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BIOS Update Guide

How to Update Your BIOS Safely Step by Step

A BIOS update is the one job on a PC where a small mistake can stop the machine from starting at all. Done in the right order it is a calm ten-minute task. This page is that order - every check that prevents a brick, in the sequence a careful technician follows.

Technical AnshuDesktop and Laptop PCsStep-by-step guide
Watch the video for the complete BIOS update process shown live, step-by-step

The BIOS (or UEFI firmware) is the first software your motherboard runs - it wakes the hardware and hands over to Windows. Updating it can add support for a new CPU, fix real bugs and patch security holes. It is also the update people fear, because a wrong file or a power cut in the middle can leave a board that will not start. Almost every bricked board traces back to one of three causes: the wrong file, lost power, or a BitLocker lockout nobody prepared for. This routine removes all three before the flash ever begins.

UEFI BIOS - main screen before the update (example values)
MotherboardATX Board X570 - Rev 1.1
BIOS VersionF32 (dated 12 Mar 2024)
CPU8-core desktop processor
Memory16384 MB at 3200 MT/s (XMP on)
✓ File downloaded matches this exact model and revision
✓ BitLocker recovery key saved on paper and phone
✓ Settings photographed - power connected and stable
An example BIOS main screen. Your board, version and dates will differ - what matters is reading these three lines on YOUR machine and matching the update file to them exactly.
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Step 1 - Start With a Reason and Your Current Version

Never update just because a newer version exists. Good reasons: the new CPU you are fitting needs it, the release notes name a bug you actually have, a security fix, or a stability problem the maker says it solves. If none of those apply, the safest update is no update - other pages in this series cover the decision in depth.

  1. In Windows, press Windows + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter
  2. Note down BIOS Version/Date and BaseBoard Product - this pair is your starting point
  3. Write down WHY you are updating in one line. If you cannot, stop here
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Step 2 - Download the Exact File From the Maker Only

The update file must match your exact motherboard model and board revision - a revision 1.0 board and a revision 1.1 board can take different files. Get it from the motherboard or laptop maker's own support page for your model, and read the release notes: some boards must be updated in steps, through an intermediate version first.

  1. Never take BIOS files from driver-download sites, forums or video descriptions - a tampered or wrong-region file is a real risk
  2. Download the file to your PC first, then extract the zip if it is one
  3. Copy the extracted BIOS file to a USB stick formatted as FAT32 - most built-in flashers can only read FAT32
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Step 3 - Protect Yourself First - BitLocker Key and Settings Backup

This is the step whose absence causes the most panic. The TPM chip measures the firmware every boot, and a BIOS update changes those measurements - so a PC with BitLocker or device encryption can boot straight into a recovery key screen after the update. The data is safe; you just need the key you saved beforehand.

  1. Check encryption status in an admin terminal with manage-bde -status C:
  2. Find and save the 48-digit recovery key - from your Microsoft account page or with manage-bde -protectors -get C: -type RecoveryPassword. Keep it on paper and on your phone, not only on this PC
  3. Suspend protection before flashing: manage-bde -protectors -disable C: (on Windows 11 you can add -RebootCount 2)
  4. Enter the BIOS once before the real run and photograph your settings screens on your phone - XMP, boot order, fan curves. The update may reset them all
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Step 4 - Set Up Stable Power and a Calm Machine

A power cut during the two-to-ten minutes of writing is the classic way boards die. On a desktop, use a UPS if you have one and pick a time with stable mains - not during a storm or a known outage window. On a laptop, plug in the charger AND keep the battery charged; many laptop updaters refuse to run on battery alone, and that refusal is protecting you.

  1. Close all programs and let Windows finish any pending update restarts first
  2. For a laptop: charger connected, lid open, battery above half if the tool asks for it
  3. Plug the USB stick with the BIOS file directly into a rear motherboard port on desktops
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Step 5 - Flash From Inside the BIOS and Do Not Interrupt

Restart and enter the BIOS setup (usually Del or F2 at power-on). Open the built-in flashing tool - the names differ by brand, EZ Flash, M-FLASH, Q-Flash and Instant Flash are the common ones - select your file from the USB stick, confirm the version it shows, and start. The built-in tool verifies the file against your board before writing, which is one reason it is safer than flashing from Windows.

  1. Once writing starts: hands off. No power button, no resets, no unplugging - even if the screen stays black for a few minutes
  2. Fans running at full speed and one or two automatic restarts are normal behaviour during and after a flash
  3. Wait until the machine reaches the BIOS screen or Windows on its own before touching anything
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Step 6 - First Boot - Verify the Version and Restore Your Settings

A successful flash often loads factory defaults, so treat the first boot as a checklist, not a finish line.

  1. Open msinfo32 again and confirm the new BIOS version is shown
  2. Re-apply what the reset removed: memory XMP/EXPO profile, boot order, Secure Boot on, virtualization if you use it, your fan settings - your phone photos are the map
  3. Resume BitLocker with manage-bde -protectors -enable C: and confirm normal status
  4. Use the PC normally for a day before declaring success - sleep, restart and your usual heavy work included
🔴 The three rules that prevent almost every brick: exact file for your model and revision, power that cannot dip mid-flash, and a BitLocker recovery key saved BEFORE you start. If any one of the three is missing, postpone the update - it will keep.

Watch the Complete Video Guide

The full update shown live on a real machine - finding the right file, flashing and the first-boot checks, step-by-step.

Watch Full Video
Common Questions (FAQ)

Is updating the BIOS risky?

It carries more risk than a normal software update because the firmware is what starts the machine - a wrong file or a power cut mid-write can leave a board that will not boot. The risk becomes small when you follow the routine on this page: exact file, stable power, recovery key saved, built-in flasher, no interruptions. Skipping the preparation is what makes it dangerous, not the update itself.

Will a BIOS update delete my files or Windows?

No. The update only rewrites the motherboard firmware chip; your drives, Windows and files are untouched. The one trap is encryption: if BitLocker asks for its recovery key after the update and you never saved it, your files become unreachable even though they still exist. That is a preparation problem, not data loss - save the key first.

My PC restarted twice and the screen stayed black for minutes during the update. Is it broken?

Usually not. Firmware updates commonly reboot more than once, run fans at full speed and retrain the memory on the first start, which can look like a hang for several minutes. Leave the power connected and wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before suspecting failure - interrupting a slow-but-alive update is how a recoverable situation becomes a brick.

This guide is based on the Technical Anshu BIOS update video - stuck on any step, ask in the video comments and you will get an answer.