How to Enter BIOS or UEFI Settings in Windows 11

To enter BIOS/UEFI from Windows 11, open Settings → System → Recovery, then select Restart now beside Advanced startup. After the restart, choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart. If Windows will not start, use the setup key documented for your exact PC or motherboard instead.

BIOS and UEFI are firmware that runs before Windows. You can ask Windows to restart into setup, but the firmware interface does not open as a normal desktop app. The methods below cover access, not flashing an update or changing boot, storage, or security settings.

Prepare Before Restarting

Save your work and close open applications first. Keep the laptop connected to power and have a working keyboard available. If BitLocker or device encryption protects the drive, make sure you can retrieve the recovery key before using recovery tools or changing firmware settings. Microsoft explains where to find a BitLocker recovery key; a work or school device may require help from its administrator.

If you only need the installed firmware version, you can check BIOS Version/Date in Windows 11 without restarting. Opening setup to look at a value does not require a firmware update.

Open UEFI Settings Through Windows 11 Recovery

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, then choose System → Recovery.
2. Beside Advanced startup, select Restart now. If Windows asks you to save work, finish saving before confirming the restart.
3. On the recovery screen, choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options.
4. Select UEFI Firmware Settings, then Restart. The next screen should be your manufacturer’s firmware setup.

Microsoft documents this route in its Windows 11 firmware-access instructions. Update & Security → Recovery is the older Windows 10 Settings path; Windows 11 uses System → Recovery.

Use Shift + Restart When Settings Is Unavailable

1. After saving work, open Start → Power. You can also use the Power control on the Windows sign-in screen.
2. Hold Shift while selecting Restart.
3. When the recovery menu opens, select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart.

Microsoft’s Windows recovery environment guide describes Shift + Restart. Choose the firmware option, rather than Startup Settings, which serves a different task such as starting Windows in Safe Mode.

Find and Use Your Manufacturer’s Setup Key

Identify the exact PC model before choosing a key. In normal Windows, open msinfo32 and note System Manufacturer and System Model. Our guide to checking system configuration in Windows 11 covers other places to find these details. For a custom-built PC, use the motherboard’s model and revision. Find “BIOS setup” or “UEFI setup” in its official manual; a one-time boot-menu key is not necessarily the setup key.

1. Save work, then restart normally or use the shutdown/startup sequence specified by your manufacturer.
2. Press the documented setup key at the manufacturer logo, before Windows loads. Follow the model’s instruction about repeated tapping or holding the key.
3. If Windows starts, allow it to finish and try again using the correct key or the Windows recovery route. Avoid switching the power off abruptly just to retry.

These are documented starting points, not a universal key list. Use the linked vendor guidance and your model’s manual if they differ:

Device family	Access method	Official instructions
ASUS PCs	For supported models, shut down completely, hold F2, then press Power. Release F2 when setup appears. Some older desktops use Delete; gaming handhelds have a different button method.	ASUS PCs guidance
Dell PCs	Restart and repeatedly tap F2 at the Dell logo. Dell also describes F12 → BIOS Setup/System Setup as an alternative. F12 by itself opens a boot menu.	Dell PCs guidance
HP consumer notebooks	From power-off, press Power and repeatedly tap Esc until the Startup Menu opens, then press F10 for BIOS Setup. Confirm the separate instructions for an HP desktop or another product family.	HP consumer notebooks guidance
Lenovo ThinkPad, ThinkCentre and ThinkStation	Repeatedly tap F1 at the logo. On models that first show a Startup Interrupt Menu, press Enter at the logo, then F1.	Lenovo ThinkPad, ThinkCentre and ThinkStation guidance
Lenovo IdeaPad	Immediately tap F2 or Fn + F2 after power-on. On a model with a documented Novo button, shut down, press that button, then choose BIOS Setup in the Novo menu.	Lenovo IdeaPad guidance
MSI notebooks	Restart and press Delete as the MSI logo appears. Use your notebook manual for any model-specific requirement; do not substitute F2 based on a generic PC list.	MSI notebooks guidance

Enter Firmware From Command Prompt

The following command requests an immediate restart. Save everything and close applications before running it. Use the graphical method if you want to walk through the recovery choices first. Direct firmware restart requires compatible UEFI firmware and the necessary Windows permissions.

1. Search Start for Command Prompt. Choose Run as administrator and approve the Windows prompt using an authorized administrator account.
2. Enter the command below and press Enter only when ready to restart.
3. If the firmware supports the request, the PC restarts into setup. If Windows reports a permissions or firmware-support error, stop and use the appropriate Settings or startup-key method.

shutdown /r /fw /t 0

Microsoft’s shutdown command reference defines /r as restart and /fw as directing the next restart to the firmware interface. /t 0 provides no waiting period. No /f option is needed here; that option forces applications closed. A positive timeout also implies forced closure, so changing the timer is not simply a harmless countdown.

A command with /o opens advanced boot options instead of directly requesting firmware setup. If you use that route, choose UEFI Firmware Settings afterward. Neither command updates the BIOS or bypasses a firmware password.

If the Firmware Option or Startup Key Does Not Work

UEFI Firmware Settings missing: Check BIOS Mode in System Information and the model’s documentation. Use its setup-key method when the Windows route is unavailable. A missing tile does not by itself prove that the machine lacks UEFI. Do not change Legacy/CSM boot mode or repartition the drive merely to expose the tile.

Key press missed: Begin at the manufacturer logo, not after the Windows sign-in screen. Check whether the manual requires Fn with a function key. If an external wireless keyboard is not recognized before Windows, try the built-in keyboard or a directly connected wired keyboard.

Fast startup or no visible prompt: Use the Windows recovery method while the PC boots normally. Consult the model’s troubleshooting guidance before changing power settings or resetting firmware. Windows Fast Startup and a firmware Fast Boot setting are different features.

Firmware password or managed device: Use the authorized firmware password or contact the device administrator/manufacturer. The Windows sign-in password is not necessarily the firmware password. Clearing passwords, removing the CMOS battery, and loading defaults are separate procedures, not routine access steps.

Exit Without Making Unintended Changes

Read the on-screen key legend or Exit menu; keyboard and mouse support vary. If you only inspected the settings, choose the model’s Discard Changes and Exit or Exit Without Saving option. If you deliberately changed a documented setting, review it before using Save Changes and Exit.

Do not choose Load Defaults as a substitute for discarding an accidental edit: defaults can alter other configuration. Entering setup alone does not improve performance or reinstall Windows. Confirm that the PC returns to Windows, then follow the guide for your specific next task.