How to update your BIOS: Essential steps to update your PC

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If you're having issues with your computer then it might be that updating your BIOS could be the fix.

Generally, most people will advise that BIOS updates should be the last thing you should attempt as they can lead to bigger problems if it goes wrong. However, motherboard manufacturers often roll out updates that are worth installing for improved system stability, enhanced features and unlocks for things like new chips for your specific motherboard socket.

So if you're upgrading your PC then this is a solid first step but it can also be a valuable thing to do to solve problems. So we're here to talk you through how to update your BIOS easily and safely.

Update your BIOS with care

Before you get started, it's worth keeping in mind that BIOS upgrades can be risky. If there's a powercut or some other sort of failure in the middle of updating your BIOS this could brick your PC. If the update process breaks down while it's happening it can render the motherboard inoperable and may mean it won't work at all.

That said, we've successfully updated many a motherboard BIOS without issue.

How to check what BIOS version you're running

In order to update your BIOS, you first need to know what version you're running. It really helps if you know which motherboard model you're running in your machine. If you've built your PC yourself then chances are you know already. Don't worry if not though, because there are ways to find out.

How to update your BIOS photo 2 — Pocket-lint

One way to do it is with a free piece of software known as CPU-Z.

This nifty tool not only tells you what CPU you're currently running, but gives you access to other data that includes the version of your BIOS and the date it was released.

Download and install the software, then click the "Mainboard" tab to see the BIOS info. This will give you information on who the manufacturer is, the motherboard model number and the current version of the BIOS that you have installed.

Once you know that, head over to the motherboard manufacturer's website, find the support page for your motherboard and download the latest BIOS.

How to update your BIOS to the latest version

Here's an example of how to do it on Asus motherboards.

Many motherboard updates follow the same sort of logic, so the steps are usually like this:

Back up anything important to an external drive before you start
Download the latest BIOS files from the manufacturer's site
Unzip the files if they're compressed
Copy the files to a USB thumb drive (an empty drive is best)
Keep the drive plugged in and reboot your PC
When the PC is restarting click F2 or DEL on your keyboard to access the BIOS
Find the option to update BIOS in the BIOS settings
Click to update and find the file(s) you copied to the drive
Wait for the update to complete

Do not turn off the PC while it is updating. It might take some time for the update to finish so you will have to be patient. You may also need to check the instructions on the manufacturer's website as the steps might be different. Sometimes it's possible to instigate the installation process using motherboard software in Windows.

You may also find there's a specific USB port on your motherboard that you should use for the USB drive. Asus has a port marked "USB Flashback" on some of its motherboards. Putting the drive here will allow you to press a button to start the process and install automatically from there.