The Windows 2019 May 10 update is leaving us with many new features, which we will discover over the weeks. One of the main changes that we have found is Windows Sandbox. A novelty that had been announced some time before its launch, and that may be of great interest to us. Although it is important to know what it is.
Therefore, this is something that we tell you below. So you know what Windows Sandbox is, as well as how we can activate it. Although there is bad news, and it is that this is something that not available in Windows 10 Home. Rather, you have to have the professional version available.
What is Windows Sandbox
Windows Sandbox is a lightweight desktop environment, which is designed so that you can run applications in an isolated environment. The idea is that in this way it is possible to run applications in a safe way, and test them. This feature has been released for now only on Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. We do not know if it will also be released in the future in the Home version, although we hope that it will.
In a way, it can remember virtual machines. Although in this case it is very simple to use. It has the great advantage that we don't have to install or configure anything, we just have to run Windows Sandbox. What allows us to have a kind of disposable desk, which allows us to test applications or things that can be potentially dangerous. But without this posing a danger to the computer. Since said desktop is totally isolated from the rest and none of the changes apply to the operating system in general.
So the idea with Windows Sandbox is that if you have downloaded an application that you suspect is dangerous, install it without fear that something will happen to the computer. You don't have to worry about a virus infecting your computer. Also, nothing you do on this desktop is saved. The moment you close the application everything is deleted. It is also possible to use it to make changes to the system, but we do not know if it will work out or if we are not convinced by the result, we simply close it.
Requirements to use it
Without a doubt, Windows Sandbox is presented as a tool of great interest to users. Being able to do tests without danger to the computer and the data in it is something interesting. Especially in companies or students, who want to do some experiments. Although to use it there are some requirements.
The computer is required to comply with a number of aspects. On the one hand, you need a processor with a dual-core CPU, although 4 with hyperthreading and 64-bit architecture are recommended, for better performance. You must have the virtualization options enabled in the BIOS. What's more, 1 GB of internal storage required, recommended in the form of SSD, and at least 4 GB of RAM, with 8 GB being the ideal in this case.
How to activate Windows Sandbox
This new function is not activated by default on the computer. Therefore, to use Windows Sandbox we must first proceed to its activation on the computer. We have to do it by entering the function Enable or disable Windows features, which we can search in the search engine in the start menu. We then enter the option that appears on the computer screen.
Then, a box will appear on the screen, where we have a list of hidden functions in Windows 10. Among them we have the function that interests us. What we have to do is proceed with the enabling the Windows Sandbox feature. We then mark it to activate. Then we give it to accept and we leave that window.
Then we have to restart the computer. When we find it again, we will already have Windows Sandbox activated and we will be able to use it normally on the computer.