How to Change BIOS Settings: 11 Steps

Table of contents:

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 13:47

This article shows you how to access the BIOS of a Windows computer and how to change its main configuration settings. The BIOS is a program that allows you to change a series of configuration options that underpin the operation of a computer, such as the system date and time or the sequence of boot devices. Since the BIOS is integrated directly into the machine's motherboard (in the form of a chip), the appearance of its graphic interface varies by model and manufacturer.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Enter the BIOS

Step 1. Restart your computer

Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon

select the "Stop" option characterized by the icon

and choose the voice Reboot the system.

If access to the computer is blocked, press a key or click anywhere on the lock screen, click the shutdown icon in the lower right corner of the screen and choose the option Reboot the system.
If your computer is already off, start it normally by pressing the power button.

Step 2. Wait for the system "POST" computer startup screen to appear

When that happens, you will have a very limited window of time to press the keyboard key that gives you access to the GUI of the BIOS.

It is best to start pressing the BIOS enter key as soon as the computer starts the boot process.
If the phrase "Press [key] to enter setup" (or something similar) appears at the bottom of the screen during the very early stages of the computer startup procedure, you should immediately start pressing the indicated key. If this is not successful, restart your computer and try again.

Step 3. Repeatedly press (or hold) the Delete key to enter the BIOS or F2.

The key to use may vary depending on the model and manufacturer of the BIOS installed on your computer.

Normally, to access the BIOS you need to use one of the keyboard function keys indicated by the letter "F" followed by a number. They are all visible at the top of the keyboard. If you are using a laptop, you may need to hold down the special Fn key while pressing the indicated function key to enter the BIOS.
If you haven't found out which key gives you access to the BIOS, try consulting your computer's instruction manual or searching online using the model and manufacturer of the machine.

Step 4. Wait for the BIOS GUI to appear on the screen

After successfully pressing the system BIOS access key, its user interface will be displayed. This should only take a few moments, after which you will see the configuration menu with its options appear on the screen.

Part 2 of 2: Change the BIOS Settings

Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the useful keys to navigate the BIOS menus and select the various options

The graphical interface of the BIOS does not support the use of the mouse, so you must use the directional arrows and other special keys on the keyboard to be able to navigate between the menus and their items. Normally in the lower right part of the main BIOS screen is a list of all available controls associated with their keys.

Step 2. Change the BIOS settings with extreme caution

Since these are very important configuration settings for the whole system, it is good to make the changes with due care and only if you know exactly what you are doing. Changing these parameters the wrong way could cause very serious damage to the system hardware.

If you don't know what to change within the BIOS or how to do it, chances are you need to ask an expert for help to avoid causing a serious problem

Step 3. Change the boot device sequence

This is one of the most common reasons why you need to access the BIOS. This setting is used to tell the BIOS which hardware devices it should load the operating system from. Normally this sequence is indicated in the menu Boot. It is useful to change this setting to be able to choose whether to boot or install the operating system from optical media, USB drive, or hard drive.

Normally to move between the menus in the BIOS and to be able to select the item Boot you can use the directional arrows and the "Enter" key.

Step 4. Create a BIOS login password

This is an option that is used to maintain the security of the computer, since without this password it is not possible to enter the BIOS or to boot the system.

Step 5. Change the system date and time

The internal clock of the BIOS is the main clock of the computer, which is also referenced by that of the operating system. When replacing the BIOS buffer battery, the correct system date and time must also be reset.

Step 6. Change the cooling fan speed and CPU voltages

These configuration settings are for expert users only. Through this section of the BIOS it is possible to overclock the microprocessor, which allows to increase the overall performance of the system. This is an extremely delicate procedure, which should only be done if you have the necessary skills and knowledge.

Step 7. Save your changes and exit the BIOS

Once you have finished configuring the new settings you will need to save the new parameters and close the BIOS interface using the "Save and Exit" option. After saving the new BIOS configuration, the computer will automatically restart and the new settings will be used immediately.

To find out which key is associated with the "Save and Exit" item, consult the BIOS controls legend

Advice

The number of freely modifiable BIOS settings on one computer can be significantly less than on another system.
Computers with the new Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating systems adopt new BIOS models that are extremely different from the past ones that are not easy to access. To do this you will have to restart your computer several times and make several attempts.
One of the most frequent reasons why you need to access the BIOS is to check the boot sequence, which is the sequence of peripherals that is used to load the operating system. If the latter resides on one of the hard drives in the system, make sure that the first boot device is the hard drive. This will make your computer start up faster.

Warnings

Do not change any configuration settings that you do not know the function or purpose of.
If you are going to update the BIOS firmware later, Not change any configuration settings. If you have already done this, you will need to do a factory reset. For more information on how to reset the BIOS see this article.

How to Change Settings on WhatsApp (Android)

This article explains how to open the WhatsApp "Settings" menu to customize your account and application preferences using an Android device. Steps Step 1. Open WhatsApp on the Android device The icon looks like a green dialogue bubble with a white telephone handset inside it.

How to Change Audio Output Settings on a Mac

To change the audio output settings on a Mac, click on the Apple icon → "System Preferences" → "Sound" → "Output" → Choose a device for audio output → Customize device settings. Note: you will need to have connected another output device to select an option other than the default speakers.

How to Change Settings Related to Notifications Received on Snapchat

This wikiHow teaches you how to decide when to get notifications about Snapchat content sent to you on an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Steps Step 1. Open Snapchat The icon looks like a ghost on a yellow background. Enter your username and password if login does not happen automatically Step 2.

How to Change the Gboard Keyboard Settings

Gboard is a custom keyboard developed by Google for iPhone and other iOS products. You can find the settings within the Gboard app. Many of the built-in menu options are identical to those available for the iPhone's default keyboard, but only affect Gboard's features.

How to Change WhatsApp Settings on an iPhone or iPad

This article explains how to locate and change WhatsApp settings on an iPhone or iPad. Steps Step 1. Open WhatsApp On the Home screen, look for the green and white icon that looks like a speech bubble and a telephone handset. Step 2.