# Nested virtualization for WorkSpaces Personal
Nested virtualization allows you to run hypervisors such as Hyper-V and KVM inside your WorkSpace. This enables you to use development tools and workflows that require hardware virtualization support, including:
+ Docker Desktop
+ Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2)
+ Android Studio emulators
+ QEMU
With nested virtualization enabled, your WorkSpace gains processor-level virtualization support, allowing a hypervisor running inside the WorkSpace to create and manage virtual machines.
For more information about how nested virtualization works at the infrastructure level, see [Use nested virtualization to run hypervisors in Amazon EC2 instances](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/amazon-ec2-nested-virtualization.html) in the *Amazon EC2 User Guide*.
**Topics**
+ [Supported configurations](#nested-virt-supported-configurations)
+ [Prerequisites](#nested-virt-prerequisites)
+ [Enable or disable nested virtualization](#nested-virt-enable-disable)
+ [Recommendations](#nested-virt-recommendations)
+ [Known limitations](#nested-virt-known-limitations)
+ [Behavior during lifecycle operations](#nested-virt-lifecycle-operations)
## Supported configurations
**Note**
There is no additional cost for using nested virtualization. For pricing information, see [Amazon WorkSpaces pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/).
Nested virtualization is supported with the following configurations:
Licensing models
+ Public (AWS-provided) bundles
+ Bring Your Own License (BYOL)
+ Bring Your Own Protocol (BYOP)
Operating systems
+ Windows Server 2019
+ Windows Server 2022
+ Windows Server 2025
+ Windows 11
+ Ubuntu 22.04 and newer
+ Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and newer
+ Rocky 8 and newer
Protocol
+ DCV (WSP)
+ Bring Your Own Protocol (BYOP)
Bundle sizes
+ Most non-GPU bundle sizes (Standard, Performance, Power, PowerPro, GeneralPurpose). The Value bundle is not supported.
Regions
+ All AWS Regions where WorkSpaces Personal is available, excluding the China (Ningxia) Region and the Israel (Tel Aviv) Region.
## Prerequisites
Before you enable nested virtualization on a WorkSpace, ensure the following requirements are met:
+ The WorkSpace must use either DCV (WSP) or Bring Your Own Protocol (BYOP). WorkSpaces using the PCoIP protocol are not supported.
+ The WorkSpace must use a non-GPU bundle.
+ The WorkSpace must not use the Value bundle size.
+ The WorkSpace must run a supported operating system: Windows Server 2019 or later, Windows 11, Ubuntu 22.04 or later, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 or later, or Rocky 8 or later. WorkSpaces based on Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, and Amazon Linux 2 do not support nested virtualization.
## Enable or disable nested virtualization
You can enable or disable nested virtualization using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or Amazon WorkSpaces API.
**To enable nested virtualization during WorkSpace creation**
1. Open the WorkSpaces AWS Management Console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home](https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home).
1. Follow the steps to create a WorkSpace.
1. Under **Customization**, expand the **Nested virtualization** section.
1. Select **Enable Nested Virtualization**.
1. Complete the remaining steps to create the WorkSpace.
**To enable or disable nested virtualization on an existing WorkSpace using the AWS Management Console**
1. Open the WorkSpaces AWS Management Console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home](https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home).
1. In the navigation pane, choose **WorkSpaces**.
1. Select the WorkSpace.
1. Choose **Actions**, and then choose **Enable Nested Virtualization** or **Disable Nested Virtualization**.
The modification may take several minutes to complete. During the modification, the WorkSpace status shows as `Modifying`. After the modification completes, start the WorkSpace to use nested virtualization.
**Tip**
To verify the current nested virtualization state of a WorkSpace, select it in the AWS Management Console. In the detail view, the **Summary** section displays a **Nested Virtualization** field showing either `Enabled` or `Disabled`.
**To enable or disable nested virtualization using the AWS CLI**
1. (Optional) Use the `describe-workspaces` command to verify the current state of the WorkSpace. The response includes a `NestedVirtualizationEnabled` property with a value of `true` or `false`.
```
aws workspaces describe-workspaces \
--workspace-id {{ws-example123456}} \
--region {{us-west-2}}
```
Example output (relevant fields):
```
{
"Workspaces": [
{
"WorkspaceId": "ws-example123456",
"State": "STOPPED",
"WorkspaceProperties": {
"RunningMode": "AUTO_STOP",
"RunningModeAutoStopTimeoutInMinutes": 60,
"RootVolumeSizeGib": 175,
"UserVolumeSizeGib": 100,
"ComputeTypeName": "POWER",
"Protocols": [
"WSP"
],
"NestedVirtualizationEnabled": true
},
"ModificationStates": []
}
]
}
```
1. Use the `modify-workspace-properties` command with the `NestedVirtualizationEnabled` property.
To enable:
```
aws workspaces modify-workspace-properties \
--workspace-id {{ws-example123456}} \
--region {{us-west-2}} \
--workspace-properties NestedVirtualizationEnabled=true
```
To disable:
```
aws workspaces modify-workspace-properties \
--workspace-id {{ws-example123456}} \
--region {{us-west-2}} \
--workspace-properties NestedVirtualizationEnabled=false
```
1. Use the `describe-workspaces` command to verify that the modification completed successfully and the `NestedVirtualizationEnabled` property shows the expected value.
**To enable or disable nested virtualization using AWS Tools for PowerShell**
1. (Optional) Use the `Get-WKSWorkspace` cmdlet to check the current nested virtualization state:
```
(Get-WKSWorkspace -WorkspaceId {{$WORKSPACE_ID}} -Region {{$REGION}}).WorkspaceProperties.NestedVirtualizationEnabled
```
This returns `True` or `False`.
1. Use the `Edit-WKSWorkspaceProperty` cmdlet.
To enable:
```
Edit-WKSWorkspaceProperty -Region {{$REGION}} -WorkspaceId {{$WORKSPACE_ID}} `
-WorkspaceProperties_NestedVirtualizationEnabled $true
```
To disable:
```
Edit-WKSWorkspaceProperty -Region {{$REGION}} -WorkspaceId {{$WORKSPACE_ID}} `
-WorkspaceProperties_NestedVirtualizationEnabled $false
```
1. Use the `Get-WKSWorkspace` cmdlet to verify the modification completed successfully:
```
(Get-WKSWorkspace -WorkspaceId {{$WORKSPACE_ID}} -Region {{$REGION}}).WorkspaceProperties.NestedVirtualizationEnabled
```
**To enable or disable nested virtualization using the API**
Use the `ModifyWorkspaceProperties` API action with the `NestedVirtualizationEnabled` parameter set to `true` or `false`.
To check the current state, use the `DescribeWorkspaces` API action and inspect the `NestedVirtualizationEnabled` property in the response.
## Recommendations
+ **Use Power (4 vCPU) or higher bundle sizes.** While nested virtualization is supported on most non-GPU bundle sizes, hypervisors and nested virtual machines consume additional compute resources. For the best experience, we recommend Power or larger bundles.
+ **Validate application performance.** Test and validate your workloads with nested virtualization enabled to make sure they meet your performance requirements.
## Known limitations
+ **AutoStop mode with Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11 24H2/25H2** — WorkSpaces configured with AutoStop running mode that have nested virtualization enabled on Windows Server 2025 or Windows 11 24H2/25H2 perform a full reboot instead of hibernating when the WorkSpace times out. This results in longer resume times and loss of the user's prior session, including any unsaved work. If you require fast resume and/or session persistence, use AlwaysOn running mode for these WorkSpaces.
+ **GPU-based bundles** — Nested virtualization is not supported on GPU WorkSpaces.
+ **Unsupported operating systems** — Nested virtualization is not supported on WorkSpaces running Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, or Amazon Linux 2.
+ **Standby WorkSpaces** — Nested virtualization is not supported on Standby WorkSpaces.
## Behavior during lifecycle operations
The nested virtualization setting is preserved during the following WorkSpace lifecycle operations:
+ **Restore** — When you restore a WorkSpace, the nested virtualization setting is preserved and applied to the restored WorkSpace.
+ **Rebuild** — When you rebuild a WorkSpace, the nested virtualization setting is preserved and applied to the rebuilt WorkSpace.
+ **Migrate** — When you migrate a WorkSpace to a new bundle, the nested virtualization setting is carried over to the migrated WorkSpace, as long as the new bundle is compatible with nested virtualization.