Windows 11 officially requires Secure Boot, but if your PC doesn’t support it or you can’t enable it, you can bypass the check using one of these methods.Boot into Windows 10/11 Setup (USB/DVD). At the "This PC can't run Windows 11" screen, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt. Type these commands to skip The PC must support secure boot issue.regeditNavigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup. Right-click → New → Key → Name it LabConfig.Inside LabConfig, create these DWORD (32-bit) Values:BypassSecureBootCheck → Set value to 1Close Registry Editor and Command Prompt, then proceed with installation. At this time, Windows 11 setup wizard will skip secure boot check and let you install Windows 11 without secure boot. Answer from barbarank on techcommunity.microsoft.com
🌐
Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › windows-11-and-secure-boot-a8ff1202-c0d9-42f5-940f-843abef64fad
Windows 11 and Secure Boot - Microsoft Support
It works by allowing only trusted, digitally signed software to run during the boot process. Most modern PCs support Secure Boot, but certain firmware settings can make a device appear as if Secure Boot isn’t available. These settings can be changed in the device firmware. Firmware—commonly referred to as UEFI (and sometimes called BIOS)—is the software that runs before Windows when you turn on your PC. Note: Microsoft is updating Secure Boot certificates that were originally issued in 2011 and are set to expire starting in June 2026.
Top answer
1 of 5
2
Windows 11 officially requires Secure Boot, but if your PC doesn’t support it or you can’t enable it, you can bypass the check using one of these methods.Boot into Windows 10/11 Setup (USB/DVD). At the "This PC can't run Windows 11" screen, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt. Type these commands to skip The PC must support secure boot issue.regeditNavigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup. Right-click → New → Key → Name it LabConfig.Inside LabConfig, create these DWORD (32-bit) Values:BypassSecureBootCheck → Set value to 1Close Registry Editor and Command Prompt, then proceed with installation. At this time, Windows 11 setup wizard will skip secure boot check and let you install Windows 11 without secure boot.
2 of 5
0
Secure Boot is a security feature in modern computers that ensures only trusted software (like the operating system or firmware) can load during the boot process. It is part of the UEFI standard and helps prevent malware or unauthorized software from running at startup. And it is required by Windows 11!How to Check if Your PC Has Secure Boot Enabled1. Press Win + R, type 'msinfo32', and hit Enter.2. Look for "Secure Boot State" in the right panel.3. If it says "On", Secure Boot is enabled.4. If it says "Off" or "Unsupported", your PC either doesn’t support it or it’s disabled in BIOS/UEFI.Why Secure Boot Matters for Windows 11Prevents rootkits and bootkits from infecting the boot process.Required for Windows 11 (must be enabled to install).Enhances security against low-level malware.TroubleshootingIf Secure Boot is unsupported, your PC may be using Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI.Some Linux distributions may need additional steps to work with Secure Boot. To fix "The PC must support secure boot" error, you need to turn on Secure Boot or apply some trick to skip Windows 11 system check as the PC has a very powerful CPU and a lot of RAM.
Discussions

Secure boot enabled but not active for windows 11
As posted make sure its Secure Boot you need - not just UEFI boot. Make sure you are booting OK with CSM disabled before changing Secure Boot settings. People have bricked their system by following the wrong steps. I also had it saying enabled not Active - this is a BIOS glitch it's not really enabled On the secure boot settings if it says Mode:User you should be able to simply Enable Secure Boot Otherwise (if it says Mode:Setup) - Disable Secure Boot if it says Enabled - If it says Standard change to Custom - Change Custom to Standard accepting Factory Defaults - Enable Secure Boot More on reddit.com
🌐 r/gigabyte
1715
745
November 2, 2021
Secure Boot Enabled in BIOS, but not Windows 11
I hope this helps you get Secure Boot working on your machine. ... I have spend hours of my past month trying to figure this out I was at my wits end i have watched so many hours of youtube tutorials on bios settings clearing start up apps literally anything. This comment was the only thing that fixed the issue thank you so much. God bless you! ... I had the same problem on a Lenovo ThinkPad P52. In the BIOS, Secure Boot was enabled, but Windows 11 ... More on learn.microsoft.com
🌐 learn.microsoft.com
22
15
How to enable the secure boot in Windows 11 again ?
If none of the above works Contact HP support for device‑specific BIOS guidance. As a last resort, reinstalling Windows from recovery media with UEFI mode and then enabling Secure Boot may be required, but that is only after the above steps and vendor assistance. ... How to manage the Windows Boot Manager revocations for Secure Boot changes associated with CVE-2023-24932 · AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes ... More on learn.microsoft.com
🌐 learn.microsoft.com
2
0
April 20, 2026
How to fix my Windows 11 system for automated secure boot?
Today (May 30, 2026) my Windows 11 device security notified me that although secure boot was enabled, certain hardware and/or software limitations were preventing the secure boot certificates from being updated. More on learn.microsoft.com
🌐 learn.microsoft.com
2
9
🌐
TechTarget
techtarget.com › searchenterprisedesktop › tip › How-to-fix-Windows-11-when-Secure-Boot-and-TPM-dont-work
How to fix Windows 11 when Secure Boot and TPM don't work | TechTarget
May 27, 2026 - Ignoring Windows 11 updates and running old OS versions eliminates the Secure Boot requirement needed to run specific hardware and might leave your fleet of PCs open to malware attacks. Manipulating the installation -- for example, editing dynamic link libraries -- creates significant problems for anyone trying to provide support for those PCs. Making these changes and supporting these hacked PCs isn't practical, even if it works.
🌐
Eleven Forum
elevenforum.com › windows support forums › antivirus, firewalls and system security
Secure boot enabled in BIOS but not on | Windows 11 Forum
July 25, 2025 - What fixed the problem was changing the Secure Boot mode from standard to custom and then back to standard and accepting the factory defaults. Now msinfo32 shows secure boot state as on. Don't know why anything had been changed from factory default, as I've never been into that particular part ...
🌐
Appuals
appuals.com › home › microsoft windows › windows troubleshooting
Fix: Windows 11 Won't Boot After Enabling Secure Boot
December 24, 2025 - Outdated SSD drivers – If you’re experiencing this issue only when secure boot is enabled but you can boot normally when it’s not, one potential culprit is your SSD drivers fleet.
🌐
uBackup
ubackup.com › aomei software › windows 11 › [solved] secure boot enabled but not active in windows 11
[Solved] Secure Boot Enabled But Not Active in Windows 11
August 28, 2025 - Some of the common reasons behind this error can be listed as follows: If the Secure Boot option is set to disabled in UEFI firmware settings, the feature will not work, even if it is technically enabled.
Find elsewhere
🌐
iFixit
ifixit.com › Answers › View › 753392 › I+can't+make+windows+recognize+secure+boot+for+windows+11.+HELP!
SOLVED: I can't make windows recognize secure boot for windows 11. HELP! - ATX Mid Tower Computer - iFixit
October 27, 2022 - It should show UEFI mode and not Legacy mode (or BIOS mode) If it doesn't show UEFI then try going into BIOS > Exit > Load UEFI defaults. This loads UEFI default values for all options.
🌐
Super User
superuser.com › questions › 1735586 › cant-enable-secure-boot-in-windows-11
bios - Can't enable secure boot in Windows 11 - Super User
August 5, 2022 - If it shows OFF, start in BIOS (UEFI) and ensure (a) Secure Boot is enabled AND (b) that you save changes (usually Save and Exit to restart). You may need to Reset BIOS to Default Settings and save again.
Top answer
1 of 2
1

Use the following steps to re-enable Secure Boot on the HP notebook without a clean OS install and recover from the boot issue.

  1. First, get Windows booting again If enabling Secure Boot makes Windows unable to start, follow this recovery sequence:
    1. Turn on the notebook and immediately press the HP BIOS key repeatedly (often Esc or F10) to enter the UEFI/BIOS menu.
    2. In the BIOS, locate Secure Boot (usually under Security, Boot, or Authentication) and set it to Disabled so the system can boot again.
    3. Save changes and exit; confirm that Windows now starts normally.
  2. Reset Secure Boot keys to factory defaults (if available)
    1. Re-enter the BIOS/UEFI menu.
    2. Go to the Secure Boot section.
    3. If there is an option like Reset to factory defaults or Reset Secure Boot keys, choose that (do not choose Clear; use Reset if both exist).
    4. Save and exit, then let Windows boot once with Secure Boot still disabled.
  3. Ensure the system is configured for UEFI boot In Windows 11:
    1. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
    2. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
    3. On the blue screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart to return to BIOS.
    4. In BIOS, make sure the boot mode is UEFI (not Legacy/CSM). If both are available, ensure UEFI is first or only.
    5. Save changes and exit, confirm Windows still boots.
  4. Re-enable Secure Boot
    1. Boot again into the BIOS/UEFI menu.
    2. Find the Secure Boot setting and set it to Enabled.
    3. If the BIOS offers a choice like Standard or Custom, select the default/standard option, or if required, load the built‑in Secure Boot keys.
    4. Save changes and exit.
  5. If the PC still cannot boot with Secure Boot enabled
    1. Go back into BIOS and disable Secure Boot again so Windows can start.
    2. From Windows, open an elevated Command Prompt and repair EFI boot files as described in the recovery procedure (only if boot files are damaged):
      • Boot to Windows (with Secure Boot disabled).
      • Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run, one by one:
                mountvol s: /s
                del s:\*.\* /f /s /q
                bcdboot %systemroot% /s S:
        
      • After “Boot files successfully created.”, restart the device.
    3. Re-enter BIOS and try enabling Secure Boot again.
  6. If none of the above works Contact HP support for device‑specific BIOS guidance. As a last resort, reinstalling Windows from recovery media with UEFI mode and then enabling Secure Boot may be required, but that is only after the above steps and vendor assistance.

References:

  • Windows 11 and Secure Boot
  • Disabling Secure Boot
  • How to manage the Windows Boot Manager revocations for Secure Boot changes associated with CVE-2023-24932
2 of 2
0

1

If Windows 11 came pre-installed on your PC, then Secure Boot should have been enabled by default, what happened on your PC before Secure Boot was not enabled.

2

If you enable Secure Boot now, when you try to start your PC, what is the boot sequence you see, and what error is indicated when startup fails, please provide an image of the error.

🌐
MiniTool Partition Wizard
partitionwizard.com › home › news › [solved] secure boot is enabled but not active in windows 11
5 Ways for Secure Boot Enabled But Not Active in Windows 11
July 5, 2023 - Many users have reported seeing the “Secure Boot” option enabled in the BIOS but showing “Not Activated” on the system information page. It prevents them from updating on Windows 11.
🌐
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 5906256 › how-to-fix-my-windows-11-system-for-automated-secu
How to fix my Windows 11 system for automated secure boot? - Microsoft Q&A
In Windows, go to Settings > Windows Update and install all available updates, including any optional quality or firmware updates offered through Windows Update. This ensures the system has the latest Secure Boot certificate logic and Boot Manager ...
🌐
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 3952199 › cant-enable-secure-boot-for-windows-11-upgrade
Can't enable secure boot for windows 11 upgrade - Microsoft Q&A
September 30, 2024 - In order to access the "secure boot " option you must first disable csm to enable secure boot in bios. When i disable csm i can never get wimdows to boot again. Always loads back to the Bios screen. I have a Gigabyte 390z designare …
🌐
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 5831864 › windows-11-uefi-secure-boot
Windows 11 UEFI secure boot. - Microsoft Q&A
March 22, 2026 - Reset Secure Boot keys to factory defaults (use Reset, not Clear, if both exist). Boot into Windows and repair the EFI boot files if needed (this is typically done with bcdboot from an elevated command prompt as described in the recovery procedure).
🌐
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › software › windows 11
[SOLVED] - Enabling secure boot cause PC to not boot | Tom's Hardware Forum
March 7, 2022 - When BIOS restarts, access BIOS and change Secure Boot Mode back to Standard and then Yes to restart without save. Let Windows boot fully. Use msinfo to verify that Secure Boot State is on. Click to expand... https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...turning-on-secure-boot.3722650/#post-22445680 ...
🌐
Windows Report
windowsreport.com › windows 11 › this pc must support secure boot
Best Ways to Fix This PC Must Support Secure Boot Message
October 4, 2023 - Now enable the Secure Boot by toggling the option to On and accept the changes. Press F10 on your keyboard to save the changes and exit BIOS. After the system reboots, restart the Windows 11 installation process. Remember, for this solution to work, you also need to have a UEFI boot system and not ...
🌐
Stellar Info
stellarinfo.com › home › [solved] – secure boot is greyed out on windows 11
How to Fix the Greyed Out Secure Boot option on Windows 11?
This is due to misconfigured settings or unsupported system configuration. As the Secure Boot setting is in UEFI/BIOS, the boot drive must have GPT partitioning style to enable it on a PC.
Published   2 weeks ago