I mainly use Windows 11 for web browsing, email, and other basic tasks. I don't game, although I may start using some AI tools this winter. Windows recently warned me that Memory Integrity is disabled and recommended enabling it. I've read that some gamers turn it off because of possible performance costs. Are there any significant downsides for a typical non-gaming user, such as compatibility problems with websites, applications, or hardware drivers? Please keep the explanation simple and practical.
3 Answers
Enable it unless Windows reports that a driver or application is incompatible. The main downside is not usually websites or everyday programs, but older or specialized drivers and low-level utilities. If something stops working, you can identify the incompatible driver and decide whether to update it or turn Memory Integrity back off.
Secure Boot is another Windows security feature that helps ensure the computer starts with trusted software. If your system supports it and Windows is already configured for it, leaving it enabled is generally recommended.
Some niche hardware and virtualization or filesystem drivers may not work while Memory Integrity is enabled. Examples include certain TV tuner drivers, VMware-related components, and older disk-format utilities. Those are compatibility issues with specific drivers, not a problem with normal browsing or email. If you don't use anything like that, there is little reason to leave it disabled.
For ordinary web browsing and email, turning it on is generally a good idea. It adds protection against certain malicious or vulnerable drivers, and any performance impact is usually small on a reasonably modern PC. It should not prevent you from visiting normal websites. Keep backups of important files as well.
Thanks. Is Secure Boot related to this, and should I enable that too?