Software & Apps > Windows 45 45 people found this article helpful How to Enter BIOS on Windows 10 Boot into BIOS on startup By Saikat Basu Saikat Basu Twitter Writer University of Pune (India) Saikat has been a technology writer for 12+ years. His writing has appeared at MakeUseOf, OnlineTechTips, GoSkills, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 15, 2021 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide What to Know Enter BIOS by pressing a specific key at the precise time.F2, F10, or DEL are the standard hotkeys, but this can differ for each PC brand.Newer computers have UEFI BIOS which you can boot into from Windows Settings. This article explains how to enter BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) on Windows 10. How to Access (Legacy) BIOS on Windows 10 Entering the BIOS may be necessary to change the system date and time, hardware settings, or the boot order. You can enter BIOS with a keypress on a specific hotkey while the system is booting. But the time interval is short so be ready to press the right key at the right time just after the POST beep. Newer computers with UEFI BIOS offer an easier way to enter the BIOS (or the Setup as it is often called) by booting into Windows 10 first. The precise moment to press the BIOS hotkey is somewhere after the computer switches on and Windows initializes. Older computers on legacy BIOS give some time (though not much) to press the key. If the brand logo disappears before the keypress, the time has passed, and you will need to restart the PC again to enter BIOS. Tip: Look out for a message that says “Press to Enter Setup.” Here, Key_Name can be the DEL, ESC, F2, F10, or any other key supported by the manufacturer. Press the Power button to switch on your computer. Press the BIOS hotkey (e.g., F2, F10, Esc, or DEL) as soon as the brand’s splash screen appears. Tap on the hotkey repeatedly until you enter the setup mode. Alternatively, keep your finger on the key even before switching on the computer and press it until the BIOS comes up. The exact key or even a key combination depends on the make of the computer. Consult the computer’s manual for the right key if it’s not on the boot screen. Here are some keys you can try on these brands. Brand BIOS Key HP F9 or Esc Dell F12 Acer F12 Lenovo F12 Asus Esc Samsung F12 Sony Esc Microsoft Surface Pro Volume Down Button How to Boot Into UEFI BIOS on Windows 10 The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the successor to the older BIOS. The firmware is a part of all modern computers and provides faster boot times. It is functionally more sophisticated and visually richer than the legacy BIOS. It also supports both the keyboard and the mouse. Faster boot speed is a unique feature of UEFI firmware settings, so you may find it easier to enter the BIOS from within Windows 10 without going through the startup routine. Select Settings from the Start Menu (or press Windows + I). Go to Update & Security. Select Recovery. Go down to Advanced startup. Select Restart now and let the computer reboot. The computer restarts to display boot options. Select Troubleshoot. Select Advanced options. Select UEFI Firmware Settings. Select Restart to open the UEFI BIOS. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies