If you have launched a virtual machine or enabled a hypervisor tool on your Windows PC and received the message “A Hypervisor Is Already Running” or an AutoLoadHV conflict error, you are facing a direct clash between two competing virtualization layers. The Hypervisor Detected error prevents your VM software from initializing because Windows has already claimed exclusive control over the hardware virtualization stack.
This guide breaks down every verified fix for the Hypervisor Detected error, covering both beginner and advanced solutions so you can resolve the conflict quickly and cleanly.
What Causes the “A Hypervisor Is Already Running” and AutoLoadHV Error
The Hypervisor Detected error occurs when two or more virtualization platforms attempt to use the same CPU virtualization extensions simultaneously. Windows only allows one hypervisor to own the hardware layer at a time.
Common causes include:
- Hyper-V running in the background while VMware or VirtualBox is launched
- Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHP) enabled alongside third-party VM software
- AutoLoadHV boot entry forcing the hypervisor to load at every startup
- Virtual Machine Platform feature active in Windows Features
- VBS or HVCI keeping the hypervisor stack locked
- WSL 2 holding the hypervisor layer open in the background
How to Fix “Hypervisor Detected” A Hypervisor Is Already Running Error
Fix 1: Disable Hyper-V Using BCDEdit Command
The most direct fix for the Hypervisor Detected error is stopping Windows from auto-loading its hypervisor at boot using the BCDEdit tool.
Steps:
- Right-click the Start button and select Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)
- Type the following command and press Enter: bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off
- Wait for the confirmation message: The operation completed successfully
- Restart your PC and launch your VM software again
Fix 2: Turn Off Hyper-V Through Windows Features
If the BCDEdit command alone does not resolve the Hypervisor Detected error, disabling Hyper-V at the feature level is the necessary next step.
Steps:
- Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and press Enter
- In the Windows Features dialog, locate Hyper-V and uncheck it completely
- Also uncheck Windows Hypervisor Platform and Virtual Machine Platform if they are enabled
- Click OK and allow Windows to apply the changes
- Restart your PC when prompted
Fix 3: Disable AutoLoadHV via Boot Configuration
The AutoLoadHV entry in the Windows Boot Configuration Database forces the hypervisor to initialize before any other software can claim the virtualization layer. Removing it directly fixes the conflict.
Steps:
- Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt as Administrator
- Run this command to view all boot entries: bcdedit /enum all
- Look for any entry containing hypervisorlaunchtype set to Auto
- Run the following to disable it: bcdedit /set {current} hypervisorlaunchtype off
- Additionally run: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} hypervisorlaunchtype
- Restart your PC and test your VM software
Fix 4: Disable Windows Hypervisor Platform and Virtual Machine Platform
These two optional Windows features silently keep the hypervisor active even when Hyper-V itself appears disabled. Therefore, they must be turned off independently to fully resolve the Hypervisor Detected error.
Steps:
- Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and press Enter
- Scroll through the list and uncheck Virtual Machine Platform
- Also uncheck Windows Hypervisor Platform
- Click OK to apply changes
- Restart your system before relaunching your virtualization software
Fix 5: Disable Memory Integrity and VBS
Virtualization Based Security and Memory Integrity use the Windows hypervisor internally. As a result, they keep the hypervisor stack locked even when Hyper-V is turned off through normal settings.
Steps:
- Press Win + I, go to Privacy and Security, then Windows Security
- Select Device Security, then Core Isolation Details
- Toggle Memory Integrity to Off
- Additionally, press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and navigate to Computer Configuration, then Administrative Templates, then System, then Device Guard
- Set Turn On Virtualization Based Security to Disabled
- Restart your PC after applying both changes
Fix 6: Stop and Disable the HvHost Service
The HvHost service supports Hyper-V guest partition operations and can keep the hypervisor running in the background even after Hyper-V appears disabled. Stopping this service directly addresses the A Hypervisor Is Already Running error.
Steps:
- Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
- Scroll down and locate HV Host Service
- Right-click it and select Properties
- Set the Startup Type to Disabled
- Click Stop if the service is currently running, then click OK
- Restart your PC to confirm the change takes effect
Fix 7: Disable WSL 2 Backend Temporarily
WSL 2 uses the Windows hypervisor as its backend. Consequently, if WSL 2 is running when you launch VMware or VirtualBox, it holds the hypervisor open and causes the detection error.
Steps:
- Open Windows Terminal as Administrator
- Run the following command to shut down the WSL instance: wsl –shutdown
- To prevent WSL 2 from using the hypervisor backend temporarily, open WSL settings at %USERPROFILE%.wslconfig
- Add the following under [wsl2]: kernelCommandLine=nokaslr
- Alternatively, switch WSL to version 1 for the affected distro: wsl –set-version [distro name] 1
- Restart your system and relaunch your VM software
Fix 8: Reinstall VMware or VirtualBox With Hyper-V Disabled
Sometimes the VM software itself installs hypervisor hooks that conflict with an existing Windows hypervisor configuration. A clean reinstall after fully disabling Hyper-V resolves these lingering integration issues.
Steps:
- Fully uninstall VMware Workstation or VirtualBox through Settings, then Apps
- Run the BCDEdit command to confirm hypervisorlaunchtype is set to off before reinstalling
- Disable all Hyper-V related Windows features as described in Fix 2
- Restart your PC, then perform a fresh installation of your VM software
- Launch the software and create or load a virtual machine to verify the error is gone
Conclusion
The “Hypervisor Detected” and A Hypervisor Is Already Running error is a straightforward but disruptive conflict between Windows virtualization features and third-party VM software. Every fix in this guide targets a specific layer of that conflict, from boot configuration and Windows features to background services and security settings. Start with Fix 1 for the fastest result, and work through the remaining solutions if the Hypervisor Detected error continues. With the right configuration, your VM software will run cleanly without interference.
