3 Ways to Reset a Computer’s BIOS: Software & Hardware Methods

Resetting from within BIOS

Restart your computer. Open Start Windows Start, click the power icon Windows Power, and click Restart. If your computer is locked, click the lock screen, then click the power icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen and click Restart. If your computer is already off, press your computer's "On" switch.

Wait for the computer's first startup screen to appear. Once the startup screen appears, you'll have a very limited window in which you can press the setup key. Tip: It's best to start pressing the setup key as soon as the computer begins to restart. If you see "Press [key] to enter setup" or something similar flash across the bottom of the screen and then disappear, you'll need to restart and try again.

Tap Del or F2 repeatedly to enter setup. The key you're prompted to press might also be different; if so, use that key instead. If Del or F2 don't work, try F8, F10, Esc, or Tab ↹. Some computers running Windows 10 or later require you to press and hold ⇧ Shift instead. For some computers, you’ll need to press and hold the appropriate key rather than tapping it. You'll typically use the "F" keys to access the BIOS. These are at the top of your keyboard, though you may have to locate and hold the Fn key while pressing the proper "F" key. You can look at your computer model's manual or online support page to confirm your computer's BIOS key.

Restart in advanced mode if the BIOS key isn’t working. If you have Windows 10 or 11 on your computer, you can also enter the BIOS utility via your computer’s Settings menu. To do it: Open the Start menu and select Settings, then Update & Security. Select Recovery from the sidebar on the left. Click Restart now under the Advanced Setup header. When your computer boots up, you’ll see a blue troubleshooting screen. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.

Wait for your BIOS to load. After successfully hitting the setup key, the BIOS will load. This should only take a few moments. When the loading is complete, you will be taken to the BIOS settings menu. If you cannot access your BIOS because you are locked out with a password or it has been corrupted, use one of the other methods in this article.

Find the "Setup Defaults" option. The location and wording of this option varies for every different BIOS, but it will typically be called "Reset to Default", "Factory Default", "Setup Defaults", or something similar. It may be located in one of the tabs or it may be an option listed near the navigation buttons. If your BIOS does not have this option, use one of the other methods following this section.

Select the "Load Setup Defaults" option and press ↵ Enter. Use the arrow keys to select it; pressing ↵ Enter will usually begin resetting your BIOS immediately. Again, the wording of the option you select will likely differ for each BIOS. A dialog box might pop up asking you to confirm the reset. If this happens, select OK or Yes.

Save your changes and confirm your selection if necessary. This will often be combined with the process of exiting a BIOS. Your computer will automatically reboot. If you need to change your BIOS settings once your BIOS resets, you may need to reboot your computer again and enter the BIOS to change them. The process of saving and exiting may vary from one computer to another. For example, you may need to press Esc and then select Save and exit or something similar.

Removing and Replacing the CMOS Battery

Power down your computer. Either use the Start menu to shut down, or press and hold your computer's power button until the computer shuts down. If you're using a desktop computer, you can usually turn the CPU entirely off by pressing a switch on the back of the CPU box.

Unplug your computer from any power sources. This includes power cables for desktop computers and charging cables for laptops. Also remove anything else that might be plugged into your computer, such as external storage devices, monitors, and other accessories. Some desktop computers have a CMOS reset button that you can press after you power down your computer in order to reset the BIOS without having to actually open your computer. If this is the case for your computer, you can simply use the reset button and skip the rest of the steps. For instance, check the back of your ASUS computer for a CLR_CMOS button or something similar. Follow the instructions in your computer’s manual to use it correctly.

Remove your computer's battery if necessary. If you're using a laptop (or a desktop with a backup battery), remove the battery before continuing. Not all laptops have a removable battery. In these situations, your computer may have some other process built in for physically resetting the BIOS. For instance, several models of Dell laptop have an RTC (Real Time Clock) reset function that also resets the BIOS. You can read about the process here.

Discharge any static electricity before continuing. Touch a nonpainted metal surface to get rid of any static electricity before you start taking apart your computer. Touching the motherboard or other internal computer components while not properly grounded can permanently damage your computer.

Open your case. You will need to be able to access the motherboard of your computer. Be very careful when working on the inside of your computer, as electrostatic discharge can easily destroy sensitive components. For many laptops, you can access the CMOS battery from a removable panel on the bottom of the laptop. If there is no panel available, you will most likely need to disassemble the laptop to access it. Your computer’s manual should have information about how to remove the cover and access the motherboard.

Remove the CMOS battery. The battery is typically located near your PCI slots, but it may be in different locations depending on the manufacturer of your motherboard. It may be hidden by expansion cards and cables. The battery is usually a standard 3V, round, flat watch battery (CR2032). Tip: The CMOS battery isn't always removable. If the battery won't budge, don't force it; instead, try resetting your motherboard's jumper.

Press and hold your power button for several seconds. Hold down the power button on your computer for about 10-15 seconds to discharge any remaining power stored in the capacitors. By discharging the power, the CMOS memory will reset, thereby resetting your BIOS.

Reinsert the CMOS battery. Carefully reinsert the CMOS battery back into its housing. Make sure that you have put the battery in the right direction. The slightly smaller side should be facing down.

Reassemble your computer. Do so carefully, and remember to ground yourself periodically.

Reconnect your computer's power source(s). If you unplugged the computer from the wall and/or removed the battery, plug it back in and/or replace the battery.

Turn your computer back on. Depending on your computer, you may have to access the BIOS and reconfigure some of the options, including the default boot option or the date and time.

Resetting the Jumper

Power down your computer. Either use the Start menu to shut down, or press and hold your computer's power button until the computer shuts down. If you're using a desktop computer, you can usually turn the CPU entirely off by pressing a switch on the back of the CPU box. The jumper method mostly applies to desktop PCs, although you may be able to do it on some laptops. Check your computer’s manual to find out if this method is supported.

Unplug your computer from any power sources. This includes power cables for desktop computers and charging cables for laptops.

Remove your computer's battery if necessary. If you're using a laptop (or a desktop with a backup battery), remove the battery before continuing. If your laptop doesn’t have a removable battery, you may need to use a different method, such as resetting the BIOS internally (or doing an RTC reset on some Dell models).

Discharge any static electricity before continuing. Touch a nonpainted metal surface to get rid of any static electricity before you start taking apart your computer. Touching the motherboard or other internal computer components while not properly grounded can permanently damage your computer.

Open your case. You will need to be able to access the motherboard of your computer. Be very careful when working on the inside of your computer, as electrostatic discharge can easily destroy sensitive components.

Find the CMOS jumper. Locate the three-pin jumper on your motherboard that controls the BIOS. It will usually be located near the CMOS battery. The jumper will be covering two of the three pins. Note: The jumper may be labeled CLEAR, CLR, CLEAR CMOS, PSSWRD, or a variety of other labels. Refer to your motherboard's documentation to find the correct jumper.

Move the jumper to the other two pins. For example, if the jumper is covering the first and second pins, move it so that it is covering the second and third pins. Be sure to pull the jumper straight up to remove it so that you don't bend the pins. With some motherboard models, you can simply touch a metal object, such as the head of a screwdriver, to the pins and hold it there for 5-10 seconds to reset the pins. Consult your user manual to figure out which method is correct for your computer.

Press your power button. Press and hold the power button on your computer for about 10-15 seconds to discharge any remaining power stored in the capacitors. This will make the BIOS reset.

Return the jumper to its default position. Put the jumper back on the pins that it was originally on. This will allow you to access your BIOS when you start your computer up.

Reassemble your computer. Do so carefully, and remember to ground yourself periodically.

Reconnect your computer's power source(s). If you unplugged the computer from the wall and/or removed the battery, plug it back in and/or replace the battery.

Turn back on your computer. Depending on your computer, you may have to access the BIOS and reconfigure some of the options, including the default boot option or the date and time.