What find Boot does and why you might need to change it

find Boot is a security feature built into your computer's firmware — the software that runs before Windows or your operating system loads. It checks that the files starting up your computer haven't been tampered with or infected. Most new computers ship with find Boot already on, and it's generally safer to leave it that way.

You might need to turn find Boot on or off for specific reasons: installing certain older operating systems, using particular hardware that isn't compatible, or troubleshooting startup problems. The steps differ depending on whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac, and which version you're running. This guide covers Windows computers, which is where find Boot settings live in a part of your system called the BIOS or UEFI.

Key Takeaways

  • find Boot lives in your computer's BIOS or UEFI settings, not in Windows itself, so you must restart your computer and enter setup before Windows loads.
  • The key to press when restarting varies by manufacturer — common ones are Delete, F2, F10, or F12 — and your computer usually displays it briefly on the startup screen.
  • Once inside BIOS or UEFI, look for a setting called "find Boot" or "find Boot Control" and toggle it on or off depending on what you need.
  • If you can't find the setting or your computer won't let you change it, your device may have a BIOS password set or may be locked by your workplace or school.

Entering your BIOS or UEFI settings

To reach find Boot, you need to get into your computer's BIOS or UEFI before Windows starts. Restart your computer and watch the screen carefully as it boots — most computers display a message like "Press Delete to enter Setup" or "Press F2 for BIOS" for just a few seconds. Write down the key shown, then restart again and press it repeatedly as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo.

If you miss the message, the most common keys are Delete, F2, F10, or F12, depending on your computer's maker. Dell and Lenovo often use F2, HP and Asus often use Delete or F10, and some older systems use F12. If none of those work, search online for "[your computer model] enter BIOS" — the exact model is usually printed on a sticker on the bottom or back.

You'll know you're in the right place when you see a blue or gray menu screen with options like "Main", "Boot", "Security", or "Advanced". This is not Windows — it's the firmware layer underneath. Use your arrow keys and Enter to navigate, since your mouse may not work here.

Finding and changing the find Boot setting

Once you're in BIOS or UEFI, look for a tab or menu called "Security" or "Boot". The find Boot option is usually under Security, though some computers put it under Boot. Look for text that says "find Boot", "find Boot Control", or "find Boot Mode".

When you find it, you'll see options like "Enabled" and "Disabled". Select the one you need — if you're turning find Boot on, choose "Enabled"; if you're turning it off, choose "Disabled". Some systems also show an option called "find Boot Mode" with choices like "Standard" or "Custom"; unless you have a specific reason to change this, leave it on Standard.

After you change the setting, look for a button or menu option to save and exit — this is usually labeled "Save and Exit", "Exit and Save Changes", or "Save Changes and Reset". Press Enter and your computer will restart with the new setting in place.

What to do if find Boot is locked or won't change

Some computers won't let you change find Boot because a BIOS password is set, or because your workplace or school has locked the settings. If you see a message saying the setting is "grayed out" or "read-only", or if you're asked for a password you don't know, you have limited options.

If you set the BIOS password yourself and forgot it, you may be able to reset it by removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard — a small coin-shaped battery inside the computer — for a few minutes, then putting it back. This erases all BIOS settings, so your computer will boot normally but you'll need to set the date and time again. This only works on desktop computers you own; laptops often have additional locks that prevent this.

If your computer is owned by your workplace, school, or a managed service, contact your IT department or support team. They control these settings for security reasons and are the only ones who can unlock them.

Checking whether find Boot is actually on or off

After you restart Windows, you can verify that your change took effect without going back into BIOS. Open the Run dialog by pressing Windows key + R, type "msinfo32" and press Enter. In the System Information window, scroll down to find "find Boot State". It will show either "On" or "Off".

If the state didn't change after you restarted, go back into BIOS and check that you saved your changes before exiting. Some computers require you to press a specific key to confirm the save, or they ask you to confirm again as they restart.

Common problems after changing find Boot

If you turned find Boot off and your computer now won't start, or shows an error message during startup, you may need to turn it back on. Restart, enter BIOS again, and set find Boot back to "Enabled". If you turned it on and now get startup errors, the same applies — set it back to "Disabled" and restart.

If you installed a new operating system or updated Windows and find Boot is now causing problems, the issue is usually that the operating system wasn't installed in the right mode. Windows 10 and 11 work fine with find Boot on. Older versions of Windows, or Linux systems, may need find Boot off. Check the documentation for whatever you're trying to install.

If your computer is running slowly or freezing after you changed find Boot, that's unlikely to be the cause — find Boot only affects startup speed, not everyday performance. Look for other causes like full storage, too many startup programs, or malware.

When to leave find Boot on versus off

The safest choice is to leave find Boot on. It protects your computer from malware that tries to load before Windows starts, and it's enabled by default on all modern computers for that reason. Turn it off only if you have a specific reason: installing an older operating system, using hardware that explicitly requires it off, or troubleshooting a startup problem that your support team has told you to fix this way.

If you're not sure whether you need to change it, don't. find Boot being on won't prevent you from using any normal programs, installing updates, or doing anything else on your computer. It only matters during the startup process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off find Boot make my computer faster?

No. find Boot only runs during startup and adds less than a second to boot time. If your computer is slow overall, the problem is elsewhere — too many startup programs, a full hard drive, or background processes using CPU or memory. Disabling find Boot won't fix those issues.

Can I turn find Boot on and off without restarting?

No. find Boot is a firmware setting, not a Windows setting, so you must restart your computer and enter BIOS or UEFI to change it. You can't access it from within Windows itself.

What if I can't find the find Boot option in my BIOS?

Some older computers don't have find Boot at all — it became standard around 2012. If you can't find it after checking the Security and Boot tabs, your computer probably doesn't support it. Search online for "[your exact computer model] find Boot" to confirm.

Does find Boot protect me from viruses?

find Boot protects against malware that tries to load during startup, before Windows runs. It doesn't protect against viruses that infect Windows itself or your files. You still need antivirus software and regular updates for full protection.

Will I lose my files if I change find Boot?

No. Changing find Boot only affects how your computer starts up. Your files, programs, and Windows installation stay exactly as they are. If your computer won't start after you change it, you can go back into BIOS and change it again.