How to Reset the BIOS on a Dell Laptop

The Basic Input Output System (BIOS) on a Dell laptop is used to help hardware communicate with the operating system. You can change many different aspects of your Dell laptop's BIOS such as boot order, BIOS time, set a system password, and change certain aspects of how your hardware works. If you want to reset your Dell laptop BIOS to its original settings, you can do so by changing only one setting. This setting restores your BIOS to its default settings, no matter what settings you may have changed.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Restart your Dell laptop. Click on "Start," "Turn off Computer" and "Restart."

2. Press "F2" during the boot process to enter the BIOS. Press "F2" before the Windows loading screen. Certain models may use a different key. The key will be displayed during the boot process. For most Dell models, the key is "F2."

3. Use the "Alt" + "F" key combination to load defaults.

4. Press "Esc" on your Dell laptop keyboard to save and exit.

5. Choose the "Enter" key to save all changes and exit the BIOS screen. Allow your laptop to restart for BIOS settings to reset.

Tips & Warnings

• If you've made multiple changes that you wish to undo, resetting the BIOS is the quickest method.
• Never change BIOS settings unless you know exactly what effect the change will have on your laptop. Some settings may cause your system not to work properly.

Resources

• Dell Support