How Do I Update My Bios?

A tiny BIOS chip lurks inside every computer, sitting on your motherboard to breathe life into your system when you press the power button. It not only powers your PC, but helps protect it, also—as Duo Security's recent study on Apple macOS attacks points out.

BIOS stands for basic input and output system, and the BIOS scrap initializes all the other devices in your PC, similar the CPU, GPU, and motherboard chipset. But a few years agone, motherboard manufacturers—in partnership with Microsoft and Intel—introduced a replacement for traditional BIOS chips dubbed UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).

Almost every motherboard shipping today has a UEFI flake rather than a BIOS chip (UEFI is a Windows 11 system requirement, in fact), but they both share the same core purpose: preparing the organization to boot into the operating organization. That said, well-nigh people however call the UEFI the "BIOS" because of the familiarity of the term.

Why you should (or shouldn't) update your BIOS

Understanding your UEFI is important so you lot tin can understand how (and if) to accept reward of the characteristic updates and bug fixes that come up with the BIOS updates offered by motherboard manufacturers.

amd ryzen 1800x build 7 — New flake and motherboard platforms often receive numerous BIOS revisions early on in their lifecycle, to work out bugs.

Your motherboard probable uses whatsoever firmware revision the motherboard manufacturer was on back when it was built. Over the lifespan of a motherboard, manufacturers release new firmware packages or BIOS updates that will enable support for new processors and memory, or solve ordinarily reported bugs. For years, the only real reason to update to a newer firmware revision, still, is to solve a problems in your UEFI or to swap in a CPU that's newer than your motherboard.

Some people like to regularly check for and update their UEFI firmware packages just to stay up to date. At one time, this was considered a risky practice, given that the firmware updating process can potentially brick your motherboard in the aforementioned way that flashing a custom ROM on to Android telephone can brick the device. It's best not to update your UEFI firmware unless there is something specific that the updated firmware offers that y'all need.

That said, you probably desire to stay on top of BIOS updates if y'all're on a scrap or motherboard platform that's fresh out of the gates. Several motherboard BIOS updates were released early during the first generation of AMD'southward disruptive Ryzen chips, and each provided additional performance and system stability. With Intel'southward Alder Lake switching to a radical new hybrid cadre scrap design this fall, and both Intel and AMD expected to roll out new motherboard sockets next generation, we may soon be an era where information technology's more mutual to update your BIOS while bleeding-edge kinks become worked out.

How to update your PC BIOS

1. Discover your current BIOS version: Before you upgrade your BIOS, brand sure y'all're really installing a new version. The easiest way to find your BIOS version is to open up up the Arrangement Information app past typing msinfo into the Windows search bar. In the window that opens, your BIOS version should show up on the right, under your processor speed. Record your version number and engagement, then compare it to the latest version available on your motherboard's support page on the manufacturer's website.

2. Enter the UEFI BIOS: When yous kick up your PC, you'll come across text that informs you which button to press to enter the UEFI BIOS. Press it! (The verbal push needed, and the design of every motherboard'due south actual UEFI command panel differs, so these instructions will exist more guideposts than step-by-step instructions.)

3. Boot into the UEFI control panel (when possible): Although not all motherboards offer this feature, on sure models you tin boot into the UEFI control panel and utilize a born update utility to connect to the internet and flash the latest firmware from the industry's server. This extremely nice feature makes updating to newer firmware revisions as painless as possible.

The process is a bit more involved for motherboards that don't support this feature.

4. Find the latest BIOS update from your motherboard'southward support folio: Go to your motherboard'south back up page on the manufacturer's website. The latest BIOS update should be in the support and downloads section.

5. Download and unzip the BIOS update file

6. Transfer update file onto a USB flash drive

vii. Reboot your reckoner into the UEFI control panel

8. Launch the UEFI's firmware update tool or flashing tool and back up your PC's existing firmware to your flash drive: This protects you in case something goes wrong.

9. Utilize the same UEFI utility to select the new firmware image you saved on the flash drive: Running the firmware update utility should take simply a couple of minutes, but make sure non to shut off your PC during this process. This is disquisitional .

x. One time the flashing process finishes, restart your computer: Your updated PC BIOS is ready to stone.

Some manufacturers offering utilities that can update your UEFI chip from directly inside Windows by running an .exe file, just we strongly recommend using ane of the 2 methods above to avoid any problems.

Once more, updating your PC's BIOS tin can provide many benefits, but information technology'south important to understand the risks. Don't touch it if there isn't a articulate, compelling reason to update your UEFI firmware. That said, if you want to drop in a newer CPU into an older motherboard, then it'due south clear that a BIOS update lies in your time to come.

Updated at 10:46 AM to reference Duo Security'south recent report on UEFI attacks on the Apple Macintosh and MacOS.

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