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.