Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-05-29

How to Fix error 5 Error – Unable to enable Virtual Machine Platform – DISM error

Docker Desktop installation error 5 Access Denied when enabling Virtual Machine Platform and WSL on Windows 11.

Quick Answer: Run PowerShell as an administrator with elevated privileges, or use the built-in 'Turn Windows features on or off' tool in Control Panel to enable Virtual Machine Platform.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. ⚠️ Common Causes
  2. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes
  3. 💡 Conclusion

The error 'Access is denied' when trying to enable Virtual Machine Platform using PowerShell or installing WSL on Windows 11 occurs due to a lack of administrative privileges or incorrect permissions. This issue often arises when the user account running the command does not have sufficient rights to access and modify system-level features.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • Running PowerShell as a standard user account instead of an administrator account.
  • A corrupted system file or registry key causing the Virtual Machine Platform feature to be inaccessible.
  • Insufficient disk space or available memory, leading to resource constraints that prevent the feature from being enabled.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Method 1: Run PowerShell as Administrator

  1. Step 1: Open PowerShell and right-click on the command prompt to select 'Run as administrator'.
  2. Step 2: Run the DISM command again, ensuring you are still logged in with administrative privileges.
  3. Step 3: Verify that the Virtual Machine Platform feature has been successfully enabled.

Method 2: Use the Built-in Disable and Re-enable Feature

  1. Step 1: Open PowerShell as an administrator.
  2. Step 2: Run the following command: `dism.exe /online /disable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /norestart` to disable and then re-enable the Virtual Machine Platform feature.

Method 3: Use the Registry Editor

  1. Step 1: Open the Registry Editor by typing `regedit` in the Run dialog box (Windows key + R).
  2. Step 2: Navigate to the following registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/system equestedPlatformDocks
  3. Step 3: Create a new DWORD value named 'VirtualMachinePlatform' and set its value to 1.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully enable the Virtual Machine Platform feature and resolve the 'Access is denied' error when installing WSL or Docker Desktop on Windows 11.

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