promise that every older PC will feel slow or that every newer PC will have no measurable effect. Processor generation is one useful clue, but it does not by itself predict how a particular task will feel on a particular machine.

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Ordinary use versus a demanding task

Your own experience is more useful than an unsupported general percentage. If you are concerned, note whether the PC feels slower during the specific activity you care about, such as opening applications or running a demanding task. Compare like with like: use the same activity and similar conditions, and avoid attributing a change to Memory integrity if updates, applications, or other system conditions also changed.

This is a personal comparison, not a formal benchmark. The Microsoft sources do not rank workloads by expected slowdown or provide a standard test that predicts your result. A lack of an obvious difference in routine use does not prove that there is no performance cost; equally, a generally slow PC does not establish that Memory integrity is the cause.

Does Memory integrity slow down gaming?

Gaming is a reasonable workload to check if it is where you notice a problem, but there is no official general gaming benchmark or typical FPS reduction established here. Do not assume that every game loses a particular number of frames because the feature is enabled.

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Compatibility can matter separately from performance. Microsoft lists some anti-cheat solutions among examples of software that may be incompatible with Memory integrity. That can cause a compatibility problem rather than a predictable frame-rate penalty. If a game or its anti-cheat component reports a problem, first check for an updated compatible version from the software provider and for Windows updates. Changing a security setting should not be the first response to an unexplained drop in performance.

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Check whether a driver or app is the real problem

Memory integrity can be incompatible with some applications and hardware device drivers. A conflict may cause the device or software to malfunction and, rarely, can lead to a boot failure. Microsoft’s examples include some anti-cheat solutions, third-party input methods, and third-party banking password-protection software. These are examples of possible conflicts, not a claim that every product in those categories is affected.

If Windows specifically says a driver cannot load, treat that message as a compatibility issue to investigate rather than proof that the whole PC is too slow. The device or application that relies on the driver may not work correctly even when general performance seems normal.

  1. Identify the driver and affected device or app. Read the Windows warning and note the driver name. If the warning identifies a device or application, check whether that is the component that is malfunctioning.
  2. Check Windows Update. Look for available updates that may provide a compatible driver or resolve the issue.
  3. Check with the driver or device manufacturer. Look for an updated driver identified as compatible with Memory integrity and your version of Windows. Do not install a driver just because its name looks similar; it needs to support the relevant device and Windows version.
  4. If no compatible update exists, consider the dependent device or app. Microsoft’s guidance is that the device or application using the driver may need to be removed or replaced. Weigh that disruption against the security trade-off before changing Memory integrity.

Updating or replacing the driver is preferable to disabling protection when a compatible fix is available. If you cannot identify what uses the driver, avoid removing it blindly: doing so could disable the associated device or software.

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Rule out other causes of a slow PC

Sluggishness has several possible causes, and more than one can apply at once. Microsoft’s general Windows performance guidance calls out limited storage, too many startup apps, outdated software, and hardware that no longer meets current needs. Malware is also worth checking when investigating unexplained performance problems.

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  • Check available storage. If the system drive is nearly full, limited space may be contributing to poor performance. Review what is using storage before deleting files, especially if you are unsure whether they are needed.
  • Review startup apps. Too many apps launching with Windows can compete for resources or make startup feel slow. Disable only startup items you recognize and do not need to launch automatically.
  • Install applicable updates. Check Windows and relevant device or application updates. An outdated component can cause problems that resemble a performance penalty from a security setting.
  • Check for malware. Use Windows’ security tools to scan if the slowdown is unexplained or accompanied by other suspicious behavior.
  • Consider the PC’s age and capabilities. Hardware that no longer meets the needs of your applications can be a broader limitation; Memory integrity alone may not explain it.

Make one change at a time where practical, then reassess the activity that felt slow. If you change several settings or install several updates together, it becomes harder to tell which change helped.

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How to decide whether to turn it off

Keep Memory integrity enabled unless you have a specific compatibility problem or have compared your own experience and found a meaningful issue. A general feeling that the PC is slow is not enough to establish that this feature is responsible. Start with driver updates and the broader checks above.

Disabling the feature may restore functionality when a required driver is incompatible, or may be a troubleshooting test for a carefully observed performance problem. It also reduces the PC’s security posture by removing this layer of protection. On a Secured-core PC, Microsoft says disabling Memory integrity removes the device from Secured-core status.

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Use the Windows Security interface rather than changing unrelated virtualization or firmware settings. In Windows Security, look under Device security and then Core isolation for the Memory integrity control. Exact screens and availability can differ by Windows version and device. If you switch Memory integrity off, Windows requires a restart for the change to take effect; save work before restarting.

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If you disable it to test whether it affects a particular task, compare that same task under similar conditions after the restart. Avoid treating a short or uncontrolled comparison as proof: background updates, startup activity, and other system changes can affect how a test feels. If disabling the feature does not produce a clear improvement, re-enable it rather than leaving the security trade-off in place without a demonstrated benefit.

What to do if Windows will not start after a change

A boot failure is a rare incompatibility outcome Microsoft warns about, not the expected result of using Memory integrity. If the PC fails to start after a driver or security-setting change, use Windows’ recovery options to undo the recent change where possible, or seek support from the device or driver manufacturer. Do not remove unrelated drivers or make additional firmware changes without knowing what they control.

What to take away

Memory integrity can affect performance, especially on older processors that depend on Restricted User Mode emulation, but Microsoft does not publish a universal slowdown percentage or a typical gaming FPS loss. Check the relevant driver or app if Windows reports incompatibility, then investigate storage, startup apps, updates, malware, and hardware capability before assigning general sluggishness to the feature. Keep the protection enabled unless a specific, verified need justifies the security trade-off.

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