Windows Sandbox is one of the lesser-known features of the Windows operating system. The feature, introduced first with Windows 10 and available in Windows 11, is an isolated desktop environment to run potentially unsafe apps and test suspicious files in a sandboxed environment to safeguard your data and Windows installation. The feature can also be helpful to visit websites that might not be safe otherwise.
The changes you make to the sandboxed Windows 11 installation remain isolated from the host machine. The Windows Sandbox environment is temporary and automatically deletes all files and resets itself to default when you close it. That is, whenever you open the Windows Sandbox, you get a fresh copy of the Windows 11 installation.
Although part of Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, the Windows Sandbox feature is not enabled by default. If you are interested in the feature, you can get it by installing the same.
This guide shows how to install/enable the Windows Sandbox feature on a Windows 11 PC.
Method 1 of 2
Install Windows Sandbox in Windows 11
Step 1: Type appwiz.cpl in the Start menu or taskbar search field and then hit the Enter key to open the classic Programs and Features window.
Step 2: On the left pane of the window, click the Turn Windows features on or off link.
Step 3: In the resulting Windows Features dialog, scroll down to see the Windows Sandbox option. If the dialog does not show the Windows Sandbox entry, it’s likely because you are running Windows 11 Home edition as the feature is not part of the Home edition or your PC does not meet the requirements.
Step 4: Select the checkbox next to Windows Sandbox and then click the OK button. Windows 11 now searches for the required files and applies the changes to add the Sandbox feature.
Step 5: Once added, you will be prompted to reboot your PC. Please restart your computer to install the feature. Note that Windows 11 might take a few minutes to complete the installation.
Method 2 of 2
Install Windows Sandbox via PowerShell in Windows 11
Step 1: Open the Windows PowerShell as an administrator. To do this, type PowerShell in the search box, right-click on the Windows PowerShell entry, and then click the Run as administrator option.
Click the Yes button when you see the User Account Control prompt. If asked to type the admin password, please do the same.
Step 2: At the PowerShell window, copy and paste the following command:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName “Containers-DisposableClientVM” -All -Online
Press the Enter key to execute the command, which installs the Windows Sandbox feature. Note that the PowerShell will take several minutes to install the Sandbox.
Step 3: When prompted to restart, save your work and then press “Y” key to reboot your PC.
To disable/uninstall Windows Sandbox from your Windows 11 installation, please run the following command:
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName “Containers-DisposableClientVM” -All -Online
Can I install Windows Sandbox in Windows 11 Home edition?
As of March 2025, the Windows Sandbox feature is not available in the Windows 11 Home edition. Only Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions offer the feature.
If you run the Windows 11 Home edition, you can upgrade to the Pro edition to get the feature and many other features, which will set you back by about $99.
Windows 11 Home edition users can try out the Sandboxie-Plus program to create an isolated environment. Alternatively, you can install Windows 11 on a virtual machine and use it as the Sandbox.
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