# Windows Components

Windows Components are optional Windows features that enable specific OSDeploy workflows on the build machine.

| Property       | Value                                                   |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Publisher      | Microsoft                                               |
| Platform       | Windows 11                                              |
| Architecture   | amd64 / arm64                                           |
| Install method | `Install-OSDeploySoftware` or Windows Optional Features |

{% embed url="<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/client-tools/add-remove-hide-features>" %}

## Overview

Windows 11 ships with several features that are available but not enabled by default. OSDeploy uses **Hyper-V** to create and manage virtual machines on the build machine, enabling local testing of WinPE boot images without physical hardware. Enabling Windows optional features requires Administrator rights and may require a system restart.

## Why OSDeploy Uses Windows Components

* Hyper-V enables `New-OSDeployHyperVM` to create test VMs that boot from a WinPE image built by OSDeploy
* Local VM testing allows rapid iteration on boot images before deploying to physical devices
* Hyper-V is not required for building boot images — only for running them in a local VM

## In This Section

* [Hyper-V](/core-components/windows-components/hyper-v.md) — Enable the Hyper-V optional feature for VM-based boot media testing


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