Set up Windows 10 sandbox - how it works

With the Windows 10 Update from May 2019, a new function is integrated in Windows: the sandbox. This practical tip explains how to set up the sandbox app and what you can use the program for.

Windows 10 sandbox: how to set it up

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To set up the Windows 10 sandbox, first update to the latest Windows version

Then check whether virtualization is activated and activate it in the BIOS if necessary

Activate the Windows sandbox

After a new start you can find and start sandbox under your programs

With the Windows 10 sandbox, you can quickly and easily install and run programs in a virtual environment without exposing your system to potential dangers.

• A prerequisite for the Windows Sandbox is the update from May 2019. So first update Windows to version 1903. Please note that Sandbox is only available for Windows 10 Pro version.
• If the update is not yet available to you, you can use the Windows Insider program to install the latest Windows version before the official release of the update.
• After installing the update, you need to check whether the virtualization option in Task Manager is activated. To do this, open the Task Manager and switch to the "Performance" tab. At the bottom right you will find the status next to the entry "Virtualization".
• If virtualization is deactivated, you have to restart your device and call the BIOS. There you will find the option to turn on virtualization. You can then activate sandbox after another restart.
• To do this, go to the Control Panel, select "Programs" and then "Activate or deactivate Windows features".
• A small window opens in which all functions can be switched on and off. These include Internet Explorer, various printer and system services and, below, "Windows sandbox".
• Activate the entry "Windows Sandbox" and restart Windows. After the restart you will find the Windows Sandbox in your programs and can start it.

Windows 10 sandbox: what is the app useful for?

The term "sandbox" is English and means sandpit. It is a virtual test environment in which you can perform unsafe actions without danger.

• The sandbox integrated in Windows 10 enables you to start a second virtual Windows instance.
• A program opens in a new window that simulates a second computer that also has Windows installed.
• You can now install and start the desired programs in Sandbox, which you are not sure whether they can harm your system.
• For example, if the program being tested is a virus that would have damaged your computer, it can only damage the sandbox environment without affecting your computer itself.
• As soon as the sandbox is closed again, the virtual computer is deleted again and all data that was stored in it are no longer available.

Learn how to find out which version of Windows you have.