The fastest way to enter BIOS depends on your computer's manufacturer

To open BIOS, restart your computer and press a specific key repeatedly as it boots up — before Windows loads. The key varies by manufacturer: Dell and Lenovo machines usually respond to F2, HP and Compaq to F10, Asus to Delete, and Gateway to F1. If you built your own PC, the key depends on your motherboard manufacturer, which you can find by opening Device Manager on a running computer, right-clicking the motherboard entry, and checking Properties.

The timing matters. You need to press the key as soon as the computer powers on — during the manufacturer's logo screen, before any Windows loading bar appears. Pressing it after Windows has started will not work. If you miss the window, restart and try again. Most computers give you a two- to five-second window, though some stay open longer.

If you are unsure which key to press, restart your computer and watch the boot screen carefully. Most manufacturers display a message like "Press F2 to enter Setup" or "Press Del for BIOS" during startup. Write down what you see, then restart and press that key.

Key Takeaways

  • The key to enter BIOS is different for each manufacturer — Dell uses F2, HP uses F10, Asus uses Delete — and you must press it during the startup screen before Windows loads.
  • You have only a few seconds after powering on to press the key, so watch the boot screen and act quickly.
  • If you do not see a message telling you which key to press, restart and look more carefully at the logo screen, or check your computer's manual online.
  • Once inside BIOS, you can view hardware information, change boot order, or update firmware — but changes made here affect how your computer starts up.

Finding your manufacturer's BIOS key before you restart

If you want to know the correct key before restarting, you can look it up without guessing. On a running Windows computer, open the Start menu and type System Information, then click the result. Look for the line labeled "System Manufacturer" — this tells you whether your computer is a Dell, HP, Lenovo, or another brand.

Once you know the manufacturer, search online for "[Your Brand] BIOS key" — for example, "Dell BIOS key" or "HP BIOS key". The manufacturer's support page will list the exact key. If you built your own computer, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button, selecting Device Manager, expanding "System devices," and looking for an entry that includes your motherboard's name — usually something like "Intel Chipset" or "AMD Chipset." Search for that chipset name plus "BIOS key" to find the correct key for your motherboard.

What to do if you cannot get into BIOS

If you press the key and nothing happens, the most common reason is timing — you pressed it too late, after Windows had already started loading. Restart the computer and try again, pressing the key as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo appear on the screen. Press it repeatedly rather than once, in case you are slightly off on timing.

If you have tried multiple times and the key still does not work, your computer may have a different startup process. Some newer computers, especially those with fast solid-state drives, boot so quickly that the BIOS screen flashes past almost invisibly. In this case, restart and watch very carefully for any text on the screen. If you see a message like "Press F2 for Setup," that is your cue — you may have only one second to respond.

Another possibility is that your keyboard is not responding during startup. Try using a different USB keyboard if you have one available, or a PS/2 keyboard if your computer has that port. Wireless keyboards sometimes do not work during the boot process because the wireless receiver has not initialized yet.

Navigating BIOS once you are inside

Once BIOS opens, you will see a menu with options like "Main," "Advanced," "Boot," and "Security." Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move between sections — the mouse does not work in BIOS. Press Enter to select an option or open a submenu. To go back to the previous menu, press Escape.

The "Main" tab typically shows your hardware — processor model, RAM amount, hard drive size — without letting you change anything. The "Boot" tab controls which device your computer tries to start from first (hard drive, USB drive, CD drive). The "Advanced" tab contains settings that affect how your computer runs, and "Security" controls passwords and startup restrictions. Do not change settings unless you have a specific reason to do so, as incorrect changes can prevent your computer from starting.

When you are done looking around, press Escape until you reach the main menu, then look for an option like "Exit" or "Save and Exit." If you have not changed anything, you can select "Exit Without Saving" to leave BIOS unchanged. If you did make changes you want to keep, select "Save and Exit" — BIOS will save your changes and restart the computer.

Common reasons to open BIOS

The most frequent reason people open BIOS is to change the boot order — the sequence in which the computer checks devices for an operating system. If you want to boot from a USB drive (to install Windows or run a repair tool), you need to move the USB drive to the top of the boot order in the "Boot" tab. This tells the computer to check the USB drive before the hard drive.

Another common reason is to check hardware information without opening Windows — useful if Windows will not start and you need to verify that the computer recognizes your RAM, hard drive, or processor. The "Main" tab shows this information. You might also open BIOS to update the firmware, which you do from within BIOS itself, though the exact steps vary by manufacturer.

Some people open BIOS to enable or disable hardware features — for example, turning off the built-in Wi-Fi card if you are using an external one, or enabling virtualization if you plan to run virtual machines. These changes are in the "Advanced" tab and require knowing what you are looking for, so only make changes if you have specific instructions to do so.

Restarting your computer to try again

If you restart your computer and miss the BIOS window, do not wait for Windows to fully load. As soon as you realize you missed it, hold down the power button for five seconds until the computer shuts off completely. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to restart. This is faster than waiting for Windows to boot and then shutting down normally.

On some computers, you can also restart directly into BIOS without watching the boot screen. In Windows 10 or 11, open Settings, go to System, then Recovery, and look for an option like "Restart now" under "Advanced startup." Click it, and Windows will restart and show you a menu with an option to enter BIOS or UEFI. This method is more reliable if you struggle with the timing of pressing a key during startup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I do not know my computer's manufacturer?

Open Settings in Windows, go to System, and scroll down to "Device specifications." The line labeled "System manufacturer" tells you the brand. If it says something like "To be filled by O.E.M.," you built the computer yourself — check your motherboard manual or search for your motherboard model online to find the BIOS key.

Can I damage my computer by opening BIOS?

Opening BIOS and looking around does not damage anything. Changing settings can cause problems if you do not know what you are doing, but you can always restart without saving changes, which leaves everything as it was. Only click "Save and Exit" if you intentionally changed something.

Why does my keyboard not work in BIOS?

Wireless keyboards often do not work during startup because the wireless receiver initializes after BIOS loads. Try a wired USB keyboard instead. If you only have a wireless keyboard, you may need to borrow a wired one or purchase an inexpensive USB keyboard to access BIOS.

Is BIOS the same as UEFI?

UEFI is the modern version of BIOS and works the same way from a user's perspective — you still restart, press a key, and see a menu. The main difference is that UEFI is faster and supports larger hard drives. The key to enter UEFI is the same as the key to enter BIOS on your specific computer.

What should I do if I changed a setting and now my computer will not start?

Restart and enter BIOS again using the same key. Look for an option like "Load Defaults" or "Reset to Factory Settings" — this undoes all your changes. Select it, then save and exit. Your computer should start normally after that.