Which key to enter bios hp?

Booting refers to the action of starting a computer: desktop, laptop, and tablet. Two common ways to boot a device are pressing a button (button combinations) and executing commands through certain tools. In short, booting is the process to prepare your device ready for use.

Boot menu is a menu you could access before entering an operating system. Each time when you start your computer, you can choose to access boot menu or not. You can load up other operating systems (or applications) manually by accessing boot menu and making changes.

It’s necessary to access HP boot menu when users need to install a new operating system or recover data from a corrupted internal hard disk. It allows users to choose what device to use/boot from: CD, DVD, USB flash drive, hard drive, or Network.

Many users are asking the same question - what is the HP BIOS key. They want to access HP laptop/desktop boot menu but don’t know how. For instance,

What key to press to get boot options?

There is no definite answer to this question, it differs based on models. Please search for the exact HP desktop BIOS key and HP notebook BIOS key (also called HP laptop BIOS key) online from your manufacturer's official website.

In short:

The boot menu of HP desktop and HP laptop is a little bit different; I’ll show them to you respectively.

What are the Start Menu options & corresponding keys on HP desktop?

If you want to continue HP desktop startup, please press ENTER.

What are the Start Menu options on a HP laptop screen?

Only the Network Boot (F12) option is missing from the boot menu of HP laptop.

Please note that the HP tablet Startup Menu options are exactly the same with HP desktop Start Menu options.

Related reading: what is HP Secure Boot?

Secure Boot is a feature embedded in HP PCs and laptops; the HP manufacturers make it enabled by default in Windows 10. It’s useful for enhancing HP security:

Of course, you can disable Secure Boot manually when you need to use trusted but unrecognized hardware or boot from unrecognized recovery discs.

Factory reset is different from system recovery or system reinstallation; they are different things.

How to factory reset HP laptop from startup:

The steps to factory reset a HP desktop are the same.

How To Recover Files After Factory Reset Laptop?

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You need to change the boot sequence in the BIOS setup window in order to boot from another drive/system.

Method 1 ~ 3 works when you can access the desktop; method 4 ~ 6 are available if you are not able to boot into system successfully.

Method 1: hold the Shift key & restart.

Different ways to reboot Windows laptops.

Method 2: use Settings app.

Method 3: open Command Prompt.

Method 4: force Windows to start in advanced boot options.

Method 5: use the HP recovery disk.

Just connect the recovery disk to your HP and then restart it. If you don’t have such disk, please create one via the built-in Recovery Drive feature or by using MiniTool Power Data Recovery (refer to the next part).

Method 6: turn to Windows Installation drive/disc.

Steps to modify HP laptop BIOS:

How to reset boot order to its default settings?

You should restart HP computer -> press a button to enter BIOS settings menu -> select File -> select Apply Defaults and Exit.

You may be interested in the following BIOS related issues:

What is HP recovery disk?

HP recovery disk refers to a hard drive or USB flash drive that contains the original operating system, drivers, and applications shipped with your HP computer. You can use the recovery disk to recover a HP desktop/notebook when problems occur but you can’t fix. You can also turn to the recovery drive for improving your computer performance.

How to create a HP recovery disk on USB drive?

You should connect HP recovery disk to the HP laptop/desktop -> change the boot order to select USB drive as the first boot device -> follow the instructions to recover system.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a powerful recovery tool to help you recover files from a working computer or from a PC that cannot start. You can download the Trial edition to experience its performance. But if you want to create bootable USB drive or CD/DVD, the snap-in WinPE Bootable Builder included in advanced editions is necessary. (Click to see the edition comparison.)

Free Download

How to create bootable USB disk:

Please click Refresh if your USB drive is not ready for use or click here to know why USB drive is not recognized.

How do I get my HP laptop to boot from USB:

How to use the USB boot disk on HP:

After the recovery, you should change the BIOS order again to set back hard drive the first boot device.

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This post introduces HP boot menu in details, telling you the HP boot menu key & HP BIOS key, explaining the HP Boot Options, and demonstrating HP laptop boot from USB. You should navigate to the part you’re interested in to read carefully.

Please click here if you’d like to know more about laptop data recovery.

"Hello, I have a HP Pavilion dv6 3016sl laptop but I can't enter BIOS or choose the device to boot. Could you please help?"

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is a program that controls communication between all the input and output devices on the system (such as, disk drives, display, keyboard, mouse, and printer). Knowing how to access BIOS in HP is pretty helpful. You can change basic computer settings, like the boot order, system time and date, and etc. This article will show you how to enter BIOS on HP laptop and change BIOS settings.

Getting access to BIOS on HP laptop is pretty simple. You just need to boot your computer, and then tap the right Boot Menu Key. The following describes the detailed steps.

Step 1: Boot your HP laptop.

Step 2: Choose the right moment and quickly press the right Setup key. For different types of CPU, the BIOS, and when the notebook was built, it is different to access the BIOS setup menus for different HP models. Here lists the details:

Pre-UEFI, before 2008 for most models

UEFI enabled, 2008 to mid 2011 for most models

If the computer has the UEFI pre-BIOS environment, when the Compaq or HP splash screen displays, you are prompted to press Escape to enter Start Up Menu. Then there is a prompt to press F10 to enter the BIOS Setup.

Because of the different types of CPUs and BIOS configurations, it may be possible to turn On the power and press F10 for the BIOS without going through the UEFI Start Up Menu.

Shortened enabled, 2008 to mid 2011 for most models

To help computers start faster, on some models the Compaq or HP splash screen is not displayed during the start up process. In this case, after pressing the power button, repeatedly press the Esc key to enter the Start Up Menu, and follow the prompt to press F10 to enter the BIOS Setup.

Step 3: The BIOS will load. After you successfully get into the BIOS, you can feel free to navigate through it.

The BIOS Setup screen has 5 different tabs, which provides different options for modifying the system configuration. You can set it according to your own needs. If you need to reset Windows password on HP, you can set its boot order to reboot the computer from a password recovery disk.

Turn on the computer, and then immediately press the esc key repeatedly until the Startup Menu opens. Press f10 to open the BIOS Setup Utility.