If you have launched a Denuvo-protected game on your PC and encountered the message “Denuvo Tried to Delete the Token” followed by “Is the Hypervisor Running,” you are dealing with a direct conflict between Denuvo’s license verification system and the Windows hypervisor stack. This error blocks the game from launching entirely until the underlying conflict is resolved.

What Causes This Error

  • Hyper-V active in the background blocking Denuvo’s token file operations
  • Memory Integrity and VBS locking the hypervisor layer against Denuvo’s verification driver
  • Windows Hypervisor Platform interfering with token management
  • Secure Boot preventing Denuvo’s kernel-level authentication component from loading
  • Antivirus or Controlled Folder Access blocking token write and delete operations
  • Stale token file left behind from a previous crashed session

How to Fix Denuvo Tried to Delete the Token – Is the Hypervisor Running

Fix 1: Run the Game as Administrator

Denuvo’s token management requires elevated privileges to write and delete license files. Therefore, launching without administrator rights is one of the most common triggers for this error.

Steps:

  • Close the game and launcher completely from Task Manager
  • Right-click the game shortcut and select Run as Administrator
  • Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control
  • Allow the game to launch fully and check whether the error persists

Fix 2: Disable Hyper-V and Related Windows Features

An active Hyper-V installation prevents Denuvo from accessing the hardware layer it needs for token verification. Removing all related features ensures no background component keeps the hypervisor stack alive.

Steps:

  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run: bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off
  • Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and uncheck: Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, Virtual Machine Platform
  • Click OK and allow Windows to apply the changes
  • Do not restart yet — continue to Fix 3 first

Fix 3: Turn Off Memory Integrity and VBS

Memory Integrity and Virtualization Based Security maintain an independent hold on the hypervisor layer. Consequently, Denuvo’s token verification driver cannot access the system resources it needs even after Hyper-V is removed.

Steps:

  • Press Win + I and go to Privacy and Security, then Windows Security
  • Select Device Security and click Core Isolation Details
  • Toggle Memory Integrity to Off
  • Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and navigate to: Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, System, Device Guard
  • Set Turn On Virtualization Based Security to Disabled
  • Click Apply and OK

Fix 4: Manually Delete the Stale Denuvo Token File

When a previous session crashes, the Denuvo token file is not deleted cleanly. As a result, the next launch finds a stale token it cannot remove, producing the error directly.

Steps:

  • Press Win + R, type %localappdata%, and press Enter
  • Look for folders named Denuvo or matching your game name
  • Also check C:\ProgramData\Denuvo and the Temp folder
  • Delete any .token, .lock, or .pid files related to Denuvo
  • Empty the Recycle Bin and restart your PC

Fix 5: Disable Controlled Folder Access and Add Game Exclusion

Windows Controlled Folder Access silently blocks Denuvo from writing and deleting token files in protected directories without displaying any notification.

Steps:

  • Open Windows Security and go to Virus and Threat Protection
  • Click Manage Ransomware Protection and toggle Controlled Folder Access to Off
  • Navigate to Virus and Threat Protection Settings and click Add or Remove Exclusions
  • Add your entire game installation folder as an exclusion
  • Also add C:\ProgramData\Denuvo as a separate exclusion
  • Restart your PC and relaunch the game

Conclusion

The “Denuvo Tried to Delete the Token – Is the Hypervisor Running” error is a DRM license verification failure rooted in Windows hypervisor conflicts and file permission restrictions. Start with Fix 1 and Fix 4 for the quickest results, then work through the remaining fixes if the error continues. With the correct configuration in place, your game will authenticate and launch cleanly without the hypervisor conflict blocking Denuvo’s token management process again.