How to Enter the Boot Menu on an ASUS Laptop from a USB

Updated by

Sherly 

Authored by

Linda 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

ASUS Boot Menu and ASUS Boot Menu Key

What is a Boot Menu? The boot menu, also known as the startup menu, is related to the boot process of a computer. It allows you to change the boot order (also referred to as boot priority or boot sequence) to start Windows.

More specifically, Boot Menu is a very handy ^*BIOS option that lets you quickly prioritize which device to boot from. It brings up a small window where you can immediately set a USB flash drive (or DVD) as the first choice, and the hard disk as the second one. (That's how you boot Asus laptops from USB.) Usually, you need to enter the BIOS to access the Boot Menu. However, if you know your computer/laptop model and the supported Boot Menu key, you don't have to go through the BIOS interface.

* BIOS stands for "Basic Input/Output System." It is a type of ROM chip on the motherboard that allows you to access and configure your computer system at a very basic level. You can think of the BIOS as a set of computer instructions in firmware that control input and output operations.

The boot menu key for every ASUS motherboard is different. The boot menu key for ASUS laptops and desktops is determined more by the motherboard model than the version of Windows you have. The same goes for entering the BIOS, which also requires a key press. We've gathered the most common ASUS models and their keys for entering the boot menu and BIOS.

How to check your Asus laptop/model:
Boot up the computer > Type dxdiag in the search bar and open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool > In this window, look for the System Model.

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You must use the keyboard to enter hotkeys.

As shown in the table, typically, the Boot Menu key for an Asus laptop is Esc, and the BIOS key is F2.

If you're familiar with the Asus laptop boot key, share it with those who need it!

How to Access the Boot Menu on an Asus Laptop

Refer to your specific Asus model in the table to find the Boot Menu key. Remember this key, as you'll need to press it to access the boot menu on your Asus computer. For example, if I'm using a laptop, the Boot Menu key I should use is Esc.

Step 1: Restart your Asus laptop.

Step 2. Press the Esc key repeatedly to bring up the boot menu.

To start the system from a USB flash drive or CD-ROM, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3. Once the boot menu appears, use the arrow keys to select the USB flash drive or CD-ROM as the primary boot option.

If you first enter the BIOS and select the USB flash drive or CD-ROM as the first boot order to boot your system, proceed with the Asus instructions.

How to boot from a USB flash drive/CD-ROM → (the procedure differs depending on whether you have BIOS/UEFI or CSM/Legacy mode)

How to Boot an ASUS Laptop from USB Without Entering BIOS Configuration

The traditional way of booting an operating system from a USB flash drive is by setting the BIOS configuration to prioritize booting from a USB drive in the boot menu. Booting an Asus from a recovery USB drive aims to fix certain computer issues that may be caused by damaged hardware or files. Similarly, you can also use another method to boot your Asus from a USB flash drive to manage your hard disks and partitions.

Partition Master is a magical tool proficient in hard disk and partition management. With its bootable media, you can easily manage Asus HDD and SSD in various ways, such as resizing, deleting, formatting, converting, checking disk errors, repairing damages, and rebuilding MBR, etc.

How to create a Partition Master Bootable USB:

Step 1. To create a bootable MiniTool Partition Wizard, you need to prepare a storage medium like a USB drive, flash drive, or CD/DVD disc. Then connect the drive properly to your computer.

Step 2: Launch Partition Master and then find the “Bootable Media” feature on the left. Click it.

Step 3. If you have a drive available, you can choose between USB or CD/DVD. However, if you don't have a storage device, you can also save the ISO file to your local drive and burn it to media later. After selecting your option, click "Create" to start the process.

• Read the warning, and then click Yes.

Step 4: When it's done, a message will pop up asking if you want to restart your computer from the bootable USB drive.

• Restart Now: You want to restart your computer immediately and then, without an operating system, use the boot tool from the bootable media to manage your disk partitions.
• Finish: You do not want to restart your computer now but instead want to use the bootable USB device on a different computer.

Note: To use the bootable disk on a new computer, you'll need to restart the target computer and press F2/F8/Del to enter the BIOS, where you can set the USB bootable disk as the first boot device.

Wait patiently for the computer to boot from the USB boot media, and load into the WinPE tool desktop.

After booting your Asus laptop from the bootable utility, you're free to manage your computer's hard drive as you see fit. For instance, to partition an Asus desktop/laptop hard drive for Windows 10, you can follow this video guide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Asus Boot Menu Key

1. What is the boot menu key for Asus laptops?

The boot menu key for an Asus laptop varies by model. However, the most common boot menu keys for Asus are Esc or F8. If you're unsure which model you have, try pressing both of these keys one at a time.

2. How do I enter the ASUS BIOS?

To enter the Asus BIOS, press the F2, Delete, or F9 key as your computer boots up. If that doesn't work, you can also access the BIOS by restarting your computer 3 times in a row to get into Windows Recovery Environment, then navigating to UEFI firmware settings from there.