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how to turn off secure boot windows 11

To turn off Secure Boot in Windows 11, you have to restart into your computer’s UEFI/BIOS firmware, find the Secure Boot option under Boot/Security/Authentication, disable it (or clear Secure Boot keys), then save and exit. The exact wording and menu location can vary by manufacturer, but the overall process is similar on most modern PCs.

Before you start

  • Secure Boot helps protect against low‑level malware and rootkits, so only turn it off if you have a specific reason (for example, installing certain Linux distros or older hardware drivers).
  • Some devices will not let you disable Secure Boot unless you set an administrator/supervisor password in firmware first.
  • On many OEM laptops, you must switch from Standard / Windows UEFI mode to Custom or similar before the Secure Boot toggle becomes editable.

Step 1: Check Secure Boot status in Windows

  1. Press Windows key , type System Information , and open it.
  1. In the left pane, select System Summary.
  2. On the right, look for Secure Boot State.
    • If it says On , Secure Boot is enabled.
 * If it says **Off** , it is already disabled.

This confirms whether you actually need to change anything.

Step 2: Enter UEFI firmware (BIOS) from Windows 11

The most universal method is through Advanced startup.

  1. Open Settings → System → Recovery.
  2. Under Advanced startup , click Restart now and confirm.
  1. When the blue menu appears, choose:
    • Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart.

Your PC will reboot directly into the UEFI/BIOS interface.

If that option is missing, you can instead:

  • Restart the PC and repeatedly press the vendor key during boot:
    • HP: F10
    • Dell: F2
    • Lenovo: F1 or F2
    • Asus: F2 or Delete
    • Acer: F2 or Delete
      These keys are typical but can vary slightly by model.

Step 3: Locate Secure Boot in firmware

Once in UEFI, navigation is by keyboard or mouse depending on the firmware version.

Look for a tab named one of the following:

  • Boot
  • Security
  • Authentication
  • Advanced

Inside that section, find Secure Boot , Secure Boot Control , or OS Type (Windows UEFI mode/Other OS).

On many boards:

  • Asus: Secure Boot is under Boot or Advanced → Secure Boot.
  • HP: Advanced → Secure Boot Configuration.

The setting might be:

  • A simple Enabled / Disabled toggle, or
  • A Mode plus Key Management (Install/Clear Secure Boot keys).

Step 4: Disable Secure Boot

Depending on how your firmware is designed, use one of these patterns.

Method A: Direct toggle

  1. Highlight Secure Boot.
  2. Change the value from Enabled to Disabled.
  3. Go to the Exit tab and choose Save Changes and Exit , often by pressing F10.

Method B: Clear Secure Boot keys

Some systems do not show a simple toggle and instead control Secure Boot via keys.

  1. Open Secure Boot → Key Management or similar.
  2. Choose Clear Secure Boot Keys , then confirm Yes.
  1. Firmware will show Secure Boot as disabled or “Not active” after the keys are cleared.
  1. Save and exit (commonly F10).

Method C: Change OS type

On some OEMs, Secure Boot is bound to “Windows UEFI mode”.

  1. Find OS Type inside Secure Boot settings.
  2. Change from Windows UEFI mode to Other OS.
  3. This usually disables Secure Boot implicitly.
  4. Save and exit.

Step 5: Confirm Secure Boot is off

After the PC reboots into Windows 11:

  1. Open System Information again.
  2. Check Secure Boot State : it should now show Off.

If it still shows On , the firmware change did not apply; repeat and ensure you saved changes before exiting.

If Secure Boot option is greyed out

Greyed‑out Secure Boot is common on laptops and prebuilt desktops.

Try these vendor‑style fixes:

  • Set a firmware password
    • In UEFI, find Security → Administrator Password , Supervisor Password , or similar.
    • Set a temporary password, save, re‑enter UEFI, and check if Secure Boot is now editable.
  • Switch to “Custom” mode
    • Some systems lock Secure Boot controls in Standard / Factory mode.
    • Change Secure Boot mode to Custom , then access Key Management to clear keys or disable the feature.
  • Disable Fast Boot or CSM interactions
    • On some boards, enabling CSM/Legacy Boot automatically disables Secure Boot, but this can break Windows if you change too many boot settings at once.

Always document your original settings before changing them, so you can revert if Windows becomes unbootable.

Risks, best practices, and when to re‑enable

  • Turning off Secure Boot can allow unsigned bootloaders or malware to run at startup, increasing risk for persistent infections.
  • For tasks like installing Linux, custom drivers, or older hardware, many users disable Secure Boot temporarily and then turn it back on once finished.
  • To re‑enable, reverse the steps: set Secure Boot to Enabled or Windows UEFI mode , or Install Default Secure Boot Keys , then save and reboot.

Mini FAQ and forum‑style tips

“Do I need to disable Secure Boot to install Linux?”
Many modern Linux distros support Secure Boot via signed bootloaders, but some niche or older distributions still require it to be off.

“Disabling Secure Boot broke my boot. What now?”
Restoring previous firmware settings, switching back to UEFI‑only mode, or reinstalling default Secure Boot keys often fixes failed boots.

“Is Secure Boot required for Windows 11?”
Windows 11 requires a Secure Boot–capable system, but for existing installs, some users run with Secure Boot off, especially on custom hardware; however, this is less secure.

SEO meta description

Learn step‑by‑step how to turn off Secure Boot in Windows 11 safely: enter UEFI/BIOS, locate Secure Boot, disable or clear keys, and confirm the change, plus fixes for greyed‑out options and security tips.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.