Like most things in the technology world, your motherboard software (BIOS) occasionally gets updated, sometimes to fix bugs and other times to add new features. As part of some hardware troubleshooting processes, especially those that involve new RAM or a new CPU that won’t work correctly, updating BIOS to the latest version is a good thing to try. Below are six different methods for checking the BIOS version installed on your motherboard:
Method 1: Reboot Your Computer & Pay Attention
The “traditional” way to check the BIOS version on a computer is to watch for the version notation that appears on the screen during the POST as your computer starts to boot. Methods 3, 4, 5, and 6 are more convenient ways to check the BIOS version, require your computer to be working, and work in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The reboot method is great when you don’t have the benefit of a working computer and can’t try one of the more convenient methods below. If your computer is off right now, powering it on normally will work just fine. Some computers, especially those made by major manufacturers, show a computer logo screen in place of the POST results, which is what contains the BIOS version number. Pressing Esc or Tab usually removes the logo screen and shows the POST information behind it. If the POST results screen disappears too quickly, try pressing the Pause key on your keyboard. Most motherboards will pause the boot process, allowing ample time to read the BIOS version number. However, it can get really frustrating restarting your computer over and over if you keep missing the BIOS version notation. The POST results screen is usually really fast, especially as computers get faster and decrease boot time.
Method 2: Let the BIOS Update Tool Tell You
Updating BIOS isn’t something you do manually, not completely anyway. In most cases, you’ll use a special BIOS update tool supplied by your computer or motherboard manufacturer to do the job. More often than not, this tool will clearly show the current BIOS version that’s installed, so even if you’re not quite ready to update BIOS, or not sure you need to, the BIOS update tool can be used just to check the current version. You’ll first need to locate the online support for your computer or motherboard maker and then download and run the tool. No need to actually update anything, so skip those later steps in whatever instructions are provided.
Method 3: Use Microsoft System Information (MSINFO32)
A much easier way to check the BIOS version running on your computer’s motherboard is via a program called Microsoft System Information. Not only does this method not require any restarting of your computer, it’s already included in Windows, meaning there’s nothing to download and install. Here’s how to check the BIOS version with Microsoft System Information: Microsoft System Information is a great tool but it doesn’t always report a BIOS version number. If it didn’t for your computer, a similar program not made by Microsoft should be the next thing you try. In Windows 8, access Run from the Apps screen. In Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows, select Run from the Start menu. A window titled System Information will appear on the screen.
Method 4: Use a Third-Party System Information Tool
If Microsoft System Information didn’t get you the BIOS version data you need, there are several system information tools out there you can try instead, many that are much more thorough than MSINFO32. Here’s how to do it: If Speccy or another “sysinfo” tool doesn’t work out for you, or you’d rather not download and install software, you have a couple other methods for checking your computer’s BIOS version.
Method 5: Run a Command Prompt Command
A simple command can be used to print the BIOS version in Command Prompt. You might try this before the slightly more advanced method below, but only after trying the graphical programs above.
Method 6: Dig It up in the Windows Registry
Last but not least, and probably not that surprising to those of you in the know, a lot of information about BIOS can be found logged in the Windows Registry. There are multiple ways to open Command Prompt, but in most versions of Windows, you can type cmd in the search bar or Start menu to find it. In all versions of Windows, executing the same command in the Run dialog box (WIN+R) works, too. Not only is the BIOS version usually clearly listed in the registry, so is often your motherboard’s maker and your motherboard model number. Here’s where to find it: The Windows Registry can seem scary but so long as you’re not changing anything, it’s perfectly harmless to dig around.
