How to Enable or Disable Virtualized GPU (vGPU) Sharing for Windows Sandbox in Windows 10
Windows Sandbox provides a lightweight desktop environment to safely run applications in isolation. Software installed inside the Windows Sandbox environment remains "sandboxed" and runs separately from the host machine.
A sandbox is temporary. When it's closed, all the software and files and the state are deleted. You get a brand-new instance of the sandbox every time you open the application.
Starting with Windows 10 build 20161, a new group policy setting was added that enables or disables the virtualized GPU.
If you enable this policy setting, vGPU will be supported in the Windows Sandbox.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows Sandbox will use software rendering, which can be slower than virtualized GPU.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable virtualized GPU (vGPU) sharing for Windows Sandbox for all users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable virtualized vGPU sharing for Windows Sandbox.
Windows Sandbox is only available for the Windows 10 Pro and Windows Enterprise editions build 18305 and higher.
Enabling virtualized GPU can potentially increase the attack surface of the sandbox.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable vGPU Sharing for Windows Sandbox in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable vGPU Sharing for Windows Sandbox using a REG file
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Sandbox
3 In the right pane of Windows Sandbox in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Allow vGPU sharing with Windows Sandbox policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 Close the Local Group Policy Editor.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Sandbox
AllowVGPU DWORD
(delete) = Disable
1 = Enable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_vGPU_sharing_for_Windows_Sandbox.reg
Download
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_vGPU_sharing_for_Windows_Sandbox.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
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