Access UEFI firmware settings using Windows 10

On Windows 10 PCs you can access UEFI Firmware Settings through the operating system. In UEFI it is possible for the OS to call back into the firmware in a standards-compliant way. Windows takes advantage of this functionality. You no longer need to remember some special keystroke which varied from motherboard to motherboard and press it just at the right time while your PC is booting in order to access the firmware settings.

This feature will not be available if you are booting in legacy BIOS mode, even if your board supports UEFI.

1. From the Command Prompt

The fastest way to access UEFI Firmware settings is to use the command line. It allows you to bypass the Boot Options Menu and access the firmware settings directly.

Start Command Prompt as administrator.

Starting Command Prompt as Administrator

Type shutdown.exe /r /fw and hit ENTER. The computer will restart and show you the UEFI Firmware Settings.

2. Using the Boot Options Menu

The UEFI firmware settings are available in the Boot Options Menu. First, you have to access the Boot Options Menu. There are multiple ways to access it; the easiest is probably to SHIFT+CLICK on the restart item from the Shutdown menu.

Shift-click on Shutdown MenuThe Shutdown Menu appears in multiple places in Windows, the SHIFT+CLICK option works in all these places. 

If you want to know more about the Boot Options Menu, including some of the other ways of accessing it, please visit How to access the Boot Options Menu in Windows 10.

Once you have successfully opened the Boot Options Menu, follow these steps. In the first screen titled “Choose an option”, choose Troubleshoot.

Main Screen of Windows's Boot Options MenuIn the Troubleshoot screen choose Advanced Options.

Troubleshoot screen of the Windows Boot Options MenuIn the Advanced Options screen click UEFI Firmware Settings

UEFI firmware settings in Boot Options MenuIn the UEFI Firmware Settings screen click restart

UEFI firmware settingsThe computer will restart and you will see the UEFI Firmware Settings Screen. The UEFI screen for an Asus Laptop is shown below.

Asus BIOS

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