How to Enter BIOS or UEFI Settings in Windows 11

On a Windows 11 PC that exposes its UEFI setup through Windows Recovery Environment, the cleanest route does not require racing a key during startup. Save open work first, then open Settings > System > Recovery. Under Recovery options, find Advanced startup and select Restart now. Microsoft documents this path for reaching UEFI firmware settings from Windows 11.

After the PC restarts into the recovery environment, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings, then select Restart. The computer should restart into its firmware configuration interface. The interface may still be labelled BIOS by the PC or motherboard vendor even when the machine uses UEFI firmware.

Firmware setup can also be entered before the operating system loads. The exact key, timing, and behavior are model-specific, so there is no safe universal instruction such as “always press Delete.” Check the support documentation for the exact motherboard, laptop, mini PC, or prebuilt model when possible.

ASUS, for example, currently documents holding F2 while powering on many of its Windows devices and notes that some older desktop models use Delete instead. MSI documents repeatedly pressing Delete during startup for its motherboard BIOS-entry troubleshooting. Those are vendor examples, not rules for every PC. Laptops and OEM desktops from other manufacturers can use different keys or button combinations.

The Windows recovery menu is not a universal replacement for the vendor’s firmware-entry method. Microsoft’s documented Windows path specifically targets UEFI firmware. A machine using a legacy BIOS path, a platform that does not expose the expected firmware interface to Windows, or a vendor-specific configuration can therefore require its startup-time method instead.

A missing UEFI Firmware Settings tile is not by itself a reason to flash the firmware, clear CMOS, disable Secure Boot, switch between UEFI and Legacy/CSM boot modes, or reset firmware defaults. Those actions change the system rather than merely entering setup and can affect bootability or security. Use the exact PC or motherboard documentation to identify the supported entry method first.

Modern systems can move through early startup quickly enough that a firmware key is easy to miss. Some vendors also provide firmware-level fast-boot options that alter startup behavior. If Windows 11 is working, the Advanced startup route avoids depending on a narrow keypress window and is usually the more deterministic choice.

If you must use a startup key, begin with the manufacturer’s documented procedure rather than repeatedly trying a list of common keys. Confirm that a wired or built-in keyboard is available early enough in startup if the vendor calls for a keyboard key. A wireless keyboard, USB hub, KVM, dock, or unusual USB path can complicate pre-boot input on some systems, so simplify the path if the documented key is not being detected.

BIOS/UEFI setup exposes low-level settings that can affect boot devices, storage controllers, virtualization, memory behavior, Secure Boot, TPM-related security, fan controls, CPU features, and other platform functions. Microsoft warns that changing UEFI settings can affect security and functionality on Surface devices; the same general caution is sensible on other PCs even though available controls differ.

If your goal is only to inspect a firmware version or confirm that a setting exists, leave unrelated options alone. Do not load defaults, change boot mode, disable security features, update firmware, or clear CMOS unless a separate, model-specific procedure actually requires it and you understand the consequences.

PC vendors and users commonly say “enter the BIOS” even on systems whose firmware is UEFI. That wording is usually referring to the firmware setup screen rather than claiming that the machine uses the original legacy BIOS architecture. Microsoft likewise describes firmware as UEFI and notes that it is sometimes called BIOS.

For the purpose of entering settings, follow the path documented for the exact system. The important distinction is not what the setup screen is casually called; it is whether Windows can request UEFI firmware setup directly or whether the machine expects a vendor-specific key or button sequence during startup.