How to disable Secure Boot on your PC when you need to install components that aren't compatible with the security feature

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How to disable Secure Boot on your PC when you need to install components that aren't compatible with the security feature
You can disable Secure Boot through your PC's UEFI.Morsa Images/Getty Images
  • To disable Secure Boot, you need to restart your PC and open the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).
  • Secure Boot is a feature in your PC's UEFI that only allows authorized operating systems to boot.
  • You can re-enable Secure Boot from UEFI, but you may need to restore Windows to factory conditions.
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Secure Boot is an important safety and security feature found on most modern PCs - it prevents unauthorized software like malware from taking over your PC when it turns on. It's a feature in your computer's UEFI designed to authenticate security keys on compatible software like Windows 10.

Sometimes, though, you might need to disable Secure Boot. This might be the case if you need to install an operating system or other bootup utilities that are not compatible with Secure Boot. Only Windows 8 and Windows 10 have Secure Boot certificates, for example - if you needed to install Windows 7 on a Secure Boot-enabled PC, you would need to disable Secure Boot.

Please exercise caution before doing this, though. Secure Boot is an important element in your computer's security, and disabling it can leave you vulnerable to malware that can take over your PC and leave Windows inaccessible.

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How to disable Secure Boot

The Secure Boot setting is located in the UEFI menu which you can launch when the computer starts. Getting to the UEFI is the hardest part of the process, though, and varies from computer to computer. Most computers let you launch the UEFI by pressing a key at startup, before Windows launches. It's usually F1, F2, or F10. You can try this method, but if you have trouble, it's easier to restart your computer using Settings using the following steps:

  1. Click the Start button and then click "Settings."
  2. In the Settings search box, type "Advanced start." When you see "Change advanced startup options" in the dropdown menu, select it.
    How to disable Secure Boot on your PC when you need to install components that aren't compatible with the security feature
    Go to “Change advanced startup options” to find Secure Boot settings.Dave Johnson/Insider
  3. On the Recovery page, find the Advanced startup section and click "Restart now."
  4. When the computer restarts to the Choose an option page, choose "Troubleshoot."
  5. Click "Advanced options."
  6. On the Advanced options page, choose "UEFI Firmware Settings." Your computer will restart and open the UEFI interface.
    How to disable Secure Boot on your PC when you need to install components that aren't compatible with the security feature
    When you choose UEFI Firmware Settings, your PC will automatically restart to the UEFI interface.Dave Johnson/Insider
  7. The location of Secure Boot will vary from PC to PC - not all UEFI use the same menus or layouts. Typically, you'll often find Secure Boot in the Boot Options menu or page. Change the setting from "Enabled" to "Disabled."

    How to disable Secure Boot on your PC when you need to install components that aren't compatible with the security feature
    Change to "Disabled."Dave Johnson/Insider
  8. Go to the Exit menu and choose "Save Changes and Exit" or whatever similar option your UEFI uses to save changes and restart the PC.

How to enable Secure Boot

If you've previously disabled Secure Boot and want to turn it back on, here is what to do.

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Uninstall any software that's incompatible with Secure Boot. If you had disabled the feature to run Windows 7, for example, remove it and re-install Windows 10 or another Secure Boot-compatible operating system. Restart your PC to UEFI by pressing the correct key at boot, or reboot to UEFI within Windows following these steps:

  1. Click the Start button and then click "Settings."
  2. In the Settings search box, type "Advanced start," then choose "Change advanced startup options" from the dropdown menu.
  3. Find the Advanced startup section and click "Restart now."
  4. When the computer restarts, choose "Troubleshoot."
  5. Click "Advanced options."
  6. On the Advanced options page, choose "UEFI Firmware Settings." Your computer will restart and open the UEFI interface.
  7. The location of Secure Boot will vary from PC to PC. Usually you'll often find Secure Boot in the Boot Options menu or page. Change the setting from "Disabled" to "Enabled."
  8. Go to the Exit menu and choose "Save Changes and Exit" or whatever similar option your UEFI uses to save changes and restart the PC.


If your UEFI does not allow you to enable Secure Boot, try to reset the UEFI to its factory defaults (this is often called "Load Setup Defaults."). If that does not work, you might need to restore your version of Windows 10 to its factory defaults to restore its Secure Boot certificate, and then try again.

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