How To Check Bios Windows 10

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You lot probably shouldn't update your BIOS, but sometimes you need to. Here's how to check what BIOS version your computer is using and flash that new BIOS version onto your motherboard as quickly and safely as possible.

RELATED: Do You Need to Update Your Computer's BIOS?

Be very conscientious when updating your BIOS! If your computer freezes, crashes, or loses power during the process, the BIOS or UEFI firmware may be corrupted. This will return your computer unbootable—information technology'll be "bricked."

How to Check Your Current BIOS Version in Windows

Your calculator's BIOS version is displayed in the BIOS setup menu itself, but yous don't have to reboot to check this version number. There are several ways to encounter your BIOS version from inside Windows, and they work the aforementioned on PCs with a traditional BIOS or a newer UEFI firmware.

RELATED: What Is UEFI, and How Is It Different from BIOS?

Check Your BIOS Version at the Command Prompt

To check your BIOS version from the Command Prompt, hit Start, blazon "cmd" in the search box, and then click the "Command Prompt" result—no need to run information technology as an administrator.

At the prompt, type (or copy and paste) the following control, and then hit Enter:

wmic bios become smbiosbiosversion

You'll run across the version number of the BIOS or UEFI firmware in your current PC.

Cheque Your BIOS Version by Using the System Information Panel

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You can also find your BIOS's version number in the Organization Data window. On Windows seven, 8, or 10, striking Windows+R, type "msinfo32" into the Run box, and then hit Enter.

The BIOS version number is displayed on the System Summary pane. Await at the "BIOS Version/Date" field.

How to Update Your BIOS

Dissimilar motherboards apply unlike utilities and procedures, so there'due south no one-size-fits-all set up of instructions here. Withal, you lot'll perform the same basic process on all motherboards.

RELATED: How to Check Your Motherboard Model Number on Your Windows PC

Kickoff, head to the motherboard manufacturer's website and find the Downloads or Support page for your specific model of motherboard. You should see a list of available BIOS versions, along with any changes/bug fixes in each and the dates they were released. Download the version to which you lot want to update. Yous'll probably want to grab the newest BIOS version—unless you have a specific need for an older one.

If you lot purchased a pre-congenital computer instead of building your own, head to the computer manufacturer's website, wait up the computer model, and look at its downloads page. You'll discover any bachelor BIOS updates there.

Your BIOS download probably comes in an archive—usually a Zero file. Extract the contents of that file. Inside, you'll notice some sort of BIOS file—in the screenshot below, it'south the E7887IMS.140 file.

The annal should also contain a README file that will walk you through updating to the new BIOS. You should check out this file for instructions that apply specifically to your hardware, just we'll endeavor to cover the basics that work across all hardware here.

RELATED: What You lot Demand to Know Virtually Using UEFI Instead of the BIOS

You'll need to cull one of several dissimilar types of BIOS-flashing tools, depending on your motherboard and what it supports. The BIOS update'due south included README file should recommend the ideal option for your hardware.

Some manufacturers offer a BIOS-flashing option directly in their BIOS, or as a special central-press option when you boot the computer. You copy the BIOS file to a USB bulldoze, reboot your calculator, and and then enter the BIOS or UEFI screen. From at that place, you choose the BIOS-updating option, select the BIOS file you placed on the USB drive, and the BIOS updates to the new version.

RELATED: What You lot Need to Know About Using UEFI Instead of the BIOS

You generally access the BIOS screen by pressing the advisable key while your computer boots—it'due south frequently displayed on the screen during the boot process and will be noted in your motherboard or PC'due south manual. Common BIOS keys include Delete and F2. The procedure for entering a UEFI setup screen tin can exist a bit different.

There are likewise more than traditional DOS-based BIOS-flashing tools. When using those tools, yous create a DOS live USB drive, and and so copy the BIOS-flashing utility and BIOS file to that USB bulldoze. You then restart your computer and boot from the USB drive. In the minimal DOS environs that appears afterwards the reboot, you run the advisable command—frequently something like flash.bat BIOS3245.bin—and the tool flashes the new version of the BIOS onto the firmware.

RELATED: How to Create a Bootable DOS USB Drive

The DOS-based flashing tool is often provided in the BIOS annal you lot download from the manufacturer's website, although you may have to download information technology separately. Look for a file with the .bat or .exe file extension.

In the past, this process was performed with bootable floppy disks and CDs. We recommend a USB drive because it'south probably exist the easiest method on modern hardware.

Some manufacturers provide Windows-based flashing tools, which you run on the Windows desktop to flash your BIOS and so reboot. Nosotros don't recommend using these, and fifty-fifty many manufacturers who provide these tools caution confronting using them. For case, MSI "strongly recommends" using their BIOS-based menu option instead of their Windows-based utility in the README file of the sample BIOS update nosotros downloaded.

Flashing your BIOS from inside Windows tin result in more than problems. All that software running in the background—including security programs that may interfere with writing to the calculator's BIOS—tin can cause the process to fail and corrupt your BIOS. Any system crashes or freezes might also result in a corrupted BIOS. It's better to be safety than sorry, so we recommend using a BIOS-based flashing tool or booting to a minimal DOS environment to flash your BIOS.

That'southward it—later you run the BIOS-flashing utility, reboot your computer, and the new BIOS or UEFI firmware version loads. If at that place's a problem with the new BIOS version, you may be able to downgrade it past downloading an older version from the manufacturer'south website and repeating the flashing procedure.