Microsoft Hyper-V
Hyper-V is Microsoft’s native hypervisor compatible with x86-64 systems. Its primary function is to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on Windows 10 computers.
The tools is mainly used by developers for tasks that include:
- Running programs that are compatible with older Windows versions.
- Running non-Windows OSs on your PC without installing the respective systems.
- Developing and improving other operating systems.
- Testing the same software solution on multiple operating systems.
Hyper-V system requirements
Before you enable Hyper-V, first make sure your PC meets the minimum system requirements. If this is not the case, refrain from using the tool as this might trigger various errors and technical issues.
- Windows 10 Enterprise, Pro, or Education
- 64-bit Processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT).
- CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPUs).
- Minimum of 4 GB memory.
How to enable Microsoft Hyper-V
There are three methods that you can use to turn on Hyper-V and we’ll list them below.
- You can enable Hyper-V via PowerShell by running this command:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
- In order to enable Hyper-V via CMD, you need to run this quick command:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Hyper-V
- If you want to enable Hyper-V via Settings, navigate to Apps and Features > Programs and Features > Turn Windows Features on or off > select Hyper-V.
Hyper-V FAQ
Is Hyper-V free? Hyper-V is a Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise built-in tool and you can use it for free after you’ve enabled it via PowerShell, CMD or Settings.
Can Hyper-V and VMWare coexist? As of today, VMware Workstation and Hyper-V are not compatible. You can only run one hypervisor at a time. The good news is that VMware and Microsoft are collaborating closely in order to enable Hyper-V features and VMware Workstation VMs to co-exist at the same time on the same device. The companies expect Hyper-V and VMware to be fully compatible in 2020.
Hyper-V Troubleshooting
Just in case Hyper-V fails to work as expected, we recommend checking our wide collection of troubleshooting guides. These articles will save you precious time and they’ll help you to quickly solve your Hyper-V issues.