How to enter the Bios in Windows 11

Getting into the BIOS unlocks a range of low-level hardware settings, everything from adjusting the system clock to tweaking CPU behavior. In short, once you're inside the BIOS (Basic Input Output System), you have full control.

Worth noting: modern PCs have largely swapped BIOS for UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). UEFI is essentially BIOS's successor — quicker to boot, able to handle much larger storage drives, and generally more capable. It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit modes (BIOS was stuck at 16-bit), can address drives up to roughly 9 zettabytes, and includes security features like Secure Boot.

People still use "BIOS" and "UEFI" interchangeably, even though they're technically different things, as noted above. So on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 machine, what you're really opening is the UEFI settings screen.

How to get into BIOS on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC

1. Through Windows Settings
2. Using Shift + Restart
3. Via Command Prompt
4. Using the Run dialog
5. With a desktop shortcut

I. Through Windows Settings

1. Open the Start Menu, type "settings" in the search box, and click the gear icon.
   
2. Click "System" on the left side.
3. Select "Recovery" on the right.
   
4. Under Advanced Startup, click "Restart Now."
   
5. Save any open work, then confirm by clicking "Restart now" again.
6. When the menu appears, pick "Troubleshoot."
   
7. Click "Advanced options."
   
8. Choose "UEFI Firmware Settings," then click "Restart."
   

After the restart, your PC will boot straight into the firmware setup screen.

II. Using Shift + Restart

1. From the sign-in or lock screen, hold Shift while clicking the power button, then choose Restart.
2. Windows will restart into the Advanced startup screen.
3. From there, follow the same path as above: Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings, then click Restart.

III. Via Command Prompt

1. Open Command Prompt (PowerShell or Terminal also work fine here)
2. Type shutdown /r /o /f /t 00 or shutdown /r /o and press Enter.
   
3. Once it restarts, go through Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings and click Restart to land in the BIOS.

IV. Using the Run dialog

1. Open the Start Menu and type "Run" in the search bar
2. In the Run box, type shutdown /r /o /f /t 00 or shutdown /r /o, and press Enter
   
3. Then follow Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart to reach the BIOS.

V. With a desktop shortcut

You can also set up a one-click shortcut for jumping straight into UEFI/BIOS.

1. Right-click your desktop and pick New > Shortcut.
2. When prompted for the location, type shutdown /r /o /f /t 00 or shutdown /r /o.
   
3. Finish the wizard to save the shortcut.

From now on, double-clicking that shortcut and picking Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings, followed by Restart, will drop you straight into the Windows 10/11 BIOS settings.