How to Turn On or Off Hyper-V Enhanced Session Mode in Windows 10
Hyper-V enables running virtualized computer systems on top of a physical host. These virtualized systems (aka: guests) can be used and managed just as if they were physical computer systems, however they exist in a virtualized and isolated environment.
You can give a virtual machine access to a computer's local resources, like a removable USB flash drive, when you use Virtual Connection Manager (VMConnect). To make this happen, turn on Enhanced Session Mode on the Hyper-V host, use VMConnect to connect to the virtual machine, and before you connect, choose the local resource that you want to use.
Enhanced session mode provides the following new capabilities for Virtual Machine Connection sessions:
- Display Configuration (dynamically re-size window)
- Audio redirection
- Printer redirection
- Full clipboard support (improved over limited prior-generation clipboard support)
- Smart Card support
- USB Device redirection
- Drive redirection
- Redirection for supported Plug and Play devices
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Hyper-V enhanced session mode for your account and/or all accounts in Windows 10.
You must be signed in to an administrator account to be able to turn on or off enhanced session mode.
To be able to use a computer's local resources on a virtual machine:
* The Hyper-V host (ex: your PC) must have Enhanced session mode policy and Enhanced session mode settings turned on.
* The Hyper-V virtual machine (guest) must have Remote Desktop Services enabled and run Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 as the guest operating system.
* Enhanced session mode isn't available for generation 1 (unless Windows 10 Pro, Education, or Enterprise) virtual machines or for virtual machines that run non-Windows operating systems.
Contents
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Enhanced Session Mode Policy for All Users in Hyper-V Settings
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Enhanced Session Mode Policy for All Users in PowerShell
- Option Three: To Turn On or Off Enhanced Session Mode for Your Account in Hyper-V Settings
EXAMPLE: Virtual Connection Manager (VMConnect) for Enhanced Session
1 Open Hyper-V Manager.
2 Select the Hyper-V host (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP") in the left pane you want to turn on or off enhanced session mode for, and click/tap on Hyper-V Settings in the right Actions pane. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Enhanced Session Mode Policy under Server in the left pane, check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Allow enhanced session mode on the right, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
4 If turned on, users will now be able to use Option Three below to turn on or off enhanced session mode for their account.
5 When finished, you can close Hyper-V Manager if you like.
1 Open an elevated PowerShell.
2 Do step 3 (status), step 4 (turn on), or step 5 (turn off) below for what you would like to do.
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
Get-VMHost | fl -Property EnableEnhancedSessionMode
True = Turned on (default)
False = Turned off
This is the default setting.
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Set-VMhost -EnableEnhancedSessionMode $True
B) Users will now be able to use Option Three below to turn on or off enhanced session mode for their account.
C) Go to step 6 below.
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
Set-VMhost -EnableEnhancedSessionMode $False
6 When finished, you can close PowerShell if you like.
1 Open Hyper-V Manager.
2 Select the Hyper-V host (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP") in the left pane you want to turn on or off enhanced session mode for, and click/tap on Hyper-V Settings in the right Actions pane. (see screenshot below)
3 Do step 4 (turn on) or step 5 (turn off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) If you haven't already, you will first need to turn on Hyper-V enhanced session mode policy for all users using either Option One or Option Two above.
B) Click/tap on Enhanced Session Mode under User in the left pane, check Allow enhanced session mode on the right, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below step 5)
A) Click/tap on Enhanced Session Mode under User in the left pane, uncheck Allow enhanced session mode on the right, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
6 When finished, you can close Hyper-V Manager if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Setup and Use Hyper-V in Windows 10 for OS Virtualization
- How to Add or Remove a Physical Hard Disk to Hyper-V Virtual Machine
- How to Use Local Devices and Resources on Hyper-V Virtual Machine in Windows 10
- How to Add Hyper-V Manager to Control Panel in Windows 10