Home / Guides / Acer

How to Enter BIOS or the Boot Menu on an Acer Computer

Beginner Acer Applies to: Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11

F2 for BIOS across nearly the whole lineup — one of the more consistent brands for this.

Before you start: save any open work and note down what you were doing when the problem started — that context helps if you need to search further or ask for help.
  1. Restart or power on the Acer, and immediately start tapping F2 repeatedly — this is consistently the BIOS Setup key across most of Acer's lineup, laptops and desktops alike.
  2. For the one-time boot menu instead, tap F12 repeatedly at the same point instead of F2.
  3. Start tapping the moment you press the power button, before the Acer logo even appears — waiting until you see the logo is often already too late.
  4. If neither key responds, check whether Fn+F2 or Fn+F12 is needed instead, since some models require the Fn modifier for function-row keys by default.
  5. This works independently of Windows, so it's available even if the installed copy of Windows won't boot at all.
Still not fixed? Send us the details and we'll help you dig further, or browse related guides in Acer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acer's BIOS key really consistent across their whole lineup?
F2 for BIOS and F12 for the boot menu are consistent across most of Acer's current laptops and desktops, making Acer one of the more predictable brands for this compared to some competitors.
What if I miss the timing window to press the key?
Just restart and try again, starting to tap the moment you press power rather than waiting to see the Acer logo — the logo appearing is often already past the ideal window.

Related guides

Acer Care Center Explained

Acer's all-in-one app for hardware checks, driver updates, and system maintenance in one place.

Beginner

Where to Get Official Acer Drivers (and Avoid Fake Ones)

Acer Care Center and Acer's own support site — not a third-party "driver updater" tool.

Beginner

How to Factory Reset an Acer Using Alt+F10 Recovery

A recovery environment built into the machine, independent of Windows — useful when Windows itself won't start.

Intermediate