This will destroy the snapshot entirely, including any changes you’ve made to the OS and any files you copied there. Once you are done with testing, you can close the Sandbox like any other app. You will receive a warning when you delete items. One thing to note: If you delete a file in the Sandbox it does not go the recycle bin.

If you have an executable file, you can install it in the Sandbox where it’s nicely cordoned off from your main system. Once the file is in the Sandbox, you can proceed as normal. You can copy and paste files directly into the Sandbox like any other VM. If you’ve ever used a VM before, then using the Sandbox will feel like old hat. That latter fact is especially nice, as a traditional VM requires taking the time to update the OS on its own. The virtual OS is dynamically generated from your main Windows OS, so it will always run the same version of Windows 10 you are using, and it will always be fully up to date. It’s a clean Windows installation, so you’ll see the default wallpaper and nothing but the default apps that come with Windows. You should then see a near replica of your current OS. When it asks, permit it to have administrative privileges. Either type “Windows Sandbox” into the search bar or dig through the menu and then double-click on the Icon. Step Three: Fire It UpĪfter Windows restarts, you can find Windows Sandbox on the Start Menu. In the Windows Features window, enable the “Windows Sandbox” checkbox.Ĭlick “OK” and then let Windows restart. (By the way, we’ve got a full write-up on using those Windows Features if you’d like to learn more.) To do so, head to Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows Features On or Off. Step Three: Enable the Windows Sandbox FeatureĪfter making sure virtualization is enabled, turning on the Windows Sandbox feature is a snap. That lets your guest version of Windows in the VM expose the virtualization extensions so that Sandbox can use them. To do that, fire up PowerShell in the version of Windows running inside the VM and then issue the following command: Set-VMProcessor -VMName -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true If you’re testing out the Insider build of Windows in a virtual machine already and you want to test Sandbox in that VM, you’ll need to take the extra step of turning on nested virtualization. Step Two: Turn On Nested Virtualization if You’re Running the Host System in a Virtual Machine (Optional) If virtualization is not enabled, you’ll need to enable it in your PC’s BIOS settings before you continue.

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