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On Windows, the quickest reliable check is built in: press the Windows key, type msinfo32, open System Information, and read BIOS Mode under System Summary. The value is either UEFI or Legacy. This reports how the current Windows installation started; it does not list every boot mode the firmware supports and it does not prove that Secure Boot is enabled.
Check the active boot mode in Windows
The System Information utility reads the mode used to launch the Windows session, so you do not need to enter firmware setup or change any settings.
- Press the Windows key, or select Start.
- Type
msinfo32. - Open System Information from the results. If Windows asks for permission, approve the launch.
- Leave the default System Summary category selected in the left pane.
- In the details pane, find the row named BIOS Mode.
- Record the value shown: UEFI or Legacy.
Microsoft’s troubleshooting instructions use this exact path and field name: System Information, System Summary, BIOS Mode. Microsoft’s deployment guidance also recommends msinfo32 when administrators need to verify the mode in which a machine is currently booted.
What “UEFI” and “Legacy” mean in the result
| BIOS Mode value | Meaning for the current Windows session | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| UEFI | Windows was started through the computer’s Unified Extensible Firmware Interface boot path. | It does not, by itself, show that Secure Boot is on, or that every installed operating system uses UEFI. |
| Legacy | Windows was started through the traditional BIOS-compatible path. Firmware may label this option Legacy BIOS or CSM (Compatibility Support Module). | It does not prove that the motherboard lacks UEFI support. The firmware might be capable of UEFI while configured to start this installation in compatibility mode. |
The field describes the boot path that was actually used, not the full capability list of the firmware. A PC can therefore report Legacy even when its setup utility offers a UEFI option. For the exact capabilities and names on a particular model, use the manufacturer’s documentation; Microsoft notes that firmware menus and terminology vary between devices.
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Current boot mode is different from firmware capability
There are three separate questions that are often mixed together:
- How did this Windows installation start? The BIOS Mode value answers this.
- Can the firmware support another mode? The PC’s model-specific firmware documentation and setup menu answer this.
- Is Secure Boot active? That is a separate firmware security state; a UEFI result alone does not answer it.
Microsoft recommends UEFI for general Windows deployment because it provides more security features than legacy BIOS, while also documenting that some particular network-boot situations can require legacy mode. That recommendation does not turn the BIOS Mode field into a hardware compatibility test. See Microsoft’s overview of booting to UEFI mode or legacy BIOS mode for the deployment context.
UEFI and legacy BIOS: the practical differences relevant to this check
| Question | UEFI | Legacy BIOS or CSM |
|---|---|---|
| What Windows reports | BIOS Mode: UEFI |
BIOS Mode: Legacy |
| Relationship to the installed OS | Windows was installed or configured to start through UEFI. | Windows was installed or configured to start through the BIOS-compatible path. |
| Secure Boot | UEFI firmware can provide Secure Boot, but the mode value does not say whether it is enabled. | Legacy/CSM operation does not provide the UEFI Secure Boot path for that boot. |
| Firmware labels | Often shown as UEFI, native UEFI, or a UEFI boot option. | Often shown as Legacy, Legacy BIOS, BIOS compatibility, or CSM. |
| Can the same PC support both? | Often yes, but the available choices and restrictions depend on the model. A Legacy result alone is not evidence that UEFI is unavailable. | |
| Risk of changing the setting | Changing the selected mode can leave an existing Windows installation or recovery environment unable to boot if its disk layout and boot files were prepared for the other mode. | |
The table intentionally avoids universal claims about speed or performance. The diagnostic value is the current boot path and its implications for compatibility, Secure Boot, and any planned operating-system work.
Do not confuse BIOS Mode with Secure Boot
Secure Boot is a distinct UEFI firmware feature that verifies trusted boot components. A PC can be booted in UEFI mode with Secure Boot disabled, or with Secure Boot unavailable because of a firmware configuration, policy, or hardware limitation. Conversely, seeing a Legacy result means only that Windows used the compatibility path for this start; it does not identify all security settings in firmware.
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If you are checking a Windows 11 requirement, an encrypted-drive policy, or a security configuration, treat the BIOS Mode result as one check and verify Secure Boot separately using the manufacturer’s instructions and the relevant Windows security or firmware status. Microsoft explains the terminology and the relationship between UEFI, Legacy/CSM, and Secure Boot in its Windows 11 and Secure Boot guidance.
If msinfo32 does not show the value
- Make sure you opened the desktop utility. Search for
msinfo32, not a web result or a similarly named settings page. The window title should be System Information. - Select System Summary. BIOS Mode is listed in the summary details. Selecting a hardware category can hide the row you need.
- Maximize the window or widen the columns. On a narrow display, the value column may be off-screen. Scroll horizontally if necessary.
- Use an administrator account if your organization restricts system tools. The check itself does not change firmware, but managed PCs can block utilities or hide details through policy.
- Check that Windows is running normally. A repair environment, installation program, or preinstallation environment can report firmware information differently from the installed Windows session. Use the WinPE method below when you are deliberately working in that environment.
If the utility opens but the value is still absent, do not infer a mode from the disk’s partition style, a boot-menu appearance, or a manufacturer’s marketing description. Those clues can be misleading; obtain model-specific support information or use the appropriate recovery-environment method.
Check firmware mode from Windows PE or a repair environment
This method is intended for administrators, deployment technicians, and recovery media rather than a routine desktop check. Microsoft documents a two-step sequence for Windows PE:
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Interpret the returned hexadecimal value as follows:
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PEFirmwareType value |
Interpretation |
|---|---|
0x1 |
BIOS (legacy) |
0x2 |
UEFI |
The UpdateBootInfo command must run first so that WinPE refreshes the boot information it exposes. This procedure is not a shortcut for the installed copy of Windows: for an ordinary running desktop, msinfo32 remains the clearer check. Microsoft includes the WinPE commands and value definitions in its boot-mode documentation.
Why Windows usually keeps the installation’s original mode
Windows normally continues to boot in the mode used during installation. Microsoft states: “After Windows is installed, the device boots automatically using the same mode it was installed with.” The installation creates boot files and a disk arrangement appropriate to that choice, so changing only the firmware selection can make the existing installation unbootable.
A Legacy installation may commonly use an MBR-style boot arrangement, while a UEFI installation generally uses the firmware’s UEFI boot files and an EFI System Partition. The exact conversion requirements depend on the PC, Windows edition, storage layout, encryption status, recovery configuration, and the tools available. The BIOS Mode check alone cannot determine whether a safe conversion is possible.
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What to do with each result
If the result is UEFI
- Keep the firmware mode unchanged if your goal was only to identify it.
- If you are investigating Secure Boot, perform a separate Secure Boot-status check; do not treat UEFI as proof that it is enabled.
- For an operating-system reinstall, create installation media and select the UEFI boot entry when the firmware presents separate entries, following the PC maker’s instructions.
- Before changing partitions or encryption settings, verify that you have a current backup and a tested recovery method.
If the result is Legacy
- Record that the current Windows installation is using the legacy-compatible path.
- Do not switch the firmware to UEFI merely to change the display value. The existing installation may stop booting.
- If a requirement calls for UEFI or Secure Boot, identify the exact PC model, inspect the manufacturer’s supported conversion procedure, and check the disk, encryption, and recovery prerequisites first.
- If you are installing a second operating system, choose a boot mode deliberately and keep the mode consistent with the way that operating system is installed.
When you should check the mode
Before installing or reinstalling Windows
Checking first helps you match the installation media and firmware boot entry to the configuration already in use. If the computer has both UEFI and Legacy/CSM choices, booting the installer in the wrong mode can produce a setup that does not match the existing installation or the disk layout you intend to keep. Write down the current BIOS Mode value before starting, and consult the manufacturer’s installation guidance for the model.
When troubleshooting a “no boot device” message
If Windows previously worked and the firmware mode was changed, restore the original mode before attempting more invasive repairs. A mode mismatch can make valid boot files appear to be missing. If the setting was not changed, continue with the manufacturer’s boot-repair procedure rather than assuming that the disk or motherboard is defective.
When checking Windows 11 or a security policy
Use the result as one diagnostic data point. UEFI may be required for a particular Secure Boot configuration, but the BIOS Mode row does not report the Secure Boot state, processor eligibility, TPM status, or any other Windows 11 requirement. Check each requirement independently.
When managing BitLocker or enterprise deployment
Record the mode for the device inventory and follow the organization’s policy. Firmware changes can trigger recovery or prevent normal startup, so suspend or reconfigure protection only when the approved procedure explicitly requires it and you have the recovery key available.
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Before changing UEFI, Legacy, or CSM in firmware setup
There is no reason to open firmware setup if you only need the current mode. If a later task genuinely requires a change, complete these checks first:
- Identify the exact model and firmware version. Menu names, default behavior, and supported conversion paths differ by manufacturer and model.
- Confirm the Windows boot mode and disk arrangement. Save the BIOS Mode result and review the manufacturer’s instructions for the corresponding partition and boot-file requirements.
- Back up personal data. A firmware-mode change is not a substitute for a backup, and a failed conversion can require recovery work.
- Prepare recovery access. Have Windows recovery media and, when encryption is enabled, the BitLocker recovery key or the organization’s approved recovery process.
- Record current settings. Photograph or write down boot order, storage-controller mode, virtualization settings, and other values you may need to restore.
- Plan for rollback. Know how to return to the original mode if Windows no longer starts, and avoid changing several firmware settings at once.
Firmware menus are not standardized. A setting named CSM may be nested under boot, security, or advanced options, and some systems hide one mode when another is selected. Follow the support instructions for the specific model rather than applying a generic menu sequence.
How to document the result for support
When opening a support ticket, include the exact text shown in BIOS Mode, the Windows version, the PC model, and what changed immediately before the problem. For example: “System Information reports BIOS Mode: Legacy; the machine stopped booting after firmware defaults were loaded.” This is more useful than saying only that the computer has an old BIOS, because the latter may incorrectly describe a UEFI-capable system running in compatibility mode.
Also state whether the machine is currently able to reach Windows, a recovery environment, or only the firmware menu. That distinction determines whether the desktop check, the WinPE command, or a model-specific recovery procedure is appropriate.
Key limitations of the check
- It reports the mode used by the current Windows boot, not every mode the hardware can use.
- It does not identify whether Secure Boot is enabled.
- It does not certify that a conversion from Legacy to UEFI, or the reverse, is safe.
- It does not replace the PC manufacturer’s instructions for firmware settings, boot order, partition layout, or recovery.
- It does not require a paid utility, a firmware update, a disk conversion, or a reinstall when the goal is simply to read the current mode.
For background on the capabilities expected of UEFI-based systems, see Microsoft’s UEFI firmware requirements. The practical answer for a running Windows PC remains the same: read BIOS Mode in msinfo32, then treat any configuration change as a separate, model-specific operation.
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