Turning off Memory integrity may let a driver Windows blocked load after you restart, but it does not guarantee the device or app that depends on it will work. The definite tradeoff is security: Windows loses the hardware-virtualization-based protection that makes it harder for malicious code to misuse low-level drivers. On a Secured-core PC, disabling it also ends the device’s Secured-core state.
What “Core isolation” means in Windows
Core isolation is a section in the Windows Security app, not a single switch. Its available features vary with Windows version and installed hardware. The setting most people mean when they ask about disabling Core isolation is Memory integrity, also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). It is distinct from other options that may appear in the same section, such as hardware-enforced stack protection.
Microsoft describes Core isolation as providing security features that protect core Windows processes from malicious software by isolating them in memory. Memory integrity uses hardware virtualization to protect itself and make it harder for malicious programs to use low-level drivers to hijack the PC. It requires hardware virtualization to be enabled in UEFI/BIOS. Microsoft’s Device Security documentation explains the feature and notes that the options shown can vary.
What can change when you turn Memory integrity off
A blocked driver may be able to load
If Windows has blocked an incompatible driver, turning Memory integrity off and restarting may remove that particular obstacle. The driver might then load, but the hardware or application that uses it can still malfunction. The driver itself may be faulty or incompatible, another Windows protection may block it, or the problem may have a different cause.
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You lose the HVCI protection layer
With Memory integrity off, Windows no longer has this protection layer against malicious code using low-level drivers. Microsoft says malicious code has more opportunity to interfere with or evade the protection. That describes a security tradeoff, not a prediction that every PC will be infected; Microsoft does not provide a percentage or personal risk estimate for switching the feature off.
A Secured-core PC leaves its Secured-core state
Microsoft warns that turning off Memory integrity on a Secured-core PC takes the device out of a Secured-core state. The consequences may range from negligible to severe, depending on the device and use. Microsoft’s driver warning guidance includes this qualification.
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Try these options before disabling Memory integrity
- Record the driver details. From the Windows notification saying a driver cannot load, note the driver file name and publisher. Microsoft identifies these as the reliable details in the warning.
- Look for a compatible update. Check Windows Update, then the device or driver manufacturer’s support page for an updated driver. Microsoft recommends this before disabling the protection.
- Consider removing the device or app. If no compatible driver is available, removing or replacing the device or application that depends on it may be preferable. Follow its manufacturer’s instructions.
- Use the toggle only if the function is essential. In Windows Security, open Device security > Core isolation details, then switch Memory integrity off. Restart Windows for the change to take effect. The exact options can differ by Windows version and hardware.
- Test the specific device or app. After restarting, check whether the function you need actually works. A changed toggle is not proof that the driver or its software is compatible.
Do not confuse Memory integrity with the vulnerable driver blocklist
Windows also has a vulnerable driver blocklist, a related but separate protection. Blocking a driver can cause a device or application to malfunction and, rarely, a stop error; Microsoft describes this as a balance between security risks and compatibility or reliability. Evidence about a blocklist issue does not establish that switching off Memory integrity will fix it. Microsoft’s blocklist guidance discusses that separate compatibility tradeoff.
For example, Microsoft’s April 2026 notice says certain third-party backup applications using psmounterex.sys might fail to mount or manage disk images after updates released on or after April 14, 2026, when the vulnerable driver blocklist is enabled. This is a specific blocklist-and-driver compatibility case, not evidence that disabling Memory integrity is a general remedy. Read Microsoft’s April 2026 notice for its stated scope.
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There have also been version-specific Windows upgrade compatibility holds: Microsoft documented a display-driver hold for Windows 10 version 2004 on devices with HVCI enabled. That historical case concerns that upgrade, not a general rule for current Windows installations. Microsoft’s notice identifies the version-specific hold.
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