Login to the boot menu on your PC. Logging into the Boot Menu on Lenovo laptops

What is boot menu

Probably everyone knows that in order to boot from a disk drive or flash drive you need to set the order of devices to boot in the BIOS. For example, to install Windows XP from a disk onto a computer, you first need to boot from this very disk. To do this, you need to set the disk drive as the first boot device in the BIOS.

However, you don’t have to go into the BIOS and change nothing there. All you need to do is immediately after turning on the computer, press the boot menu key and in the list of devices that appears, select the one from which to boot. Selecting a boot device in the boot menu has no effect on BIOS settings. That is, this menu affects specifically a specific boot, and if you do not call it afterwards, the computer or laptop will boot as configured in the BIOS.

How to call the boot menu - keys for calling the BIOS boot menu

So, we figured out what the boot menu is in BIOS. Now I’ll tell you what hotkeys you use to call it. There is no standard here. It all depends on the manufacturer of the PC or laptop motherboard and on the version of the BIOS installed there. For example, calling the boot menu asus is different from calling the boot menu on an acer or sony vaio laptop.

In most cases, the key to call up the boot device selection menu is F12 , but some manufacturers use their own key combinations. Particular attention can be paid to the boot menu Samsung and HP. To get to the boot menu of a Samsung laptop you need to press Esc (only once!). If you click on Esc at least twice, the boot menu will close before it can open. Therefore, you need to calculate and clearly hit the time by pressing hotkey calling boot menu. This can be quite difficult to do without some skill.

Calling the boot menu on HP laptops is also specific. To do this, you first need to click Esc , after which it will appear service menu laptop. In it we already select the desired item (by pressing the hot key). To call the HP boot menu, press F9 .

For some manufacturers, the device to be loaded into the menu is selected using the cursor keys; for others, you need to press a key with a number indicating serial number devices in the list.

Below is a table that is easy to understand. This is a table of correspondence between hotkeys for calling up the menu for selecting a boot device, motherboard manufacturer and BIOS.

Yes, and one last clarification. In some cases, boot menu hotkeys are disabled by default in the BIOS. To be able to use the boot menu, you need to enable it in the BIOS settings. Typically this function is called F12 Boot Menu . To enable this feature, you must set its value to Enabled .

In addition to the keys for calling the boot menu, the table shows keys for entering the BIOS.

Manufacturer/device BIOS version Boot menu key Key to enter BIOS
Mat. MSI boards AMI F11 Del
Mat. Gigabyte boards Award F12 Del
Mat. Asus boards AMI F8 Del
Mat. Intel boards Phoenix Award Esc Del
Mat. AsRock boards AMI F11 Del
Asus laptops Esc F2
Acer laptops Inside H2O F12 F2
Acer laptops Phoenix F12 F2
Dell laptops Dell F12 F2
HP laptops Esc -> F9 Esc -> F10
Lenovo laptops AMI F12 F2
laptops Packard Bell Phoenix Secure Core F12 F2
Samsung laptops Phoenix Secure Core Esc
(once, pressing again exits the menu)
F2
Sony Vaio laptops Inside H2O F11 F2
Toshiba laptops Phoenix F12 F2
Toshiba laptops Inside H2O F12 F2

This menu allows you to select from what type of media and even from which specific one the download will be made this time. This can be useful when installing a system, installing BIOS updates, or if necessary, launching a LiveCD.

Standard methods

In order to get to the boot menu there is a set standard keys , exactly the same as for entering the BIOS. Usually these are buttons f11,f12,Esc. In this menu you can see all devices from which you can download to at the moment and select the one you need.

As a rule, information about which button to press appears immediately when the computer starts; if this does not happen and the above options did not help, then other actions will be required.

Features of the boot menu in Windows 8 and 10

If the PC was shipped with one of these systems, pressing the keys may not work. This happens because these systems usually do not turn off, in the usual sense of the word, but rather, go into hibernation. To get into boot menu, you need to completely turn off the computer. To do this, you can hold down the key shift when selecting " Shutdown"or reboot the device using the button on the front panel.

There is also an option with shutdown quick launch , but it’s not worth using it just to get into the Boot Menu.

Boot menu on Asus motherboards and laptops

For computers, login is carried out at pressedf8 immediately after launch. There can be some confusion with laptops. Most of them, can also launch the necessary option when you press this key, and some enable it only when pressedEsс(usually this applies to models whose names begin with x or k).

Lenovo laptops

Here everything is much simpler, the launch is carried out when pressedf12. There may also be a special key with an arrow that will allow you to perform the same action.

Boot Menu on Acer

Here you can also enter by pressingf12. Only here lies little trick: For proper operation and download the boot menu using this button, you must first enable the appropriate option in the BIOS. You can get into it by pressing f2. The name of the setting itself is shown in the image, all you need to do is set “ Enabled"at the right point.

Other models of laptops and motherboards

Manufacturers do not seem to have come to a consensus on which button is best to use for the Boot Menu and therefore, each of them left the most convenient option for themselves. As a result, it is practically impossible to “guess” it on the first try. the desired button, without knowing what model the motherboard is. Below is a list for the most common of them.

Sometimes there is a need to call the boot menu when starting the computer. This is necessary in cases where you need to boot the PC from any media (CD, flash drive, internal or external hard disk, etc.), for example, for installation or reinstallation operating system. In this manual, you will learn how to access the Boot Menu from a desktop computer or laptop.

I would like to note right away that old computers with antediluvian motherboards do not have a Boot Menu. In this case, in order to boot from any other device, you need to go into the computer’s BIOS (usually the Del or F2 key is responsible for this, rarely F1) and set the desired boot order of devices in Boot section.

On different motherboards this is done in different ways, but the title of such a section will necessarily contain the word Boot.




To call up the boot menu, you must also press a special key on the keyboard almost immediately after turning it on. Usually these are the Esc or F11, F12 keys. But there are exceptions depending on the manufacturer of the motherboard of a personal desktop computer or laptop. When you turn on the PC, on the screen below you can see which key is responsible for calling up the BIOS, Boot Menu, etc.



How to enter the Boot Menu on Windows 8 and 10 systems

If you have a laptop and it has a system installed up to and including Windows 7, then getting into the Boot Menu will not be difficult at all. As I already said, this can be done using the Esc, F11 or F12 keys. However, if you have Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 installed, then get to the boot menu in a fast way it doesn't always work out. This is because, starting with Windows 8, shutting down or restarting is not a complete shutdown. This shutdown is more like hibernation, therefore, pressing the hot keys responsible for calling the boot menu may be ineffective. To turn off your computer completely in new operating systems, you can use one of the following methods:
1. When turning off the computer, press the Shift key.
2. You can disable fast startup in the “eighth” system like this: go to the Control Panel,


select the “Power Options” section


On the left side of the window, click on the item “Action of the power buttons”.


Find the item “Enable fast startup” and deactivate it. By the way, the same actions can be done on mobile PCs (laptops, netbooks).

How to enter the Boot Menu on a Lenovo laptop

To get to the device boot menu on Lenovo laptops you need to press the F12 button. Also on many computers from this manufacturer you can find service button with an arrow as shown in the image below.


This key is used to call service boot options. Here you can go to BIOS, Boot Menu, carry out disaster recovery systems and so on, it all depends on the brand of the device.

How to get to the boot menu on an Acer laptop

If you own a laptop from Acer, then use the F12 key to call Boot Menu. However, there is one point: on many laptops the ability to call the boot menu in the BIOS settings is disabled. This can be fixed: when you turn on the laptop, press the F2 key to get into the BIOS. Let's go to Main section and activate the “F12 Boot Menu” item (must be in Enabled mode).


After this, save the settings by pressing the F10 key and confirming. Now, when you turn on the Acer laptop, press the F12 key and see the boot menu.

How to enter the Boot Menu on an Asus laptop

It just so happens that on older models, to call the boot menu, use function key F8. As for new laptop models from Asus, to call the Boot Menu you need to press Esc key. If you don't know old laptop or a new one, then try pressing F8 at startup, and then, if that doesn’t work, when restart press Esc.


If you need to go into the BIOS on Asus laptops press Del or F9.

If you own a laptop from another manufacturer, then see the table below, which shows popular laptop brands with keys for calling both the Boot Menu and BIOS.


I think that now after reading these instructions you can easily get into the boot menu on any desktop computer or laptop of any manufacturer. That's all, thanks for your attention.

detailed video:

Do you want to boot your computer from a flash drive or disk? To do this, you don’t have to go to BIOS settings. Especially if you don’t understand much about it. After all, there is an easier way. IN in this case Just enter the Boot Menu and change the device boot priority. This is done in about 10 seconds. And most importantly, there is no shamanism in the BIOS.

What do users usually do to reinstall Windows? As a rule, they record a licensed digital copy on, and then execute.

Boot Menu (or boot menu) is extremely useful option BIOS. With its help, you can quickly set the boot priority of devices. Simply put, launching the Boot Menu opens a small window in which you can immediately put the flash drive (or DVD) in first place, and hard drive- on the second. In this case, you do not need to enter the BIOS.

In addition, changing settings in the Boot Menu does not affect BIOS settings. That is, this option triggers once - for one switching on. And when you restart your PC, Windows will boot from hard drive(as usual). If you need to run again Windows installation from a flash drive - call the Boot Menu again.

If you remember, when changing the settings in the BIOS, you had to go into it again and change the device boot priority back (i.e. put the hard drive in first place). But in the case of the Booth Menu, you don’t need to do this.

How to call Boot Menu

It's very simple - just click Windows boot one key. Which one exactly? It depends on:

  • BIOS version;
  • motherboard;
  • laptop models.

That is, the situation is exactly the same as with the BIOS. For example, in order to, you need to press the Del or F2 button, and to open the Boot Menu you need to click another one.

Most often this is Esc or F12. Although, as mentioned above, the call button may differ on different PCs.

Therefore, below we will look at how to launch the Boot Menu on popular brands of laptops and personal computers.

How to enable Boot Menu on Lenovo laptops

Owners of Lenovo laptops should not have any difficulties. After all, the Boot Menu on Lenovo is launched very simply - by pressing the F12 key when loading Windows.

Plus on the body of many models there is special button with a curved arrow. You can press it if you want to select additional. download options.

Launch Boot Menu on PC with mat. Asus board couldn't be easier

You need to press the F8 key when it boots (at the same time that you would normally enter the BIOS).

And there is a little confusion with Asus laptops. It seems that the manufacturer is the same, but there are several buttons to launch the Boot Menu. After all, the Boot Menu on Asus laptops is launched using one of two keys:

Most often this is the Esc button, although it can also be F8. However, there are only 2 keys.

The boot menu on Acer opens by pressing the F12 button

But there is one small nuance here. The fact is that usually starting the Boot Menu on Acer laptops disabled. And when you press F12, nothing will happen. To make it work, you need to do the following:

  1. Go to the BIOS (when booting the laptop, press the F2 button).
  2. Go to the “Main” tab.
  3. Look for the line “F12 Boot Menu” and change the value “Disabled” to “Enabled”.
  4. Save the changed settings and exit the BIOS.

The system will reboot and you can enter the boot menu on your Acer laptop using F12.

How to enable Boot Menu on Samsung laptops

On Samsung you need to press the Esc key. But owners of Samsung laptops need to know one feature. The fact is that to call the Boot Menu you need to click Esc button once! If you click twice, the window will simply close.

Therefore, you will have to get used to it in order to know exactly when to press the Esc key. Although there is nothing complicated here - just a couple of attempts.

HP also has its own specifics

Launching the Boot Menu on HP also has its own specifics. After all, opening the Boot Menu is done a little differently.

  1. At turning on Windows Immediately press the Esc key.
  2. The launch menu will be displayed - press the F9 button.
  3. Ready.

After this, the boot menu of the HP laptop will open, and you can set the priority for turning on devices (using the arrows).

Boot menu on Windows 10 or 8

If Windows 8 or Windows 10 is installed on your PC or laptop, then you most likely will not be able to enable the Boot Menu.

The fact is that these OSs have a small peculiarity - by default they have “Quick Start” enabled, so they are not completely turned off. This is called hibernation (something like sleep mode). Therefore, when you boot your PC or laptop, you will not be able to open this menu on Windows 10.

There are three ways to fix this:

  1. Hold Shift when turning off your laptop or PC. After this, it will turn off normally (in the usual sense of the word). And then you can launch it on Windows 10 by pressing the desired key.
  2. Instead of turning off your PC, you can restart it. And at the moment of turning on, just press a specific key corresponding to your laptop brand or motherboard.
  3. Disable the Quick Start feature. To do this:

That’s it – now you can easily access the Boot Menu on Windows 10 or Windows 8.

For your convenience, below is a screenshot showing the keys to launch the Boot Menu for popular laptops and PCs

For example, for computers running on a mat. MSI board– this is the F11 button. And launching the Boot Menu on laptops Sony VAIO carried out using F12. In general, you can figure it out for yourself - the table is simple and understandable.

Also, for convenience, buttons for entering the BIOS are written. If for some reason you are unable to open the Boot Menu, you can always change the device boot priority in a standard way- via BIOS.

Now we will figure out how to enter the Boot Menu; usually, this is necessary to select a boot device: a bootable flash drive or CD/DVD disk from which you want to boot on the computer. Boot Menu BIOS is responsible for the choice boot disk and for choosing the boot priority from computer disks.

Immediately after turning on the computer, in the BIOS - “ basic system input/output" the computer hardware is initialized, identified and configured, and the operating system is prepared to load. Computers use modern versions of UEFI BIOS and outdated BIOS version(Legacy BIOS).

To select a boot device, you must enter the BIOS boot menu. This will be needed in following cases: during installation or reinstalling Windows, or installing another operating system on a PC, to boot from an anti-virus LiveCD (LiveDVD) or LiveUSB disk to treat the computer from infection, to run another operating system that can run on a computer with external drive, for example, run one of the Linux distributions- , in other situations.

Boot disks are usually located on removable media: bootable flash drive on USB drive, and the system image or “live” disc is recorded on an optical CD/DVD disc. To be able to boot from an external drive, you must select this drive in the BIOS boot menu on your computer.

To launch the Boot Menu, one “hot” key on the keyboard is used, which must be pressed immediately after the boot screen appears, at which time the logo of the laptop or motherboard manufacturer is displayed on the screen. To successfully enter the boot menu, quickly press the corresponding key several times. If you can't log in right away, try again the next time you start the system.

In the article you will find instructions and tables for entering the Boot Menu on a desktop computer and on laptops of different models.

Selecting boot devices in the BIOS or in the Boot Menu: differences between the two methods

Immediately after turning on the computer, select boot device can be done in two ways:

  • directly from BIOS;

In the first case, you will need to enter the BIOS, and then in the corresponding tab change the priority of loading performed from computer devices. By default, the system boots from the computer's hard drive.

In the list of devices, depending on the configuration of the PC, there is equipment from which it is possible to boot: hard drive, CD/DVD drive, connected USB devices etc. The user, using the arrow keys on the keyboard, selects required device, moves it to the first place in the list, and then saves the changes in the BIOS settings.

After applying the changes, the computer will start booting from the very first device installed in BIOS Boot Menu. If the first device does not have a boot disk, the boot will start from next device etc. For example, the PC has been set to boot priority from a CD/DVD disk, and the hard disk is located as a second boot device, if there is no bootable CD/DVD disk in the drive, the computer will boot from the hard disk. Accordingly, if a disc with Windows is inserted into the drive, the PC will boot from the DVD disc.

Selecting boot priority in BIOS - permanent setting, which can be changed if such a need is needed again.

Loading the Boot Menu, on the contrary, is a temporary setting. IN separate window the user goes to the boot menu, selects a boot device to run on the computer. This action is one-time only. current moment time. This method convenient in that the user does not have to call the BIOS to change the system boot order settings.

If you need to boot your computer again from the boot disk ( USB flash drives or CD/DVD disk), the user will have to enter the Boot Menu to select a boot device.

Disabling Fast Startup in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8

On many modern computers, working under the control of operating Windows systems 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, the boot screen is not displayed during system startup, or the screen is displayed for a very short period of time. This is done to increase speed Windows startup, because the PC has Fast Startup enabled.

Everything happens so quickly that the user simply does not have time to press the required hot key to enter the Boot Menu. In this case, you will need to disable fast loading Windows operating system.

  1. In the Control Panel, select the "Power Options" section.
  2. In the Power Options window, select what the power buttons do.
  3. In the window " System parameters» Select the option “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”
  4. In the “Shutdown Options” section, uncheck the box next to “Enable Fast Startup (Recommended)”, and then click on the “Save Changes” button.


Some UEFI BIOS have a fast startup feature, so you need to disable it in the BIOS settings.

How to open the Boot Menu on a desktop computer: table

On desktop PCs, entering the boot menu depends on the motherboard manufacturer and the BIOS version used on the hardware. Basically, motherboards are produced by well-known Taiwanese companies.

The most common keys to enter the boot menu are the “F12”, “F11”, “Esc” keys; other keyboard keys are not used so often.

Motherboard manufacturer BIOS version Keys
ASUSAMIF8
ASRockAMIF11
GigabyteAMIF12
GigabyteAwardF12
MSIAMIF11
IntelVisual BIOSF10
IntelPhoenix AwardEsc
BiostarPhoenix AwardF9
ECS (Elitegroup)AMIF11
FoxconnPhoenix AwardEsc

On Asus laptops, most products use the “Esc” key. On K-series and X-series devices, use the “F8” key to launch the boot menu.

Boot Menu Lenovo

The user can enter the boot menu on Lenovo laptops using the “F12” key. By using special key On some Lenovo laptop models, you can log into additional menu and there select launch Boot Menu.

Immediately after turning on the computer, on the HP laptop you should press the “Esc” key, and then select the “F9” key in the menu that opens.

On Acer laptops, the “F12” key is used to enter the Boot Menu. On some laptop models from this company, the ability to enter the boot menu when starting the computer is disabled.

To correct the situation, you need to enter the BIOS settings, and there enable the “F12” key as a “hot key” to enter the boot menu. Don't forget to save changes in BIOS settings.

Boot Menu Samsung

A special feature of entering the Boot Menu on Samsung laptops is to press the “Esc” key once when opening the boot screen. Pressing the key again will exit the boot menu.

To enter the boot menu on Sony laptops, use the “F11” key. It happens that on Sony laptops VAIO BIOS has disabled the function of entering the boot menu. To change the settings, you will need to go to the BIOS settings, and then enable the “External Device Boot” option.

How to enter the boot menu on a laptop: table

The table contains hotkeys for logging into Boot Laptop Menu from the most famous and widespread manufacturers. On some laptop models, in the boot menu, among other devices, there is a recovery partition created by the computer manufacturer.

Laptop manufacturer BIOS version Keys
AcerInsydeH2OF12
AcerPhoenixF12
ASUSAMIEsc
ASUSPhoenix AwardF8
DellPhoenixF12
DellAptio (AMI)F12
eMachines (Acer)PhoenixF12
Fujitsu SiemensAMIF12
HPInsydeH2OEsc → F9
LenovoPhoenix Secure CoreF12
LenovoAMIF12
MSIAMIF11
Packard Bell (Acer)Phoenix Secure CoreF12
SamsungPhoenix Secure CoreEsc (press once)
Sony VAIOInsydeH2OF11
ToshibaPhoenixF12
ToshibaInsydeH2OF12

Conclusions of the article

To enter the Boot Menu, immediately after turning on the computer, use various keys keyboards. “Hot keys” depend on the BIOS version and the device manufacturer: motherboard or laptop. The article contains instructions and tables with a list of keys used on different devices, separately for desktop computers and separately for laptops.