How to Update BIOS Software on Windows PCs?

Many computer users may not have kept their BIOS software up to date. However, you may be forced to do so on occasion. The BIOS is a collection of codes that are stored on a chip on your motherboard.

BIOS tells your computer where to find the operating system and other information when you turn it on or boot it up.

So, your computer’s BIOS is a critical piece of software. In some circumstances, such as when your system has a glitch or isn’t performing correctly, you may need to upgrade your BIOS.

Detailed instructions on how to upgrade your Windows BIOS software and associated discussions will be covered in this post.

Note: Please be very careful while updating the BIOS software on your computer. Any power failure or system crash could lead to the BIOS firmware getting corrupted. This might make your system unusable.

What is BIOS software

‘BIOS’ stands for ‘basic input/output system.’ The BIOS software is a critical component of your computer’s overall functionality. System startup asks the operating system to start up when the computer is turned on If you look closely, you’ll see it’s part of the motherboard chip.

The BIOS is your computer’s initial responder, activating your operating system. Allows for the connecting of various apps and programs installed on the computer to your system.

In order to keep your computer as responsive as possible, it’s imperative that you keep its BIOS up to date at all times. In addition, it will assist you fix any faults in your system that you may have.

What is a BIOS Software Update?

BIOS updates aren’t as significant as larger system upgrades because they’re significantly smaller in scope. As a bonus, BIOS upgrades aren’t necessitated nearly as frequently as Windows updates. If you don’t want to or don’t need to update the BIOS, you don’t have to do so.

These updates won’t increase the speed of your operating system but these would surely improve its performance. For example, if your Windows OS isn’t functioning normally, you might need to update your BIOS to the latest version. But, if there isn’t any problem with your system, then, a BIOS update isn’t needed at all.

When do I need to update BIOS software?

Updating your BIOS software can fix many bugs and enhance several features of your computer. Generally, the following three cases might require you to upgrade your BIOS:

1. Bugs in the system: If your system is already showing bugs and things are not running as smoothly as they should, you might need to update the BIOS of your computer to resolve these issues.
2. CPU hardware upgrades: In case you have recently changed or upgraded the processors of your computer, you should consider updating the BIOS. This is needed to ensure that the motherboard and CPU can work together smoothly because the BIOS is embedded in the motherboard only.
3. Hardware not working properly: If your RAM/ CPU is causing problems, you should consider updating BIOS to troubleshoot them. 

Updating BIOS is one of the efficient troubleshooting methods that you should do. However, if you aren’t facing any of the above troubles with your computer, then you might not need to update the BIOS software. 

How to update the BIOS software on Windows 10?

Method 1: Via Windows 10

Given below are the steps you need to follow to update BIOS via Windows:

Step 1. Visit the official website of your system’s brand that contains the driver updates. For example, if you have an HP laptop, visit the official HP software and driver downloads website.

Step 2. Under the model number field, enter the model name of your laptop or PC and hit Enter.

Step 3. The search results will show the model that matches your system. Click on it and the support page for the respective model will come up.

Step 4.  Navigate to and select the name of the operating system you noted down earlier. 

Step 5. From the result list given below, click (+) sign beside the BIOS category.

Step 6. The BIOS list will expand now, and you will be able to see the new BIOS versions available for your system. However, if the BIOS versions in the list are older than the one you already have on your system, that means your system has the latest version of BIOS.

Step 7. Once the download is finished, save and close other applications. Also, you should temporarily disable the antivirus software installed on your PC at this point. Then, run the downloaded BIOS setup.

Step 8. Hit Next and then accept the agreement. Click on Next and now, the setup file will be extracted. Copy the extraction path to the clipboard. Hit on “Next.”

Step 9: After the extraction is completed, hit on Windows key + E. Then, in the explorer window, paste the address path you copied and hit Enter.

Step 10. Run the file and then select “Initiate BIOS update on this system.” Hit “OK”. Now, follow and confirm the on-screen instructions and wait for the procedure to complete. 

Don’t switch off your laptop during the update and also keep the AC adapter connected. Moreover, don’t interrupt the update procedure once it starts. 

Method 2: Using a Bootable USB Flash Drive

Your USB should have 1GB of storage or less to update your BIOS via a USB. Here are the steps you need to follow to update your BIOS with a bootable USB.

Step 1. Continuously tap the F10 key to access the BIOS settings menu. Some computers might need you to press the F2 or F6 key. When you enter the setup, find your BIOS in the main menu under BIOS Revision.

Step 2. Now, visit the website that has the driver downloads for your laptop. For HP laptops, visit this site.

Step 3. Enter your system’s model number and type in your computer’s model name that you can find from the body of your laptop or computer. Hit Enter.

Step 4. From the search results, select the model name that matches your laptop/computer model. 

Step 5. Select the name of your operating system. 

Step 6. A list will come up containing the BIOS version. If you don’t find one, then your system’s version is the only BIOS available for your laptop/CPU.

Step 7. If the BIOS version given on the website is newer than the one you currently have. Now, click on the “Download” button. But, if the given BIOS versions are older than yours, then you already have the latest BIOS version available.

Step 8. Save the settings and close other applications. Also, disable your antivirus for as long as you execute this procedure. Run the new version of the BIOS setup.

Step 9. Hit on Next and accept the agreement that comes up. Then, click on Next and your setup will start getting extracted. Now, copy the extraction path and click on Next.

Step 10. Once the extraction procedure is finished, press Windows key + E. Then, go to the explorer window and paste the copied file path in the address bar.

Step 11. Run the extracted file and make sure no USB flash drive is attached while doing so.

Step 12. Click on the “Create a bootable USB disk on key” option and click on OK. 

Step 13. Now, attach a USB flash drive and back up all the data when the message appears “Insert the USB to be formatted.” Click on “OK.” This will create a recovery USB flash drive.

Step 14. Hit “Yes” to format USB. Now, from the USB Disk Storage Format Tool Window, click on File System. A dropdown menu will appear, choose FAT32. Click on “Start.” 

The process will start and once done, you will get a confirmation message. Click on “Confirm” to close all windows.

Step 15. Attach your USB to your target system. Turn on your system. Press the Esc button to enter the Startup Menu. Click on “Boot device options.” A list will come up, choose your USB drive (navigate to it using the Enter key).

Step 16. Now, follow and confirm the on-screen instructions. Wait patiently for the process to be completed. 

If the BIOS update is successful, your system will automatically restart after 30 seconds and complete the procedure. Else, if the BIOS update fails, an error message will come up stating that the update did not go very well.

Your system might run a BIOS recovery procedure after being restarted. Don’t attempt to manually restart or even turn off the system if the BIOS update fails. If the situation doesn’t resolve on its own, consult an IT technician or the HP support team to help you with the same.

How To Check the BIOS Version Installed in Your Computer?

Updating your BIOS Version requires you to know which version you currently have installed on your Windows 10. This is needed to compare and check if there is a newer and updated version of BIOS available for your system processor.

You can easily find out your processor’s BIOS version number and date via the following steps:

Step 1. Click on the search bar located towards the bottom left of your screen beside the Start menu button.

Step 2. Type in “Control Panel.”

Step 3. When you enter the control panel, left-click on “Administrative Tools.” If you can’t find the same, just type in “Administrative Tools” in the search bar of the Control Panel in the top right of the screen.

Step 4. Click on “System Information.” Now, the System Information window contains a lot of information about your device and its operating system. Here, you’ll find the BIOS version, date, and the BIOS mode. 

Take note of the BIOS version installed in your operating system and later when you visit the official download website of HP, you can simply compare your BIOS version to that of the available ones. If there are newer versions available, you need to update the BIOS, otherwise, you don’t need to. 

How To Find Your System’s Serial/Model Number?

If you have gone through the above procedure to update your BIOS, you must have noticed that one of the things it requires is your PC/laptop’s serial model or serial number. Given below are all the physical places on or around your computer where you could find your serial number:

• Under the laptop or on the backside edges.
• In the compartment of the removable battery (if present)
• Behind the display, if you have an all-in-one PC
• The underside of the stand
• On the sides, if you have a desktop or PC.

You could find the serial or model number of your HP laptop/desktop from the control panel too. Here’s how:

Step 1. Click on the search bar of your system located beside the Start button on your toolbar.

Step 2. Then, type in “Command Prompt” and click on the first result that appears. 

Step 3. Now, in the command console, type in “wmic bios get serialnumber.” Then, hit the Enter button.

Conclusion

So that’s all we’ve got on Windows PC and laptop BIOS software updates from us. If none of the above methods worked for you, utilize one of the 10 Best PC Cleaner Tools for Windows to check all of your system’s repositories and remove any unnecessary files.

Files that are corrupted or missing may be replaced using this tool. The fix should work if the problem is caused by system file corruption. In addition, if you’re unsure about a BIOS update, reach out to HP customer service or an IT expert for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions