AMD Restores Memory Guard on Ryzen 9000 CPUs After Backlash, July BIOS Update Confirmed
June 21, 2026
AMD will reinstate Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME), branded as Memory Guard, for non-PRO Ryzen 9000-series desktop CPUs in July via a BIOS update after community feedback and press scrutiny.
The upcoming BIOS update in July will restore TSME to non-PRO Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs, while Ryzen PRO SKUs will keep the hardware-based memory encryption as a foundational security feature.
TSME has a history on consumer CPUs dating back to at least the Ryzen 7 3700X, and its removal was first noticed when AGESA 1.2.7.0 disabled it for non-PRO chips.
AMD publicly acknowledged the change after outreach from the community and media scrutiny, citing transparency concerns and user feedback.
Industry commentary notes that while TSME isn’t critical for all consumers, restoring it addresses security concerns for users who rely on memory encryption.
The reversal comes after initial reluctance and a lack of communication from AMD, with the company now confirming the reinstatement plan in response to customer input.
Tom's Hardware is cited as confirming the upcoming BIOS update and the reinstatement plan, linking the decision to user input and community discussions.
By encrypting data in RAM, TSME helps defend against memory-based attacks, providing a security layer beyond standard protections.
The reinstatement reintroduces the ability to enable memory encryption on non-PRO Ryzen 9000 CPUs, while PRO CPUs retain memory encryption as a baseline feature.
TSME is a firmware-level memory encryption feature that protects data in RAM against cold-boot and related physical-access attacks by encrypting data with a processor key.
In summary, AMD will bring back TSME on mainstream Ryzen CPUs after removing it previously without clear communication, with official support resuming in the upcoming July BIOS release.
Summary based on 2 sources
Get a daily email with more Tech stories
Sources

Tom's Hardware • Jun 19, 2026
AMD will reinstate memory encryption on Ryzen 9000 CPUs through a BIOS update in July — TSME is coming back after…