AWS workspaces: Add nested virtualization modification documentation

Service: workspaces · 2026-08-19 · Documentation medium

File: workspaces/latest/adminguide/modify-workspaces.md

Summary

Added section for enabling/disabling nested virtualization with notes on GPU incompatibility and VSM disablement.

Security assessment

Documents that enabling nested virtualization disables VSM (a security feature), which weakens WorkSpace security boundaries.

Evidence

  * When nested virtualization is enabled on a Windows WorkSpace, Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) is automatically disabled.

Diff

diff --git a/workspaces/latest/adminguide/modify-workspaces.md b/workspaces/latest/adminguide/modify-workspaces.md
index 93b10c746..140b3bdd9 100644
--- a//workspaces/latest/adminguide/modify-workspaces.md
+++ b//workspaces/latest/adminguide/modify-workspaces.md
@@ -7 +7 @@
-Modify volume sizesModify compute typeModify protocols
+Modify volume sizesModify compute typeModify protocolsModify nested virtualization
@@ -140,0 +141,2 @@ You can switch a WorkSpace between the Standard, Power, Performance, PowerPro Ge
+  * If you modify the compute type from a non-GPU-enabled bundle to a GPU-enabled bundle, nested virtualization is automatically disabled on the WorkSpace. GPU WorkSpaces do not support nested virtualization. For more information, see [Nested virtualization for WorkSpaces Personal](./nested-virtualization.html).
+
@@ -271,0 +274,62 @@ The `Protocols` property is case-sensitive. Ensure that you use `PCOIP` or `WSP`
+## Modify nested virtualization
+
+You can enable or disable nested virtualization on your WorkSpaces to allow running hypervisors such as Hyper-V and KVM inside your WorkSpace. Nested virtualization is useful for running development tools like Docker Desktop, Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2), Android Studio emulators, or QEMU within your WorkSpace.
+
+You can modify the nested virtualization setting using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or Amazon WorkSpaces API.
+
+For more information about prerequisites, considerations, and detailed instructions including AWS CLI and AWS Tools for PowerShell examples, see [Nested virtualization for WorkSpaces Personal](./nested-virtualization.html).
+
+###### Note
+
+  * Nested virtualization is not supported on GPU WorkSpaces.
+
+  * Nested virtualization is not supported on Standby WorkSpaces. For more information, see [Multi-Region Resilience for WorkSpaces Personal](./multi-region-resilience.html).
+
+  * When nested virtualization is enabled on a Windows WorkSpace, Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) is automatically disabled.
+
+  * There is no additional cost for using nested virtualization. For more information, see [Amazon WorkSpaces pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/workspaces/pricing/).
+
+
+
+
+###### To enable or disable nested virtualization using the console
+
+  1. Open the WorkSpaces console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home](https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home).
+
+  2. In the navigation pane, choose **WorkSpaces**.
+
+  3. Select the WorkSpace.
+
+  4. Choose **Actions** , and then choose **Enable Nested Virtualization** or **Disable Nested Virtualization**.
+
+
+
+
+###### Note
+
+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, select the WorkSpace in the 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
+
+Use the [modify-workspace-properties](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/workspaces/modify-workspace-properties.html) 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
+