The three ways to get into HP BIOS during startup

On most HP laptops, you enter BIOS by pressing a specific key while the machine is starting up — before Windows loads. The key varies by model: F10 is most common on consumer HP laptops, but some use Esc followed by F10, and a few older models use F2. The timing matters: you need to press the key repeatedly as soon as you power on, before the Windows logo appears.

If the function key route does not work, you can restart from Windows itself. On Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings > System > Recovery, then select "Restart now" under "Advanced startup". When the blue menu appears, choose "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "UEFI Firmware Settings" > "Restart". Your laptop will reboot directly into BIOS without needing the timing.

A third option exists on some HP models: hold down the power button for 10 seconds to force a shutdown, then power on and when ready press F10 repeatedly. This works when the keyboard is not responding or when Windows will not start.

Key Takeaways

  • Press F10 repeatedly as your HP laptop powers on, before the Windows logo appears, to enter BIOS on most consumer models.
  • If F10 does not work, try Esc + F10 or F2, depending on your specific HP model year and line.
  • From Windows, you can restart into BIOS through Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > UEFI Firmware Settings without timing a key press.
  • Once in BIOS, use arrow keys to navigate and Enter to select; look for tabs labeled "Main", "Security", or "System Configuration" depending on what you need to change.

What you see once you are inside BIOS

When BIOS loads, you will see a dark screen with white or blue text, organized into tabs or menu sections across the top. On HP laptops, the most common tabs are "Main" (showing your hard drive and RAM), "Security" (where you set or remove a BIOS password), "System Configuration" (boot order, USB ports, and other hardware settings), and "Exit" (where you save and leave).

Navigation uses only the keyboard: arrow keys move between tabs and menu items, Enter selects an option, and Esc usually goes back one level. There is no mouse support in BIOS. At the bottom of the screen, you will usually see a legend showing which keys do what — "F1 Help", "F5 Load Defaults", "F10 Save and Exit" are standard.

Do not change anything unless you have a specific reason. BIOS controls fundamental hardware settings, and wrong changes can prevent your laptop from starting. If you made a change and want to undo it, look for "Load Setup Defaults" or "Restore Defaults" in the main menu.

Finding your specific HP model's BIOS key

If F10 does not work on your machine, the fastest way to find the right key is to look at the startup screen itself. Many HP laptops display "Press F10 to enter Setup" or "Press Esc, then F10" during the boot sequence — watch for this message and follow it. If you miss it, restart and watch again.

You can also check your laptop's model number and look it up on HP's support site. The model is usually printed on the bottom of the laptop or visible in Windows under Settings > System > About. Search "HP [your model] BIOS key" on HP's support pages, and the documentation will tell you which key to press.

If your laptop has a physical BIOS reset button (rare on consumer models, more common on business-line HP EliteBooks), the manual will show its location. This button resets BIOS to factory defaults without entering the menu — useful if you are locked out by a forgotten BIOS password.

When you cannot get into BIOS

If pressing the key repeatedly does not work, the most common cause is timing: you started pressing too late, after Windows began loading. Power off completely, wait 10 seconds, then power on again and start pressing F10 (or your model's key) when ready — before any logo appears.

A second cause is a BIOS password. If someone set a password on your laptop, BIOS will prompt you for it before letting you in. If you do not know the password, you will need to contact HP support with proof of ownership, or use the physical BIOS reset button if your model has one.

If your keyboard is not responding during startup, try a different USB keyboard if you have one, or use the Windows restart method described above. Some HP laptops have a known issue where the keyboard does not respond during the first few seconds of boot — waiting a moment before pressing the key can help.

Saving changes and exiting BIOS safely

Once you have made a change in BIOS, you must save it before leaving. Navigate to the "Exit" tab, then select "Save Changes and Exit" or "Exit Saving Changes". BIOS will ask you to confirm — select "Yes". Your laptop will restart and load Windows with the new settings.

If you want to leave without saving, select "Exit Without Saving" or "Discard Changes and Exit". This is useful if you opened BIOS to look at something but did not intend to change anything, or if you made a change and realized it was wrong.

Never force-shut your laptop while in BIOS. If you press the power button to force a shutdown, BIOS may not save your changes, or in rare cases, the shutdown could corrupt BIOS itself. Always use the "Exit" menu to leave.

Common BIOS changes on HP laptops

The most frequent reason people enter BIOS is to change the boot order — which device the laptop tries to start from first. This is necessary when installing Windows from a USB drive, or when you want to boot from an external hard drive. Look in "System Configuration" or "Boot" for "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority", then use arrow keys and Enter to move USB or external drives to the top of the list.

Another common change is disabling or enabling USB ports, which some people do for security reasons. This is usually in "System Configuration" under "Onboard Devices" or "Integrated Peripherals". You can also enable or disable the built-in camera, microphone, or Bluetooth from the same menu.

If you are updating BIOS firmware itself (different from changing BIOS settings), you will not do it from inside BIOS. Instead, you read the firmware file from HP's support site, put it on a USB drive, restart into BIOS, and look for an option like "Update BIOS" or "Flash BIOS" — but this is a separate process from what most people need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I press F10 and nothing happens?

Try restarting and pressing F10 earlier — as soon as you see the HP logo, before any other text appears. If that does not work, try Esc + F10 or F2 instead. You can also use the Windows restart method: Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > UEFI Firmware Settings, which does not require timing a key press.

Can I get into BIOS if I forgot my Windows password?

Yes. BIOS is separate from Windows, so a forgotten Windows password does not lock you out of BIOS. Press F10 during startup as usual. However, if someone set a BIOS password specifically, you will need that password to enter BIOS — Windows password does not matter.

Will changing BIOS settings break my laptop?

Most BIOS changes are safe, but some can prevent Windows from starting. If you make a change and your laptop will not boot, restart and go back into BIOS, then select "Load Setup Defaults" or "Restore Defaults" to undo everything. If you cannot get back into BIOS, the physical reset button (if your model has one) will reset BIOS to factory settings.

Is BIOS the same as firmware?

BIOS is a type of firmware — the low-level software that runs before Windows. When people talk about "updating firmware" on an HP laptop, they usually mean updating BIOS itself. The process is different from changing BIOS settings: you read a file from HP's site and run a special update tool, rather than navigating menus inside BIOS.

Why would I need to change boot order?

Boot order determines which device your laptop tries to start from first. You change it when installing Windows from a USB drive (USB must be first), or when you want to boot from an external hard drive instead of the internal one. After installation, you can change it back so the internal drive boots first.