Dell boot menu and BIOS key: F12 (One Time Boot) and F2
| Dell | Key |
|---|---|
| Boot menu (One Time Boot Menu) | F12 |
| BIOS (System Setup) | F2 |
Dell's recommended method
- Shut the computer down fully and turn it on.
- As soon as the Dell logo appears, tap the key once per second. Do not hold it; according to Dell, holding it down can cause a keyboard error.
- In the One Time Boot Menu opened with F12, select the USB drive and press Enter. This choice applies to this start only. The same menu also has a BIOS Setup option.
According to Dell, F2 alone changes the brightness on some laptops; use Fn + F2 instead. Dell's manuals also describe an Fn lock for F1–F12; the combination depends on the model.
If the key does not work
- Press the key repeatedly as soon as the logo appears; if the Windows logo shows up, you were too late.
- If pressing the F key changes volume or brightness, press the same key together with Fn (Fn key and Fn Lock).
- The menu may not appear when resuming from sleep or fast startup; shut the computer down fully and start it again.
If setup cannot find the drive, shows "This PC can't run Windows 11" or the USB drive does not start: Windows 11 installation problems. All brands: boot menu and BIOS keys table.