Here’s a list of common boot menu keys and BIOS/UEFI setup keys for major computer brands and motherboard makers. These let you choose a USB drive to boot from or change boot order settings.
💻 Boot Menu & BIOS Keys by Manufacturer
| Brand / Manufacturer | Boot Menu Key | BIOS/UEFI Setup Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acer | F12 | Del or F2 | Must be enabled in BIOS first (“F12 Boot Menu”). |
| ASUS | Esc or F8 | Del or F2 | Laptops often use Esc; desktops often F8. |
| Dell | F12 | F2 | Works for Inspiron, XPS, Latitude, Precision. |
| HP | Esc, then F9 | Esc, then F10 | Tap Esc to get the startup menu. |
| Lenovo (ThinkPad) | F12 | Enter, then F1 | On newer ThinkPads, press Enter when prompted, then F12 for boot menu. |
| Lenovo (IdeaPad / Yoga) | F12 or Novo button | F2 | The Novo button is a small pinhole near the power port. |
| MSI | F11 | Del | Common on gaming and workstation boards. |
| Gigabyte / AORUS | F12 | Del | Watch for “Press DEL to enter BIOS” on startup. |
| ASRock | F11 | F2 or Del | Works for most desktop boards. |
| Toshiba | F12 | F2 or Esc | Some older models use Esc, then F1. |
| Samsung | Esc or F12 | F2 | Some use F10 for boot menu. |
| Sony VAIO | F11 or Assist button | F2 or Assist button | Press “Assist” while the computer is off. |
| Fujitsu | F12 | F2 | |
| Intel NUC | F10 | F2 | F10 brings up boot menu directly. |
| Apple (Mac) | Option (⌥) | N/A | Hold Option while powering on for boot device list. |
⚙️ Tips
- Plug in the USB before powering on.
- Tap the key repeatedly right after pressing the power button.
- On UEFI-only systems, ensure the USB is formatted for UEFI (FAT32 with EFI boot files).
- On older BIOS systems, use MBR and legacy boot support.