How to Enter BIOS Setup on Any PC (ESC, F2, F12 Keys Guide)

How to Enter BIOS Setup: Common Keys by Manufacturer

When you power on your computer, pressing a specific key lets you enter the BIOS or UEFI setup screen. The required key depends on your motherboard or laptop brand.

Below is a summarized guide to the most common BIOS entry keys by manufacturer:

ESC → Samsung, Sony, FOXCONN, ECS, SOYO

F1 → Lenovo, IBM

F2 → ASUS, Acer, Dell, Toshiba (Most Common)

F7 → FOXCONN, BIOSTAR (Emtek, ESTAR), ECS (new models)

F8 → ASUS

F9 → BIOSTAR (Emtek, ESTAR), ECS

F10 → LG (laptops), Intel

F11 → HP/Compaq, MSI, ASRock

F12 → LG, TG Sambo, Toshiba, Gigabyte, Dell, Acer, Lenovo

 

 

When and How to Press the BIOS Key

To access the BIOS:

  • Restart or turn on your computer.
  • As soon as the screen lights up, repeatedly tap the correct BIOS key (e.g., F2, ESC, etc.).
  • Don’t wait until the operating system logo appears—act quickly during the first few seconds.

 

 

Conclusion

Different PC brands use different BIOS keys. The most common ones are ESC, F2, and F12.

If you’re unsure, watch the bottom of the screen during startup—it usually says something like “Press F2 to enter Setup.”

Once inside BIOS, you can change boot order, enable virtualization, or reset hardware settings. Just be careful not to change things you don’t understand!