How to Enter Windows 11 BIOS Settings Using Hotkeys

How to Enter Windows 11 BIOS Settings Using Hotkeys .As organizations fully transition to Windows 11, having consistent access to and control over firmware settings has become a critical governance and security concern—not just a troubleshooting task. Enterprise IT leaders and endpoint managers require clear, repeatable procedures for configuring and securing the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) across large, distributed device fleets.

When desktop administrators need to view or adjust firmware settings on managed Windows 11 devices, they have two main approaches. The first is using Windows 11’s built-in options to access firmware settings through the operating system. The second method is pressing a specific hotkey during startup, before the OS loads. This hotkey method depends on the device’s manufacturer and model.

No matter which method you use, accessing a computer’s firmware typically opens an interface where settings can be viewed and configured. Most modern PCs adhere to the UEFI standard, while a small number still use the older Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) firmware. However, BIOS-based systems are becoming increasingly rare, especially in enterprise environments.

What Are the Differences Between BIOS and UEFI?

Even though modern desktops and laptops primarily use UEFI firmware instead of BIOS, the terms BIOS and UEFI are still often used interchangeably. Many firmware interfaces continue to display “BIOS” in menus and branding even though the underlying firmware is based on UEFI. For most purposes, BIOS is now considered a legacy technology.

Suggested internal link:
Learn more: What Is UEFI vs BIOS — Firmware Explained

Why UEFI Matters for Windows 11

One of the minimum system requirements for installing Windows 11 is support for UEFI firmware, including Secure Boot. According to Microsoft, devices must be UEFI‑capable to install Windows 11, and most organizations are already transitioning to Windows 11 because Windows 10 support ends soon. Many Windows 10 systems already use UEFI rather than BIOS under the hood.
— 👉 External reference: Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements (https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/requirements)

What Is BIOS?

The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is firmware that is stored on a chip on the motherboard and acts as a bridge between hardware and the operating system. When a PC powers on:

BIOS performs a Power‑On Self‑Test (POST) to verify hardware health.
It initializes system components.
It hands control to the OS bootloader so the operating system can load into memory.

BIOS operates in 16‑bit processor mode and has limited memory and functionality compared with newer standards.

What Is UEFI?

In 2017, Intel announced plans to replace legacy BIOS with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) by 2020. Since then, UEFI has become the industry standard for PC firmware. UEFI defines how firmware and the operating system interface while providing a standardized environment for pre‑boot applications, boot control and OS handoff.

Key Differences Between BIOS and UEFI

Here’s how UEFI improves on the legacy BIOS design:

🔹 1. Boot Architecture and Speed

UEFI can run in 32‑bit or 64‑bit mode, allowing faster boot times and more efficient hardware initialization.
BIOS can only run in 16‑bit mode, which limits performance and addressable memory.

🔹 2. Disk Partitioning Support

UEFI supports GPT (GUID Partition Table) — this enables large drives (up to 9.4 zettabytes) and many partitions.
BIOS uses MBR (Master Boot Record) — limited to 2.2 TB disks and fewer partitions.

👉 Suggested internal link: What Is GPT vs MBR and Why It Matters for Windows

🔹 3. Networking Features

UEFI includes networking capabilities, allowing network booting and remote boot diagnostics using protocols such as SNMP, TCP, FTP and UDP.
BIOS has limited networking support and does not natively support modern network protocols.

🔹 4. Security — Secure Boot

UEFI supports Secure Boot, which blocks unauthorized or malicious bootloaders and boot‑level malware.
BIOS has no equivalent Secure Boot feature, making it more vulnerable to rootkits.

👉 Suggested internal link: How Secure Boot Protects Windows Systems

🔹 5. Firmware Interface and Usability

UEFI can provide a more user‑friendly interface with mouse support and advanced menus.
BIOS interfaces are text‑based and keyboard only.
However, the actual UEFI interface depends on the PC manufacturer — features and usability vary.

🔹 6. Extensibility and Standards

UEFI is modular and extensible, designed around industry standards so OEMs and OS vendors can customize it.
BIOS is monolithic and harder to extend, making it less adaptable for modern hardware and workflows.

Summary

Feature	BIOS	UEFI
Processor Mode	16‑bit	32/64‑bit
Partition Support	MBR	GPT
Boot Speed	Slower	Faster
Networking	Limited	Built‑in
Secure Boot	✘	✔
Interface	Keyboard only	Mouse & Keyboard
Extensibility	Low	High

References

Microsoft Windows 11 minimum requirements — UEFI & Secure Boot requirement (learn.microsoft.com)
UEFI Specification & Advantages (uefi.org)
GPT vs MBR partition comparison (microsoft.com)

Accessing the UEFI settings on a Windows 11 PC

Windows 11 computers provide multiple methods for accessing the system’s firmware interface, where you can configure how UEFI is implemented on that system. There are four common approaches for accessing the interface.

Keep in mind that the computer’s manufacturer determines how to present those settings and how they can be navigated and configured. Don’t assume that what you can do on one computer can be done the same way on another, unless they’re identical models. For any questions about accessing and configuring a system’s firmware, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation.

1. Access UEFI through Windows Settings

You can access Windows 11 firmware settings via the Settings app by performing an advanced startup, allowing entry without needing a startup hotkey.

Figure 1. Users should click the ‘Recovery’ listing in the Systems tab.

To use this method, launch the Settings app, go to the System tab and then click the Recovery listing (Figure 1).

This will take you to the Recovery page, as shown in Figure 2. Here, you should click the Restart now button in the Advanced startup listing.

Figure 2. On the Recovery page, users should click the ‘Restart now’ button in ‘Advanced startup.’

When you click Restart now, a message box appears that confirms you want to restart the computer. Click the Restart now button in this message box as well. The computer will then restart, but it won’t load the OS like it normally does. Instead, it will load the Windows Recovery Environment, starting with the Choose an option screen, which presents you with a variety of troubleshooting options (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Users should select the ‘Troubleshoot’ option.

On the Choose an option screen, click the Troubleshoot option. This takes you to the Troubleshoot screen. Here, you should click Advanced options.

On the Advanced options screen, you’ll find several recovery options, along with other types of options, including UEFI Firmware Settings (Figure 4).

Figure 4. After selecting ‘Advanced options’ on the Troubleshoot screen, users should select the ‘UEFI Firmware Settings’ option.

Click the UEFI Firmware Settings option. You’ll then be presented with the UEFI Firmware Settings screen. On this screen, click the Restart button.

When you click the Restart button, the computer restarts again and takes you to the firmware interface, where you can configure the UEFI-related settings. The screen’s layout, the available settings and how you navigate those settings will be specific to the computer’s model and manufacturer.

Note that accessing the firmware interface is not the same as booting into Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a pared-down version of Windows that is typically used to diagnose issues and take steps to address those issues.

2. Use the Restart button to access the UEFI settings

In Windows 11, hold Shift while clicking Restart in the power menu to quickly access the Windows Recovery Environment without opening Settings.

Figure 5. Pressing ‘Shift’ while simultaneously clicking the ‘Restart’ button on the Windows power menu offers a shortcut for accessing UEFI settings.

When you use this method, it will restart the system as expected, but it won’t reload the OS as would normally be the case. Instead, it will take you to the same Choose an option screen you saw in the previous section. There, you can click through the same options as before:

Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart > Restart

When you click Restart, the computer will restart and take you to the firmware settings screen, where you can configure the UEFI-related settings.

3. Use the command prompt to restart the PC

Another way to access a system’s firmware menu from within Windows 11 is to run a shutdown command in Command Prompt. The shutdown command enables you to shut down or restart a local or remote Windows computer. To this end, the command provides a set of parameters for controlling the operation’s behavior. You can use several of these parameters to restart a Windows 11 computer and go directly to the firmware interface, where you can configure the UEFI settings.

To use a shutdown command to access a computer’s firmware interface, launch Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following command:

shutdown /r /fw /t 0

The shutdown command takes the following three parameters:

The /r parameter causes the system to shut down and then automatically restart.
The /fw parameter instructs the system to go directly to the firmware interface after it’s been restarted. The parameter is used in conjunction with a shutdown or restart parameter.
The /t parameter sets the number of seconds to wait before shutting down the computer. In this case, the parameter takes 0 as its argument, indicating that there should be no delay before shutting down.

When you run this command, the system immediately shuts down and then restarts, going directly to the firmware interface where you can configure the UEFI settings. The nice thing about this approach is that it skips the Windows Recovery Environment altogether.

4. Press a hotkey when booting the computer

Accessing Firmware on Windows 11 PCs with Hotkeys and Manufacturer Keys

Many Windows 11 computers let you enter the firmware settings menu by pressing a hotkey at startup, allowing you to go straight into UEFI/BIOS without loading Windows or the Windows Recovery Environment. This traditional method works during the POST screen before the OS loads, but the exact key depends on the manufacturer and specific model. (NinjaOne)

🔑 What Hotkeys Are Used to Access Firmware

Although guides sometimes label these as BIOS keys, they actually bring you into the UEFI firmware settings on modern PCs. Common hotkeys include Esc, Del, F1, F2, F10 and F12, but the correct one varies by vendor. (NinjaOne)

💻 Common Manufacturer Hotkeys

Here’s how major PC makers typically support hotkey access during boot: (NinjaOne)

Acer – Press F2 on notebooks or Del on desktops when the logo appears.
ASUS – Press and hold F2 while powering on; some older models use Del.
Dell – Press F2 repeatedly at the logo; some systems use F12 instead.
HP – Press Esc or F10 repeatedly during startup.
Lenovo – Press F1 repeatedly at boot. Some models require Enter before F1 or use other combinations.

Always check your device’s documentation if unsure, as different models from the same manufacturer can use different keys. (NinjaOne)

👉 For a more complete list of hotkeys by vendor, see How to Boot to UEFI/BIOS Firmware Settings in Windows 11 on NinjaOne. (NinjaOne)

📌 Tips for Using Hotkeys Successfully

Start pressing the hotkey as soon as the PC powers on — the window to register the key is brief. (ITarian)
Some systems require pressing the key repeatedly or holding it down. (NinjaOne)
On fast‑boot systems, you may need to use Windows methods instead (e.g., Advanced Startup) because the POST screen flashes too quickly. (ITarian)

📚 Why Standardizing Firmware Access Matters

Establishing a consistent process for accessing and configuring firmware settings helps IT teams reduce configuration drift, enforce security baselines like Secure Boot and TPM, and improve governance across large device fleets. (Windows Forum)

References & Suggested Outbound Links

How to Boot to UEFI/BIOS Firmware Settings in Windows 11 — NinjaOne guide (Windows firmware hotkeys & methods) (NinjaOne)
How to Access UEFI or BIOS Setup from Windows — Dell Support walkthrough (advanced startup & hotkey instructions) (Dell)
Common BIOS Entry Keys for Windows PCs — HP BIOS access article (hotkeys by brand) (惠普)