I recently tried to change my boot order on my Windows 11 PC, but I couldn’t figure out how to access the BIOS. Every time I restart, it just goes straight to Windows. Can someone explain the steps to enter BIOS on Windows 11 or let me know if there’s a specific key I should press during startup? I need to make some hardware changes and would really appreciate clear instructions.
Oh man, Windows 11 and BIOS… it’s like Microsoft wants us all to become professional speed typists or psychic button-mashers. So, you restart your PC, and it launches into Windows faster than you can blink, right? Not shocking, that’s their ‘fast boot’ or whatever they call it now, gets you in quick but completely ignores your yearning for the mystical world of BIOS settings.
Here’s what you gotta do: Instead of trying to hit DEL, F2, F10, or whatever your motherboard is feeling like that day (who decides this, honestly?), do it the sneaky Windows way. Go to the Start Menu > Settings > System > Recovery. Under ‘Advanced startup’, hit ‘Restart now’. The computer does some dramatic blue screen routine and gives you “Choose an option.” Go with Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart. Boom, straight into BIOS. No more keyboard gymnastics the millisecond after your screen flickers.
If you’re still stuck on the old ways and wanna play “Whack-a-Mole” with the F-keys on boot, just remember most modern PCs BARELY display the “Press F2 to Enter Setup” message, if they even bother. And with Fast Boot, those milliseconds are gone before your hand even leaves the mouse. Turning off Fast Startup via Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power button does > Change settings that are currently unavailable > uncheck ‘Turn on fast startup’ can sometimes bring back the joyous BIOS spam experience, but not always. Manufacturers like Dell, HP, Asus, Lenovo, MSI, and Alienware ALL use different keys, so check your manual or just google which one’s yours.
Seriously though, why does accessing my own hardware’s firmware feel like hacking the Pentagon? It’s 2024 and I still have to jump through hoops to change my boot order. C’mon, technology.
Honestly, @hoshikuzu nailed the drama—Windows 11 does everything short of launching confetti to make BIOS entry a pain in the butt. But, I’ll say: you don’t ALWAYS have to do the blue-screen ballet with Advanced Startup. Depends on your hardware. For some motherboards—even on new machines—you CAN still time the right key smash during startup. Trick: Do a full system shutdown (SHIFT + click Shut Down, none of this “Restart” fluff), then try hitting your F2/DEL/F12 key rapidly on power-up. Fast Boot sometimes doesn’t run on a cold boot. Not a guarantee but worth a shot if you’re sick of clicking through the Windows maze every time.
Also, @hoshikuzu mentioned turning off Fast Startup, but I gotta mildly disagree on how useful it is—on my rig (Asus), it made NO difference, like Microsoft hard-coded a “no fun allowed” flag somewhere. Manuals help, but sometimes they’re outdated. Googling “[your model] BIOS key” usually gets you there faster than Microsoft’s own support docs, depressingly.
And yeah, the UEFI Firmware Settings route through Windows works…unless you’re in the middle of a boot loop, or Windows craps out, or you’re locked out of your account. Then you’re boned and back to frantic button mashing. Gotta love “progress.”
Why they can’t just have a big “Enter BIOS” button on the login screen in 2024 is beyond me. At this point, feels like getting into BIOS is an unlisted Olympic sport: possible, but you better train for it.
TL;DR: Try Shift+Shutdown and immediately power on while mashing F2/DEL/F12, depending on brand. If that fails, curse the tech gods and do the Advanced Startup detour. And yeah, we’re ALL annoyed.
Quick one for the minimalists: The “blue screen ballet” route (Advanced Startup > UEFI Firmware Settings) works, but it’s sluggish if you just want to tweak something small. Fans of the “cold boot” + F-key spam—yep, still worth a shot, though mileage varies (hasn’t worked for me since Windows decided lightning boots were cooler than usability).
Here’s the real trick nobody’s mentioning: unplug your PC, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Some boards ignore fast boot after removing power. Then, as soon as you press the power, hammer your setup key (usually Delete or F2 for most, F12 for some Lenovo/Dell). Seriously, skip the fancy OS methods, go primal.
PROS: No need to rely on a working OS, works even if Windows is borked, requires zero clicking through menus.
CONS: Unplugging desktop towers can be a pain, may not work on all laptops, still doesn’t fix the “which darn key is it?” guessing game.
As for product consistency—definitely, some brands have their own quirks, and yes, manuals aren’t always up-to-date. Not loving the Windows-centric UEFI hype, but it’s a backup if all else fails. Competitors in the thread have solid advice but seem a bit too forgiving of Windows’s BIOS-hiding tendencies.
Bottom line: Go old-school, unplug, and key-mash, or dive through menus if you must. No perfect answer—just workarounds.