How to Boot From USB on Any Computer (Boot Menu Keys by Brand)
Every bootable USB — Linux, Windows installer, recovery tool — needs the same first step: telling the computer to start from the USB instead of its internal disk. It takes one key press at the right moment. Here's that key for every major brand, plus the fallbacks when it doesn't appear.
The one-time boot menu (the easy way)
Plug in the USB, power on, and immediately tap the boot-menu key repeatedly — once per second from the instant the screen lights up. A small menu lists bootable devices; pick the USB entry (often labeled with the drive brand or 'UEFI: USB…') and press Enter. This boots from USB once without changing any settings.
- Dell — F12
- HP — F9 (or Esc, then F9)
- Lenovo — F12 (some models: the small Novo button)
- Acer — F12 (enable 'F12 Boot Menu' in BIOS if nothing appears)
- ASUS — F8 (desktops) or Esc (laptops)
- MSI — F11
- Samsung — F10 · Toshiba/Dynabook — F12
- Intel-era Mac — hold the Option (⌥) key while powering on
No boot key? Use the Windows route
From Windows 10/11, hold Shift while clicking Restart (or Settings → Recovery → Advanced startup). The blue recovery screen appears — choose 'Use a device' and pick your USB. This works on every PC regardless of brand keys, and it's the most reliable path on fast-booting modern laptops that blow past the key window.
When the USB doesn't show up
- Try a different port — prefer a rear USB-A port on desktops; avoid hubs and adapters for boot.
- Disable Fast Boot in the firmware settings (it skips USB detection to save milliseconds).
- Check Secure Boot: Ubuntu and Mint boot with it ON; Kali and some tools need it OFF.
- On very old PCs, ensure UEFI/Legacy ('CSM') mode matches the drive — our drives boot in both modes.
- Enter the firmware itself with F2 or Del at power-on and put USB first in the boot order as a last resort.
What you should see next
A successful USB boot lands in the drive's own menu — for our Linux drives, a 'Try or Install' screen; for the Windows 11 drive, Windows Setup. From there, every Beamo drive includes step-by-step instructions, and each product's guide on this site walks the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Which key opens the boot menu on my computer?
Most brands use F12 (Dell, Lenovo, Acer, Toshiba). HP uses F9, MSI F11, ASUS F8 or Esc. Tap it repeatedly from the moment you power on — the window is only a couple of seconds. When in doubt, the Shift+Restart route inside Windows always works.
Why does my computer ignore the USB and boot Windows anyway?
Usually one of three things: Fast Boot skipping USB detection, the wrong port (use direct USB-A, no hub), or boot order putting the internal disk first. The one-time boot menu or the Windows 'Use a device' route bypasses boot order entirely.
Do I need to change Secure Boot to boot a USB?
For Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and our Windows 11 drive — no, they boot with Secure Boot enabled. Kali Linux and some diagnostic tools aren't Microsoft-signed, so those need Secure Boot temporarily disabled in firmware settings.