Accidental entry into BIOS when booting a PC or laptop can confuse an unprepared user. A strange menu with many incomprehensible items that you can’t exit. True, only at first glance, because there are a lot of ways to exit BIOS. We will talk about them in this article.
What is BIOS
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a built-in software that runs when the computer is turned on and performs the initial boot of the system.
The main function of BIOS is to check the hardware (processor, memory, video card and other components) and transfer control to the operating system bootloader (Windows or Linux). BIOS is stored on the motherboard chip and provides a basic level of interaction between software and hardware.
How to exit BIOS
If you encounter booting in BIOS mode, there are several ways to exit it. You should check their functionality in the order given below.
Method 1 – Through the menu
- Use the left/right arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate to the Save & Exit window ;
- Use the up/down arrows to select Discard Changes and Exit and press Enter ;
- Confirm the action by selecting the Yes option .
You can also use a mouse for all these actions if your BIOS displays a cursor.
Method 2 – Using hot keys
Sometimes, to quickly exit the BIOS, you can use the following options:
- F10 key (save changes and exit);
- Esc key (exit without saving);
- Confirm the action if required.
Method 3 – By rebooting the system
Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete to force reboot the device. This sometimes works to exit BIOS without saving changes.
Method 4 – Through a forced reboot
Try pressing and holding the power button on your computer (10-15 seconds) to force it to reboot. This will return the device to booting the operating system, but without saving any changes.
Method 5 – By disabling external devices
Sometimes the BIOS can get stuck due to connected peripherals. Disconnect all external devices such as flash drives, external hard drives or additional keyboards and try exiting again. Since the culprit of such system behavior can be a stuck key due to spilled tea, be sure to try connecting a different keyboard.
Method 6 – Using BIOS reset
In case of serious problems, you can reset the BIOS settings by removing the CMOS coin cell battery on the motherboard for a few minutes and then reinserting it. Make sure that the computer is completely powered off before performing this procedure. This will return the BIOS settings to factory defaults.
Also, some motherboards have a Reset BIOS button or a reset jumper ( Clear CMOS ). Find it in the manual for your motherboard and use it to reset the BIOS settings.
Method 7 – By flashing the BIOS
If the BIOS freezes and does not allow you to exit, try updating it. To do this, download the latest firmware version from the motherboard manufacturer’s website and install the necessary files from a USB drive.
The last two methods should only be used in extreme cases. It is advisable to double-check the previous options from this article a couple of times before taking such measures.