How to fix ‘Legacy Boot is greyed out in BIOS’ issue

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In this article we will explain how to fix ‘Legacy Boot is greyed out in BIOS’ issue. Legacy Boot is a feature of the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that lets a computer boot into an operating system from a storage device that is not UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), like a hard disk drive or a USB flash drive. Legacy Boot was often used on older computers with traditional BIOS firmware, but as UEFI firmware became more common, Legacy Boot became less common.

If the Legacy Boot option in the BIOS is grayed out, the user can’t turn it on, and the device can only start up from storage devices that are compatible with UEFI. This can be a problem for people who need to boot from older devices or operating systems that are not UEFI-compatible. You might be able to fix the problem by updating the BIOS to a newer version.

Another option is to turn on the BIOS CSM (Compatibility Support Module), which lets older operating systems and hardware work with newer ones. On the other hand, if you turn on CSM, some UEFI features, like Secure Boot, may be turned off. Legacy Boot is becoming less common on modern computers, and it may be taken out of use completely in the future. Users should make sure that their devices work with the latest operating systems and that their storage devices are UEFI-compatible to avoid boot problems. We mentioned below are the ways how to fix ‘Legacy Boot is greyed out in BIOS’ issue.

What is Legacy Boot?

Legacy Boot refers to the traditional method of booting up a computer’s operating system, which has been used for many years. In this mode, the system’s firmware, known as the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or the older version UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), initializes the hardware components and then searches for a bootable device, such as a hard drive or a CD/DVD drive, to load the operating system from.

However, Legacy Boot has limitations, including a lack of support for modern hardware features and security mechanisms. As a result, newer systems often use UEFI instead, which offers better security features and faster boot times through a mechanism called Secure Boot. This Secure Boot ensures that only digitally signed and trusted operating system loaders and drivers are loaded during the boot process, reducing the risk of malware interference.

Why is Legacy Boot greyed out in BIOS?

1. Secure Boot Enabled: If your computer has Secure Boot enabled, it might prevent Legacy Boot options from being accessible, as Legacy Boot can introduce security vulnerabilities.
2. UEFI Mode: If your system is configured to boot in UEFI mode, the Legacy Boot option could be disabled or greyed out. UEFI and Legacy Boot modes are often mutually exclusive.
3. Compatibility: Some newer systems are designed to only support UEFI booting, making Legacy Boot options unavailable.
4. Hardware Restrictions: Certain hardware configurations might not support Legacy Boot, causing the option to be greyed out.
5. BIOS/UEFI Version: Outdated BIOS or UEFI firmware might not properly support Legacy Boot on certain hardware, leading to the greyed-out option.
6. BIOS/UEFI Settings: Incorrect or conflicting settings within the BIOS/UEFI can cause Legacy Boot to be disabled.

How to fix ‘Legacy Boot is greyed out in BIOS’ issue

Set BIOS Admin Password

It’s not necessary for all computers, but some of them need a BIOS admin password on Windows to get to the Secure Boot option. So, you should set a password and see if that helps you solve the problem. Follow the steps below to change the Admin password in BIOS:

1. Turn off your computer if it’s on.
2. Turn on your computer again.
3. Click on the BIOS tab in the BIOS settings.
4. Locate the Administrator Password and click on it.
5. Type in a password and double-check it.
6. Save the settings, leave the BIOS settings, and restart your computer.

Update BIOS Firmware

If you haven’t updated your computer’s drivers and BIOS Firmware in a long time, that could be the problem. So it’s best to update the BIOS firmware on your computer and see if that fixes the problem. Follow the steps below to bring your computer’s BIOS firmware up to date:

1. Update your computer’s BIOS firmware.
2. Manually download and install the BIOS update.
3. Visit the official site of your computer’s manufacturer.
4. Click on the Drivers link.
5. Choose your device’s type and model number.
6. Locate the BIOS firmware in the list of drivers.
7. Turn off your antivirus software.
8. Download the BIOS firmware.
9. Manually install the firmware.
10. Restart your computer to check for fixes.

Reset the BIOS Settings to Factory Default

If you have changed a lot of settings in your BIOS, this could be the cause of the problem. So, there are two ways to fix this problem: you can either manually change all the settings back to their original state, or you can set the settings to their default state. We recommend that you choose the second option, since it will be much easier than the first. Follow the steps below to change your BIOS settings and put them back to the factory settings:

1. Turn off computer.
2. Access BIOS settings and press F9 to restore defaults.
3. Confirm pop-up with “Yes”.
4. Dell computer: BIOS > Security > Restore Security settings to Factory Defaults.
5. HP computer: Press F2 for BIOS, Exit > Load Setup Defaults > Confirm with “Yes”.
6. Restart computer to check for fixes.

Check For Secure Boot Availability

If none of the above methods worked for you to remove the grayed-out Secure Boot and turn on the secure boot, we suggest that you check to see if your computer has Secure Boot. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Start menu, search bar, find System Information.
2. Check menu for Secure Boot, note if ON or OFF.
3. If ON, Secure Boot available on your computer.

Disable The Fast Boot Option

The fast boot process in Windows helps users get their computers up and running faster by turning off some unnecessary startup processes and background services. You can try turning off Fast Boot in Windows and see if that fixes the problem where Secure Boot is grayed out in the BIOS. Follow the steps below to turn off the fast boot feature:

1. Computer on? Turn off, then on. Click BIOS Settings.
2. Go to BIOS settings’ Advanced Mode.
3. Click Boot tab.
4. Click option “Fast Boot.”
5. Turn off Fast Boot, press F10 to save BIOS settings.
6. Press OK to leave BIOS settings. Start computer again to see if problem is fixed.

Conclusion

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the new standard for computers that aren’t very old. Legacy software and hardware still support Legacy BIOS, so it is still a big part of most active systems. If you have Secure Boot or Platform Trusted Technology (TPM) turned on, the BIOS may be grayed out. Problems with systems that support Modern Standby are another reason why you can’t switch from UEFI to Legacy BIOS. Here’s how to fix your Windows system so that Legacy Boot is no longer grayed out in BIOS. If you want to know more information about this issue so you can visit Microsoft Official Website.

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