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Windows Sandbox

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Dem still dey call am windows sandbox, wsb, containers disposable client vm

Microsoft CorporationSystem

Disposable Windows VM wey follow come inside Pro and related editions. E need virtualization. E no be Sandboxie.

Wetin you need know

Windows Sandbox na disposable Pro VM. E no be Sandboxie.

Enable di optional feature. Close di window and di VM don disappear. Sandboxie na different product. Home editions no get dis one.

Wetin e be?
Disposable Windows VM on Pro
E be di same thing as Sandboxie?
No. Sandboxie na third-party
E need Home?
No. Home no get am at all
Feex tok say
If Windows Sandbox dey miss, I dey check Pro and virtualization before I go download Sandboxie. Dis feature na inbox, no be third-party sandbox.

Wetin be Windows Sandbox?

Windows Sandbox na disposable Windows VM. Every time you launch am, e dey clean. Wen you close am, e go wipe everything comot. Sandboxie na third-party isolation product wey get different model.

If you never use am before

If you want throwaway Windows desktop to run suspicious exe, Windows Sandbox na optional feature on Pro. Enable am for Windows Features. Closing di window go wipe di VM. E no be Sandboxie, and e no dey on Windows Home.

Wetin dem dey use am for?

Open unknown files

Fresh Windows desktop. Host files no go dey dia unless you copy dem enta inside.

Optional Pro feature

Turn Windows features on or Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature Containers-DisposableClientVM. No Sandboxie installer.

Throw away on close

Nothing dey remain after you close Sandbox (apart from in-sandbox reboots for later Windows 11). Na di whole point be dat.

Na who e dey for?

  • Windows Pro users wey want disposable desktop
  • People wey dem tell make dem install Sandboxie instead
  • Anybody on Home wey no go see dis feature

Current status

Windows Sandbox (2019) na current disposable windows vm from Microsoft Corporation. Di vendor still dey direct Windows users go https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/.

How old e be?

Microsoft add Windows Sandbox for 2019 on Windows 10 Pro. E new pass Sandboxie long history. Di inbox feature dey use Microsoft hypervisor, no be di Sandboxie driver.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers no dey all verified here.

Windows 11 Pro Sandbox
Windows 10 Pro Sandbox (1903+)

System requirements

Values dey follow wetin di publisher release publicly. Workload still dey change di real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or Windows 11, Pro / Enterprise / Education, according to Microsoft
RAM 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended, according to Microsoft Learn

Resource profile

CPU demand
Dey follow wetin you open inside di app
RAM demand
Dey follow documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

Dese executables belong to dis product when e dey installed.

Installed processes
WindowsSandboxClient.exe Main Windows executable

Startup components

Sandbox dey start only wen you open Windows Sandbox. E no be logon VM.

File locations

Common Windows Sandbox locations
Typical install Windows optional feature Containers-DisposableClientVM

Common wahala dem

You install Sandboxie because of name mix-up

Sandboxie na third-party. Windows Sandbox na di inbox feature wey dis article dey cover.

Feature dey miss on Home

Microsoft no dey ship Sandbox on Home. Even if virtualization dey on, dat checkbox no go show.

How to get unstuck

Enable Windows Sandbox inside Windows Features, den restart

Learn list 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended), two cores, and firmware virtualization.

Turn virtualization on inside firmware if di box grey out

Di same VT-x / AMD-V switch wey Hyper-V want. No be Sandboxie driver.

Copy di file enta di sandbox. No expect host Desktop to show up

Di VM dey empty on purpose. Dat na isolation, no be failed install.

Alternatives

Sandboxie na third-party isolator. Hyper-V or VirtualBox VM dey stay until you delete am. WSL na Linux, no be Windows desktop sandbox.

Official help and downloads

Start with di vendor. Random exe sites no be support channel.

Official contacts
Download learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/ Official installer or vendor page
Help learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/ Vendor support
Official site learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/ Start here, no be random exe host
Install Windows Sandbox learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/windows-sandbox-install Optional feature plus virtualization

Related hardware

Microsoft list at least 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended), two CPU cores, and virtualization for BIOS. Dem recommend SSD.

Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers dey change. Dis article no pin down any build.

Sources and verification

Recorded source label: August 2026. Dis label no establish independent verification. How we dey do research.

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