Windows Sandbox is missing or cannot start

Troubleshooting guideSources checked: 2026-09-05FaultNote editorial team

What to do first

Windows Sandbox is missing or cannot start. The PC may run Home edition, have virtualization disabled, lack memory or disk space, or have Containers-DisposableClientVM disabled. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.

This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.

Affected products and symptoms

Product: Windows Sandbox
Versions and conditions: Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)
Error codes and identifiers: 0x80070002

Symptoms

Windows Sandbox is missing or cannot start.
The same condition can persist after a retry or restart.

Causes and conditions

The PC may run Home edition, have virtualization disabled, lack memory or disk space, or have Containers-DisposableClientVM disabled.

Before you start

Save open documents and allow time for a Windows restart if required.
Run administrative actions only on a personally managed PC or with administrator approval.
Save the diagnostic command output so the before and after states can be compared.

Precautions

Do not bulk-delete registry entries, system folders, credentials, or storage metadata.
Do not run unofficial scripts or unknown drivers with administrator rights.

Windows Sandbox troubleshooting sequence: Check the supported Windows edition; Check the state with systeminfo.exe; Repair through the supported path; Launch Windows Sandbox; Verify under the same conditions — Procedure overview created by FaultNote. Read the precautions and full instructions before changing settings. Read the full steps

Step-by-step instructions

01
Check the supported Windows edition
#
In Settings > System > About, check that you are not using Home. Check virtualization under Task Manager > Performance > CPU. Do not use unofficial scripts to force the feature onto unsupported hardware.
02
Check the state with systeminfo.exe
#
Confirm Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition, virtualization support, at least 4 GB RAM, at least 1 GB free storage, and at least two CPU cores.
Command or path
```
systeminfo.exe
```
03
Repair through the supported path
#
Open Turn Windows features on or off, enable Windows Sandbox, and restart Windows.
Command or path
```
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName Containers-DisposableClientVM -All -Online
```
04
Launch Windows Sandbox
#
Restart Windows after adding the feature, search Start for Windows Sandbox, and open it. Confirm that a fresh desktop appears. Closing Sandbox discards files inside it, so decide how to handle any required output before beginning work.
05
Verify under the same conditions
#
Run Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers-DisposableClientVM and repeat the original operation once under the same conditions. If it succeeds, verify again after a restart and record the setting that changed.
Check that no new critical event with the same timestamp and component appears in Event Viewer.
Command or path
```
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers-DisposableClientVM
```

Check the result

The feature starts, connects, or completes without the original error.
The verification command reports the expected enabled, healthy, or connected state.
The result remains correct after a Windows restart and no new matching critical event appears.

If the problem continues

If the same code persists, provide the full message, Windows build, command output, and occurrence time to the PC administrator or Microsoft Support.
If hardware requirements, organization policy, or server settings are responsible, ask the owner to make the change instead of bypassing it on the client.

Scope of this guide

Troubleshooting guide — Restore the feature so it starts, connects, or completes normally and passes the same verification after a Windows restart.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Sandbox absent on Windows Home?

Windows Sandbox is unsupported on Home. Confirm Pro, Enterprise, or Education and the hardware prerequisites.

Can Sandbox run inside another VM?

The outer host must expose nested virtualization, and cloud or managed VM providers may impose additional limits.

Official sources and dates

Install Windows Sandbox ↗

Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.

Related troubleshooting guides

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