Secure Boot is a firmware-level security feature that only allows trusted, signed software to run during startup, and you’re seeing “secure boot is not enabled” because it’s currently off on your PC.

What “Secure Boot Is Not Enabled” Means

  • Your system is booting, but it is not verifying the digital signatures of bootloaders and drivers during startup.
  • This can make it easier for certain rootkits or low-level malware to load before Windows and security tools start.
  • Some games, anti-cheat systems, and features like Windows 11 “Device Security” may ask you to enable Secure Boot for full compatibility.

Quick Checklist Before You Enable Secure Boot

Before changing anything in firmware (BIOS/UEFI), check:

  • Your system must use UEFI , not pure Legacy/CSM boot.
  • Your system disk should be partitioned as GPT , not MBR, for typical Windows Secure Boot setups.
  • You should back up important data in case a misconfiguration makes Windows fail to boot.

If your PC is very old or still in Legacy BIOS mode, you may have to convert to UEFI/GPT first, which is more advanced and riskier.

Step 1 – Check Secure Boot Status Inside Windows

You can quickly confirm what Windows sees:

  1. Press Windows key + R , type msinfo32, and press Enter.
  1. In System Information , look for Secure Boot State.
    • If it says Off , Secure Boot is available but disabled.
 * If it says **Unsupported** , your hardware or firmware configuration doesn’t support it in the current mode.

Step 2 – Enter UEFI (BIOS) Settings

The general pattern is similar on most PCs, even if the screens look different:

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. While it’s starting, repeatedly tap the key shown on screen to enter setup (often Delete , F2 , F10 , or Esc , depending on the manufacturer).
  1. Once inside, switch to Advanced or Boot mode if there’s a “simple” vs “advanced” toggle.

Many motherboards also let you reach UEFI via Windows: Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings.

Step 3 – Put Firmware in UEFI Mode (Disable CSM)

Secure Boot typically only works when CSM/Legacy is off:

  • Find the Boot tab or a section named Boot / CSM / Legacy.
  • Look for CSM (Compatibility Support Module) or Legacy Boot and set it to Disabled.
  • Ensure the Boot mode or OS type is set to something like UEFI or Windows UEFI mode , not “Other OS.”

Important: if Windows was installed in Legacy/MBR mode, simply disabling CSM can make it unbootable, which is why backing up is critical.

Step 4 – Enable Secure Boot in UEFI

The exact location differs by vendor, but the logic is the same:

  • Go to the Boot , Security , or Advanced tab and find Secure Boot.
  • Set Secure Boot (or Secure Boot Control) to Enabled.
  • If you see OS Type , choose Windows UEFI mode or similar.
  • On some boards, under Key Management , choose Install Default Secure Boot Keys to load standard vendor keys if they’re missing.
  • Press F10 (or whatever your firmware uses) to Save & Exit.

Your PC will reboot, this time with Secure Boot enabled if everything is compatible.

Step 5 – Confirm Secure Boot Is Now Enabled

After Windows starts again:

  1. Open System Information (msinfo32) as before.
  1. Check Secure Boot State ; it should now report On.

If Windows fails to boot after enabling Secure Boot or disabling CSM, you may need to re‑enter firmware, revert those changes, or in some cases repair/reinstall Windows.

Common Problems People Discuss on Forums

From user forum discussions, a few patterns show up again and again:

  • “Secure Boot option is greyed out”
    Often happens if:

    • You’re in Legacy/CSM mode, not UEFI.
    • Admin password or certain security settings must be set first on some boards.
    • Secure Boot keys are cleared and need default keys installed.

  • “Windows won’t boot after I enabled Secure Boot”
    Common reasons:

    • Windows was installed in Legacy/MBR mode, so it can’t boot in UEFI-only mode.
* Bootloader changes from older dual‑boot setups or modified bootloaders conflict with Secure Boot.
  • “This game/anticheat says Secure Boot is not enabled”
    Many game anti-cheat systems check for Secure Boot and TPM as an integrity signal.

If they still complain after you enable it, double-check msinfo32 and ensure no virtualization or bootloader tools have modified the boot chain.

On tech forums like Reddit, users often resolve their issue by entering UEFI, switching Boot mode to UEFI, disabling CSM, then enabling Secure Boot and saving with F10.

Safety Tips Before You Tweak Firmware

  • Back up anything you care about to another drive or the cloud.
  • Change only one or two settings at a time and write them down so you can revert.
  • If you are not sure how your disk is partitioned (MBR vs GPT), consider asking a more experienced friend or local technician before switching to UEFI-only mode.

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