Remember when you were a kid playing in a sandbox? You could do whatever you wanted to it and always smooth it out and start over again. (Except for what the neighborhood cat may have left for you.) In Windows Pro and Enterprise versions of Windows, you can install Windows Sandbox. It operates just like yours did as a kid. Add whatever you want to it. When you are done, shut it down and everything goes away, even the cat poop. The Sandbox is how I test some things I write about before using it in “real life.”
Some emails I get from you show some of you like to try out new downloads on your computer. Windows Sandbox allows you to run a program without affecting your other programs. It runs in a “sandbox environment” that is isolated from the rest of your PC. Windows Sandbox uses virtualization technology to create a special, separated space on your PC. The sandbox environment is not connected to any of your personal files. It does not have access to sensitive hardware like your microphone or camera. It is exactly like having an additional though temporary computer!
Your computer can be Windows Pro or Enterprise versions and works on Windows 10 or 11. Then you ask, “How do I know which version I have?” Click on the Windows Menu icon and type, “System Information,” click it and the top line will tell you which version you have. (Windows Sandbox is currently not supported on Windows Home edition.)
Your Sandbox is a necessary and important part of a computer’s security. It will help you avoid threats from malware, viruses, and other malicious programs that can break through onto your machine. For many users, it could already be too late. They have already been infected with the latest virus and now have no choice but to buy expensive antivirus software that they never wanted. Or pay several hundred dollars to remove ransomware.
To install the Sandbox, first check that you have the correct version. If you do, there are other requirements, but I will tell you I have a computer that is almost 10 years old, and it works well. So more modern computers, especially with Windows 11, are good to go.
Next, click on the Windows Menu again and type, “Control Panel,” then click it. When it opens, look to the upper-right portion of the screen and make sure that “View by” is set to Small Icons. Look at the alphabetical list and click, “Programs and Features.” On the left of that window, click, “Turn Windows features on and off.” Scroll down the next list checking the box next to “Windows Sandbox.” Click “OK” and your computer will ask to restart.
(The restart will actually take longer than the video above. I sped it up to make it less boring to watch.)
When your computer has restarted, after a minute or two, click the Menu button again and type “Sandbox” then click the link. You will have a window open with a brand-new computer running. Your Sandbox only has a few programs, but it will work fine. Add what you want. Play in the sandbox. If you add something bad, you know not to use it in your “real” system. When you close the sandbox window, anything you installed or did will be totally removed and gone. So, put nothing there to use again later, as you will need to reinstall it next time.
Have fun playing in your personal sandbox and do not be concerned about the kitty.
