4 Easy Ways to Access the Boot Options Menu in Windows

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A quick guide to find the Boot menu on Windows to recover or repair

Written by Luigi Oppido | Edited by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: March 5, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Using a Keyboard
|
• Using Windows 11, 10, and 8
|
• Using Windows 7 and Vista
|
• Using Windows XP
|
• Video
|
• Q&A

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Are you trying to get to the Windows Boot menu through the menu or with a key? If you need to access the Boot menu, you can press a special boot key before Windows starts. You can also open the Boot menu from the Start menu if you're already logged into your device. Knowing how to access the Boot menu can help troubleshoot your computer if it's experiencing issues. This wikiHow guide will show you how to get into the Boot menu on Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7.

Quick Steps to Access the Boot Menu

1. Turn on your computer and press the function key for your PC model.
2. Click Start → Power button.
3. Hold Shift and click Restart.
4. When your computer restarts, click Troubleshoot → Advanced options.
5. Click Startup Settings.
6. Use the Boot menu to find actions you can use to repair or troubleshoot issues with Windows.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using a Keyboard

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1. 
   1
   Turn on your Windows computer. To access the Boot menu at startup, you'll need to press a key before the operating system fully loads.

   • If your computer is on, shut it down first. You can also restart it.
2. 
   2
   Press and hold the Boot menu key. The boot key will vary depending on your device. In some cases, you might need to press it repeatedly instead of holding it. Here's a list of common boot keys by manufacturer:

   • Acer: F12 (you may have to enable this option in the BIOS before it will work)
   • Asus: Esc
   • Dell: F12
   • HP: Esc or F10
   • Lenovo: F11, F12, Esc, or Del
   • Samsung: F10
   • You must press this key before the Windows logo appears. When done correctly, your computer will start in Safe mode.
   • On computers running Windows 7 or earlier, you can often enter the boot menu by pressing F8.
   • Note that the boot menu key is not the same as the BIOS key. Check out our article on how to enter the BIOS to learn more.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Windows 11, 10, and 8

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1. 
   1
   Click the

   

   Start button. It’s usually at the bottom-left corner of the screen. This method will show you how to enter the BIOS from your computer’s Start menu.

   • On Windows 11, this will be in the bottom center of the screen.
2. 
   2
   Click the

   

   Power icon. This will be underneath the cog icon.

   • A pop-up menu will open.
3. 
   3
   Hold ⇧ Shift as you click Restart. You must hold Shift, otherwise your computer will perform a regular restart.

   • The computer will power off and back on. Instead of booting to the desktop, you’ll see a blue menu titled “Choose an option.”
4. 
   4
   Click Troubleshoot. This will be underneath Continue.
5. 
   5
   Click Advanced Options. You can find this at the very bottom.
6. 
   6
   Click Startup Settings. You are now at the Windows boot (Startup Settings) menu.

   • You can now use the Advanced Options menu to repair your device, or boot from another drive.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Windows 7 and Vista

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1. 
   1
   Press Alt+F4. This will open the Shut Down Windows menu.
2. 
   2
   Click the drop-down menu. The options will expand.
3. 
   3
   Select Restart. This will be next to Shut down.
4. 
   4
   Click OK. The computer will now shut down and restart. As soon as the computer restarts, you will need to act quickly—be ready.
5. 
   5
   Press and hold F8 as soon as the computer restarts. You’ll need to press it before the Windows logo appears. Continue holding this key until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu.

   • If Windows boots to the desktop, repeat this process to try again.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Windows XP

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1. 
   1
   Press Ctrl+Alt+Del. This will open the Windows Security menu.
2. 
   2
   Click Shut Down…. You can find this next to Log Off….
3. 
   3
   Click the drop-down menu. This will expand the options.
4. 
   4
   Click Restart. This will be next to Shut down.
5. 
   5
   Click OK. The computer will now restart. As soon as the computer restarts, you will need to act quickly—be ready.
6. 
   6
   Press F8 repeatedly as soon as the computer powers on. Continue tapping this key until you see the Advanced Boot Options menu—this is the Windows XP boot menu.

   • If Windows boots to the desktop, repeat this process to try again.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  My Lenovo turbo boost laptop hangs by showing boot menu when switching on, what to do?

  

  Amin Moghoomi

  Community Answer

  Try finding your hard drive in the list. And you can try a Windows installation disk to check your hard drive.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 7 Helpful 9
• Question

  I want to boot up using my old Windows XP Pro Disk and use it to format my hard drive, which doesn't have windows XP on it. Can this be done?

  

  Community Answer

  Yes, it can. Insert Your disk. Press the bios key. This depends on your computer. Change the boot order. Save the changes. Reboot your computer. When you see "Press Any Key To Boot From CD", press a key. When you get to "Where Would You Like To Install Windows?", select the drive, press Enter, click "Format As Ntfs" Or "Format As Fat".

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 4 Helpful 4
• Question

  How can I restart my laptop?

  

  Nolan JP

  Community Answer

  Open the start menu, then push the power button (it looks like an "O" but with an "I" stuck in the top). Then push the button that says "Restart." The computer will turn off, then back on.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 3 Helpful 3

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