You will now see a “Choose an Option” screen. Make sure you save any unsaved work before restarting your PC. In this prompt, click “Restart Now” to restart your PC. In the “Recovery” menu, next to “Advanced Startup,” click “Restart Now.” The advantage of this method is that you can use this even when your Windows OS doesn’t load. It’s advanced low-level software that offers more features than traditional BIOS.

Windows 11/10 How to Enter the BIOS Configuration Screen

The firmware usually works without user interaction if you use a Windows 10 device. Although these are different technologies, modern devices now use UEFI, but sometimes, the term “BIOS” is still used to refer to both types of firmware. If you need to change your computer’s UEFI (BIOS) settings, this guide will show you two ways to do so on Windows 10. The key varies depending on what kind of computer you have, but it’s typically F2, F10, Del, or Esc. Since the BIOS is tied to a computer’s motherboard, the appearance of each BIOS will vary slightly by manufacturer.

On every PC I’ve built, I’ve had to go into the BIOS to adjust settings, ranging from the boot order to the security properties. However, some computers go through POST so fast that they don’t recognize input from the keyboard in time for you to a hit key. If you can hit the correct key before the POST is completed (or hold it down as you hit the power button), you will get into the BIOS menu. We’ll detail all these methods below and, if you need to get a new version of your firmware, see our tutorial on how to update your BIOS. You’ll likely need to access the BIOS menus to overclock your CPU, enable virtualization, set your memory speed or enable TPM encryption. The BIOS, sometimes referred to as UEFI firmware on newer computers, tells your PC what storage drives you have and which one to boot from, what processor you have, how much RAM, and much more.

It plays an essential role during the boot process by initializing hardware, making it possible for the operating system to communicate with hardware components. If you need to access these settings, here’s a detailed guide on how to run BIOS on Windows 10 and 11. If you Launch BIOS, you can configure settings like the boot order, and system time, and perform critical system optimizations. In Windows Terminal, type the following command and press Enter. To use a command to boot your PC in BIOS, use either PowerShell or Command Prompt utility on your PC. In this mode, you can configure various options, like changing your startup disk.

In Windows 10 and 11, you can access the BIOS directly from the Settings menu. Here, you can configure settings like boot order, secure boot, or system time. Once you’ve successfully pressed the key, you should see the BIOS or UEFI interface. Make sure to press the key right after powering on, before Windows begins loading. The BIOS key can vary depending on your computer’s manufacturer. The most traditional way to access BIOS is during the initial boot BIOS process.

On some computers, especially newer ones, you may be able to access BIOS using a “Setup” key, typically during the initial boot sequence. Hold the Shift key on your keyboard and then click Restart from the power options. This method is particularly useful for users who find it difficult to press the BIOS key at the correct time.

If you can’t get the computer to access the firmware using the keyboard, you may need to check your device manufacturer to find out which key you need to press during boot. If you don’t see the information on the startup screen or the computer boots quickly, restart the device again, and as soon as the boot starts, press the required key multiple times quickly. The most common way to access the BIOS settings is to press a specific key at startup. This is a particularly useful method if you can’t access BIOS using the traditional key press at startup. There are a few different ways to access the BIOS menus on a PC whether it involves hitting a hotkey at POST time, using Windows’ Advanced Startup menu or issuing a Linux command.

  • Another option to access BIOS is by using the Command Prompt to initiate a restart into Advanced Startup.
  • Some newer systems use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), which may have different methods for accessing and using the BIOS.
  • Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
  • This method is usually available for systems with UEFI firmware.

Below are the various methods to access BIOS on Windows 10 and 11 systems. Some newer systems use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), which may have different methods for accessing and using the BIOS. Accessing the BIOS allows you to change several system settings, such as boot priority, security settings, and overclocking features.

Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu. While the steps provided here generally apply to most systems, some variations may exist based on the manufacturer and BIOS version. BIOS, or Basic Input/Output System, is firmware embedded in your computer’s motherboard. It acts as an interface between your computer’s hardware and software. This command vegas casino app works in both PowerShell and Command Prompt shells, so you can use either.

Entering the BIOS on Startup

This will restart your PC into a special menu for advanced troubleshooting. Simply start with restarting your computer and as soon as logo appear press the BIOS Key to enter the BIOS. When you power on your PC, pressing a specific key immediately after the system starts will allow you to enter the BIOS. If you need to adjust certain system settings such as boot order, secure boot settings, or overclocking, entering the BIOS is necessary.

Here’s a list of common BIOS keys by brand. Most modern motherboards use the DEL key, but ultrabooks, gaming laptops and gaming PCs are less consistent. Annoyingly, different PC brands use different BIOS keys. Get into the UEFI / BIOS setup menu and make changes. However, checking the manufacturer’s documentation is important to understand the features the motherboard supports and those you can configure. (These are the instructions for accessing the UEFI on Windows 11.)

Step 1: Restart your computer and immediately press the BIOS key

Do this by pressing Windows+i keys at the same time. On most computers, this key is F2, but you should check on your computer’s splash screen to confirm. You could end up disabling key components. Pulling out your primary internal storage drive would also cause an error that would let you into the BIOS, but if that drive has a non-booting OS on it, your problems might resume once you plug it back in. Finally, if you can’t boot off of an emergency disk, you can try to cause a system halting error that would prevent your computer from attempting to boot off of its internal drives. You can use a Windows install disk as an emergency boot disk.

How to Enter the BIOS on Your Windows 11 PC

If your computer can’t load an operating system, because it doesn’t detect a bootable drive, it will usually pause, beep and give you the option to enter the BIOS, which it will often call “setup.” Your computer will reboot and a new menu eventually appears. If you can’t use a BIOS key and you have Windows 11 or 10, you can use the “Advanced startup” feature to get there. Some desktops won’t even recognize input from a USB keyboard until after POST is completed (though they will see input from an old PS2-style keyboard).

Whatever method you use to access your BIOS, be careful when making changes to your settings there. If you’re running a modern version of Linux such as Ubuntu, you may be able to get to the BIOS by typing “sudo systemctl reboot –firmware” at the command prompt. The easiest way to get there is by searching for “advanced startup” in Windows search and clicking the top result. If your device is using UEFI firmware and can’t access it during startup, it’s recommended to use the Settings option (see previous steps) from within Windows 10. If you don’t have access to the desktop environment or are using a device with a legacy BIOS, you can still access the firmware during boot.

BIOS Keys List by Manufacturer

  • On every PC I’ve built, I’ve had to go into the BIOS to adjust settings, ranging from the boot order to the security properties.
  • Accessing the BIOS on your Windows 11 PC can help you solve a variety of problems or allow you to adjust low-level settings.
  • This is a particularly useful method if you can’t access BIOS using the traditional key press at startup.
  • Turn on the computer, and immediately press the Setup key (commonly F2, F12, or Del) when the manufacturer logo appears.

To use this method, you will have to find the key that lets you enter BIOS on your specific computer. An easy way to enter BIOS on your Windows 11 PC is to use a key on your keyboard while powering on the computer. Then, you’ll be given the option to enter the BIOS menu. I’ve had this problem when I had a missing or corrupted bootloader, I got the Windows splash screen and then a blue screen of death. However, the biggest problems occur when the system POSTs too fast for you to hit a key and then Windows or Linux tries to boot and fails.

First, open the “Start” menu and search for “Windows Terminal”. Once you make all of the changes you want, your PC will finish restarting normally. Instead of restarting normally, your PC will open up the Advanced Boot Menu. Windows 11, like Windows 10 before it, allows you to boot into the Advanced Boot Menu from within Windows.

Click Restart now under the Advanced startup header. Note that the screen shots below are from Windows 11, but the same steps apply to Windows 10. Unfortunately, some computers go through POST so quickly that there’s no time to hit a key. Depending on the age of your model, the key may be different.

There are multiple ways you can enter BIOS, and we’ll show you how to use all of them. Accessing the BIOS on your Windows 11 PC can help you solve a variety of problems or allow you to adjust low-level settings.

This method allows you to access BIOS via the Run dialog box, which is another way to reach the Advanced Startup Options. This is an ideal method for users who prefer using commands or need an alternative method when other approaches fail. Another option to access BIOS is by using the Command Prompt to initiate a restart into Advanced Startup. This method is usually available for systems with UEFI firmware. You can use the Shift + Restart combination to access the BIOS without needing to navigate through the Settings menu. Once your computer restarts, you will be presented with a menu.

After you complete the steps, the device will access the BIOS or UEFI firmware, depending on the motherboard support. You should only access the motherboard firmware when you have a good reason. The only caveat is that the BIOS is a startup environment, meaning you can’t access it when Windows 10 is running. This wikiHow will show you how to access and adjust the BIOS settings for your Windows 8, 10, or 11 computer.