Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users benefit from a SandBox which allows files that are potentially dangerous for their machines to be executed and handled without risk.
Installing software unknown to the battalion or opening the content of a document whose source is not clearly identified can cause serious problems on a PC. To avoid installing a potential virus, ransomware, or other cryptocurrency miner on your computer, it’s best to take the initiative and handle suspicious files in a secure area.
Machines running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise natively integrate Windows Sandbox, software capable of creating a closed Windows environment (a kind of “mini-Windows” in Windows, separate from the rest of your machine, and in which it is possible to run software or open potentially dangerous documents without putting your machine at risk.
This “sandbox” works like a virtual machine. It runs a second session of Windows in an independent application window and does not keep any data when closed.
Each new run of Windows Sandbox provides access to an empty secure session of Windows. To benefit from it, your machine must be running Windows 10 in its version 18035 at least. Here’s how to install, configure, and use the secure environment of Windows 10.
1. Allow virtualization
First, you need to allow Windows virtualization in Windows. To do this, you need to go to your computer’s BIOS. Refer to your PC manual to access it.
On our working machine, the option to enable virtualization is in the BIOS Security menu, where we changed the Intel Virtualization Technology setting to Enabled.
2. Open the control panel
Click the Start menu, then in the list of applications, click the Windows System directory, and then click Control Panel.
You can also type Control Panel directly into the search box to open it faster.
Then click on the Programs menu to expand the list of all available options.
3. Activate the sandbox
Continue by clicking Turn Windows features on or off.
In the window that opens, find Windows Sandbox, check the box to enable it and click OK.
Windows should load the various necessary elements before offering to restart the machine. Click Restart Now.
4. Open an application in the Windows sandbox
Click on the Windows start menu, scroll through the list of applications, and open Windows Sandbox.
A new Windows session, completely independent of your working session, should open in a new window.
You can use it the same way you use your regular session. You can copy and paste items (installation files, documents, etc.) from your host computer to the sandbox there.
Everything you install there and all the files you open inside are separate from your regular operating system and are automatically deleted when you close the sandbox.