How to Check BIOS Version on Windows 11 — 7 Easy Methods That Work in 2026

Knowing your BIOS version is one of the first things you need when troubleshooting hardware issues, planning a BIOS update, installing a new CPU, or contacting your PC manufacturer’s support team. The good news is Windows 11 gives you multiple ways to find it — without opening your PC case, without rebooting, and without entering the BIOS setup screen.

This guide covers every method — from the simplest one-click GUI option to command-line queries that return detailed firmware data in seconds. All seven methods work on any Windows 11 PC regardless of brand — ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Gigabyte, or any custom-built system.

What Is a BIOS Version and Why Does It Matter?

BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System. It is the firmware embedded on your motherboard that initializes hardware components when you power on your PC — before Windows loads. Modern systems use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) rather than legacy BIOS, but the term “BIOS” remains commonly used for both.

Every BIOS has a version number that identifies which revision of the firmware is installed. As of 2026, major PC manufacturers including ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Dell, HP, and Lenovo release BIOS updates quarterly to address security vulnerabilities, improve hardware compatibility, and enhance system stability.

When you need to check your BIOS version:

Before downloading and installing a BIOS update — you need to know your current version to confirm whether a newer one is available and whether the update applies to your system.

When troubleshooting hardware compatibility issues — a BIOS version that predates support for a newer CPU, RAM speed, or NVMe drive can cause detection failures that look like hardware problems.

When installing a new CPU, high-speed RAM, or storage — manufacturers often require a minimum BIOS version for new components to work correctly.

When contacting PC manufacturer support — support teams ask for your current BIOS version as one of the first diagnostic questions.

After installing a July 2026 Windows update like KB5101650 — BIOS versions affect how Secure Boot and TPM interact with Windows updates. The Dell PC shutdown issue caused by KB5121767 and the 0xc0430001 boot failure affecting HP and Dell devices after KB5094126 were both firmware-level issues where knowing and updating the BIOS version was part of the resolution.

BIOS Version Format — What You Will See

BIOS version strings look different depending on your PC manufacturer. Knowing what format to expect helps you interpret the result correctly.

Manufacturer	Example BIOS Version
ASUS	F18 or F.23
Dell	1.24.0 or 1.27.1
HP	Q85 Ver. 01.09.01
Lenovo	R23ET65W (1.35)
MSI	E7D25IMS.4E0
Gigabyte	F14 or F14a
American Megatrends (AMI)	5.22 or F.03
Custom builds (AMI/Phoenix)	Version string + date

The BIOS Version/Date field typically shows the manufacturer name, version number, and release date together — for example, “American Megatrends Inc. F18, 05/12/2025” or “Dell Inc. 1.24.0, 03/18/2026.”

Method 1 — System Information (msinfo32) — Easiest and Most Reliable

System Information is the quickest and most comprehensive graphical method. It shows the full BIOS version string including manufacturer, version number, and release date in one place.

Step 1 — Open System Information

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type msinfo32 and press Enter.

Alternatively: open Start, search for “System Information,” and click the result.

The System Information window opens. It lands directly on the System Summary view.

Step 2 — Find the BIOS Version/Date Field

In the right panel, look for the BIOS Version/Date row. It appears approximately 10 to 15 rows down from the top, after OS Name, Version, OS Manufacturer, System Name, System Manufacturer, System Model, and System Type.

The field shows your complete BIOS information: manufacturer, version number, and release date.

Example outputs:

• Dell laptop: Dell Inc. 1.24.0, 03/18/2026
• ASUS motherboard: American Megatrends Inc. F18, 05/12/2025
• HP laptop: HP Q85 Ver. 01.09.01, 06/15/2025

Step 3 — Also note the SMBIOS Version

Below BIOS Version/Date, a row labeled SMBIOS Version shows the System Management BIOS specification version — useful for advanced diagnostics.

Important note: MSINFO32 has limited hardware-information output when Windows is running in Safe Mode. Restart Windows normally and check again if the BIOS field is blank or unclear.

Method 2 — Command Prompt (WMIC) — Fastest One-Line Method

Command Prompt gives you the BIOS version in a single command. This is the fastest method when you just need the version string and nothing else.

Step 1 — Open Command Prompt

Press Win + S (or click the search icon on the taskbar). Type cmd. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator — or click it directly if you do not need administrator privileges for this query.

Step 2 — Run the WMIC command

Type this command and press Enter:

cmd

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion

The output appears directly below:

SMBIOSBIOSVersion
F18

For more detail — including manufacturer and release date — run:

cmd

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion, manufacturer, releasedate

Output example:

Manufacturer                ReleaseDate        SMBIOSBIOSVersion
American Megatrends Inc.    20250512000000.000000+000    F18

Note: The date in WMIC output uses a timestamp format (YYYYMMDD). The example above shows 20250512 which translates to May 12, 2025.

Tip: You can copy the output directly from Command Prompt by right-clicking the window and selecting Mark, highlighting the text, pressing Enter to copy, and pasting it into a support ticket or update comparison.

Method 3 — PowerShell — Most Detailed Output

PowerShell returns richer BIOS information than Command Prompt and formats it cleanly. This method is preferred when you need full details for diagnostics or scripting.

Step 1 — Open PowerShell

Press Win + S and type PowerShell. Click Windows PowerShell or PowerShell. Administrator access is usually not required for BIOS queries.

Step 2 — Run the CimInstance command

powershell

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_BIOS | Select-Object -Property SMBIOSBIOSVersion, Manufacturer, ReleaseDate

Output example:

SMBIOSBIOSVersion Manufacturer                ReleaseDate
----------------- ------------                -----------
F18               American Megatrends Inc.    5/12/2025 12:00:00 AM

Alternative command (WMI method):

powershell

Get-WmiObject win32_bios

This returns a full WMI object with all BIOS properties including SerialNumber, Manufacturer, SMBIOSBIOSVersion, and more.

Get PC model alongside BIOS version:

powershell

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model

Running both commands together gives you exactly what you need for a BIOS update lookup — the model to search on the manufacturer’s site and the current BIOS version to compare against the available download.

Method 4 — DirectX Diagnostic Tool (DXDiag) — ASUS and Display Diagnostics

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool shows BIOS version alongside display and audio hardware information. This is ASUS’s recommended method for their support page.

Step 1 — Open DXDiag

Press Win + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter. If prompted with “Do you want to check if your drivers are digitally signed?” click Yes.

Step 2 — Find BIOS Version

On the System tab (which opens by default), look for the BIOS row near the bottom of the System Information section. It shows your BIOS version in the same format as System Information.

DXDiag also shows your Windows version, DirectX version, system memory, and display hardware in the same window — making it useful when you need a complete system snapshot for support purposes.

Method 5 — Windows Settings and Task Manager

For a quick check without opening additional tools:

Via Task Manager Performance tab:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click the Performance tab. Select CPU from the left panel. In some Windows 11 configurations, the right panel shows the system’s firmware type (BIOS vs UEFI) though not the specific version number.

Via Windows Terminal (quick combined command):

Open Windows Terminal and run both a PowerShell and CMD query together:

powershell

(Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS).SMBIOSBIOSVersion

This returns just the version string — the most compact output of any method.

Method 6 — Registry Editor — For Advanced Users

The Windows Registry stores BIOS information that can be accessed without any tools.

Warning: Only browse the registry — do not change any values. Incorrect registry changes can damage your Windows installation.

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\BIOS

In the right panel, look for these values:

BIOSVersion — the BIOS version string.
BIOSReleaseDate — the BIOS release date.
BIOSVendor — the firmware manufacturer.
SystemProductName — your PC model.
BaseBoardProduct — your motherboard model (on custom builds).

This method is useful when Windows tools like msinfo32 are unavailable or when building automated inventory scripts that read BIOS data directly from the registry.

Method 7 — BIOS Setup Screen — Most Authoritative Source

Every previous method reads BIOS information that Windows reports through the firmware interface. The BIOS setup screen reads directly from the firmware itself — making it the most authoritative source.

When to use this method:

When Windows cannot start or is in recovery mode and you need to check the BIOS version for troubleshooting. When the BIOS version Windows reports seems incorrect or outdated. When verifying a BIOS update actually applied.

Step 1 — Enter BIOS during startup

Restart your PC. As soon as the screen turns on — during the manufacturer’s logo display — press the key for your PC’s BIOS setup. Common keys by manufacturer:

Manufacturer	Key
ASUS	F2 or DEL
Dell	F2
HP	F10 or Esc
Lenovo	F1 or F2
MSI	DEL
Gigabyte	DEL or F2
Acer	F2 or DEL
Samsung	F2

Step 2 — Find BIOS version in the setup screen

The BIOS version appears on the main screen of the BIOS setup interface — usually at the top or bottom of the first page under system information or in a “Main” or “Info” tab. The exact location depends on your motherboard manufacturer’s UI design.

Step 3 — Access BIOS from Windows 11 without keyboard timing

If your PC boots too fast to press the key in time, access UEFI setup from within Windows:

Go to Settings, System, Recovery. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now. After restart, select Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, UEFI Firmware Settings. Click Restart. Your PC boots directly into the BIOS setup screen.

How to Read Your BIOS Version Information

Once you have your BIOS version, here is how to use it correctly.

Step 1 — Record the exact version string

Copy the complete BIOS Version/Date output including the manufacturer name. Firmware versions are not interchangeable between similar-looking systems — a BIOS version for one laptop model may be completely incompatible with a physically identical laptop in a different sub-model.

Step 2 — Find your PC model

The BIOS version alone is not enough to identify the correct update. Run this command as well:

powershell

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model

You need both the model name and the current BIOS version to find the correct update on the manufacturer’s support site.

Step 3 — Check for newer versions

Go to your manufacturer’s support page, enter your exact model, and navigate to the BIOS or firmware downloads section. Compare the version number of the most recent available download against your current version. If a newer version is available, read the update notes to understand what it fixes before deciding whether to apply it.

BIOS vs UEFI — Does It Matter for Checking the Version?

On Windows 11, all supported hardware uses UEFI — UEFI was a requirement for Windows 11 installation. However, Windows still labels the firmware version field as “BIOS Version/Date” in System Information and most other tools, even on fully UEFI systems.

For the purpose of checking your firmware version, this distinction does not change anything. All methods in this guide return the correct firmware version regardless of whether your system is legacy BIOS or UEFI.

The practical difference between BIOS and UEFI is in features — UEFI supports Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, GPT disk partitions, and fast boot. These features are required for Windows 11 and affect how updates interact with your system. When the EFI partition space issue drives 0x800f0922 errors or the 0xc0430001 boot failure appears after a Secure Boot certificate update, these are UEFI-level interactions — and knowing your firmware version is the first diagnostic step toward resolving them.

Common Issues When Checking BIOS Version

BIOS Version/Date field is blank in msinfo32:

This is rare but occurs on some systems running Windows in Safe Mode or on certain virtualized environments. Restart Windows normally and check again. If it remains blank, use the PowerShell or CMD method which queries the WMI directly rather than through the System Information interface.

System Information shows a much older date:

This is not necessarily a problem. The date shown is the release date of the installed BIOS version — not the date you installed it or the date Windows was installed. If your BIOS date is several years old, your firmware simply has not been updated since that date.

WMIC shows an unfamiliar timestamp format:

WMIC returns the release date as a WMI datetime string (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS). The first 8 digits are the date — 20250512 means May 12, 2025. You do not need to convert this — it is only relevant for comparison purposes.

Different versions shown by different methods:

If msinfo32 shows a different version than DXDiag, this is usually a display/formatting difference rather than a genuine discrepancy. The PowerShell CimInstance method is the most authoritative Windows-side query — use that as your reference if methods conflict.

Frequently Asked Questions