A new memory protection feature coming to Windows 11 could slow down video games running on the operating system, according to a report by the technology outlet MakeUseOf.
The publication's journalists learned that Microsoft plans to roll out the Memory Integrity feature on Windows 11 computers. The feature is designed to block potentially dangerous code and drivers from running at the level of the Windows kernel, but it can also slow down a computer's performance.
The journalists explained that Memory Integrity runs on Virtualization-based Security, known as VBS, which creates an isolated area on the device where code is checked before it is allowed to run. This makes it harder for malicious programs to gain control of key system components, but it can also come at a cost for users.
Impact on gaming performance
The main drawback identified was the additional load the feature places on a device's components. In theory, this extra strain could reduce performance in some games and other demanding applications.
Microsoft is the technology company that develops the Windows operating system, which runs on the majority of the world's desktop and laptop computers.
How to turn the feature off
The MakeUseOf journalists noted that Memory Integrity has already been built into some newer computers, and if the option had previously been switched off, the update will not turn it back on automatically.
Users who want to deactivate Memory Integrity can do so by opening Windows Security, then selecting Device Security, then Core Isolation, and finally the Memory Integrity setting.
What comes next
The update carrying the new memory protection feature is set to be distributed from October, according to the report.
Earlier this autumn, it became known that Microsoft had changed the update installation mechanism in Windows 11. The operating system now requires a restart once a month rather than after every update installation.
