If you've used a laptop or PC in the past, there's a good chance you've heard of something called the BIOS, or maybe UEFI on more modern machines. This is a tool that lets you change settings for your PC hardware, such as overclocking, or certain security features like Secure Boot or virtualization, for example. There are a few ways to get to the BIOS on a Windows PC, so let's take a look at our options.

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What is BIOS?

A screenshot of the Boot settings in the BIOS

BIOS stands for Basic Input-Output System, and it's essentially a hardware settings menu for a computer. Your computer's BIOS program is located somewhere on the motherboard, and using the BIOS, you can change settings for all other hardware connected to the motherboard.

The BIOS ensures that all the hardware on your PC is working properly, and it can be used to customize or tweak settings. These settings can range from Secure Boot to both CPU and GPU overclocking, depending on the hardware you have present. The BIOS is generally more capable on desktop PCs where you're more likely to overclock components. On more modern PCs you'll find UEFI or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, which is a replacement for the legacy BIOS. Pretty much every modern computer uses UEFI, especially those running Windows 11, but you'll still often hear people refer to it as BIOS out of habit or convenience.

While there are some differences between the classic and modern versions, both of these things serve essentially the same purpose. It can be useful for some users to be able to change settings in the BIOS, but it's important to know what you're doing when accessing BIOS/UEFI. Changing BIOS settings incorrectly can cause issues that may be hard to resolve.

How to access BIOS at startup

A close-up of a computer screen displaying BIOS boot text "Press <Tab> to switch to POST or <Del> to run BIOS setup" with the BIOS version name partially visible at the top and a red arrow pointing to an option.

If you want to get to the BIOS straight from your boot screen, most PCs offer a way to boot into the BIOS by pressing a specific key. When you see the splash screen, which often shows the manufacturer's logo or the Windows logo, you can quickly press the quick-access key to enter the BIOS settings. Each brand and laptop model can use different keys for this, but here are some good options to start with depending on your PC's brand:

Acer

F2 or Delete

Asus

F2 or Delete

Dell

F2 or F12

HP

Escape (Esc) or F10

Lenovo

F1 or F2

MSI

Delete

Samsung

F2

Surface

Hold the Volume Up button and press and release the Power button

Dynabook/Toshiba

F2

If you don't have enough time to press the key or don't see a splash screen at all, it may be because your PC has Fast Startup enabled. This can make it harder to get to the BIOS, but a good workaround would be to restart your PC instead of a cold boot since Fast Startup doesn't actually apply to restarts.

How to access BIOS in Windows

If you have Fast Startup enabled on your PC by default, then the easiest way to access the BIOS menu is through Windows itself. There are several ways to do this, so follow along to find a method that works best for you.

How to enter BIOS using Windows shortcuts

Regardless of what PC brand you have, as long as it's a modern one, this method will work. Here's how it goes:

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Click the Power button and hold Shift on your keyboard while clicking Restart.
    Screenshot of Windows 11 Start menu aligned to the and taskbar with labels enabled
    A screenshot of the Windows 11 Start button showing the menu to restart or shutdown or sleep or sign out of a PC
  3. Your computer will restart and boot into the Windows Recovery Environment. Click Troubleshoot.
  4. Click Advanced options.
    Windows 11 recovery environment with Troubleshoot option highlighted
    Image of Advanced startup advanced options
  5. Choose UEFI Firmware Settings.
  6. Click Restart.
    Screenshot of Advanced options in Windows Recovery Environment with UEFI Firmware Settings highlighted

You'll be taken to the BIOS menu for your PC, which depends on who makes the motherboard (in the case of a desktop PC) or laptop. Navigating these settings will vary from device to device, so you may want to look up instructions from the motherboard or laptop manufacturer to know what to do.

How to enter BIOS using Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell

Another way to enter the BIOS is to use Windows Terminal in Windows 10 or 11. To do this:

  1. Right-click the Start menu button on the taskbar.
  2. Click Terminal (Admin). On older Windows 10 versions, this may be Windows PowerShell (admin), instead.
    Right-click on the Start button and chose the Terminal (Admin) option.

    You can also search for Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.

  3. Type in shutdown /r /fw, then press Enter.
    Screenshot of Windows Terminal with a shutdown command entered

You can also modify the command to shutdown /r /fw /t 0 to remove the waiting period and almost immediately open BIOS.

Your computer will warn you that it will shut down in less than a minute, then restart straight into the BIOS menu. This method may not work for older PCs that don't have UEFI, or that are still formatted using the MBR partition scheme, but that shouldn't be a problem on most modern PCs.

How to enter BIOS with a desktop shortcut

If you're entering BIOS frequently, creating a desktop shortcut to access it is also a good idea. To do it:

  1. Right-click an empty area on your desktop, then choose New > Shortcut.
  2. Enter shutdown /r /fw (or shutdown /r /fw /t 0) in the field for the location of the item and click Next.
    Screenshot of a Windows 11 desktop context menu with the option to create a new shortcut highlighted
    Screenshot of the shortcut creation dialog in Windows 11 with a shutdown command in the location field
  3. Choose a name for the shortcut, then click Finish.
  4. Right-click the shortcut on your desktop and choose Properties.
    Screenshot of a Windows 11 desktop with a context menu for a shutdown shortcut. The Properties option is highlighted
  5. Click Advanced in the bottom half of the window.
  6. Check the box that says Run as administrator, then click OK, and then OK again.
    Screenshot of the properties window for a shutdown command with the Advanced button highlighted
    Screenshot of the Advanced properties window with the Run as administrator option enabled and highlighted

You can now click the shortcut on your desktop any time you want to boot into the BIOS.

You should be able to easily access the BIOS now

That's pretty much all there is to it. If you're still unable to get into the BIOS, you may want to look for specific instructions from your PC's manufacturer for additional help. Or, you may need to get your computer repaired by a professional if it doesn't seem to be working for you.

Accessing the BIOS shouldn't be a troubleshooting method that most users need to access, though. If you're facing issues with your computer, and you need to start over, you can check out how to reset Windows 11 to its factory settings, which is something you may want to do from time to time anyway. If you're still experiencing issues, you may need to install Windows 11 again with a completely clean slate.