How to Reset Motherboard BIOS or CMOS? [2024]

The BIOS, or Basic Input/Output System, is a crucial component of your PC. It’s a small piece of software that runs on a chip on your motherboard, and it controls how your PC communicates with its hardware devices, such as the CPU, RAM, GPU, HDD, etc. The BIOS also lets you customize various settings of your system, such as the boot order, the clock speed, the voltage, the fan speed, etc. By tweaking these settings, you can optimize your PC’s performance and stability, or even overclock it to get more power out of it.

But sometimes, the BIOS can get corrupted or damaged by various factors, such as a power surge, a faulty update, a virus or malware attack, a wrong configuration, etc. When this happens, your PC may not boot up properly, or it may show some errors or glitches. To fix this problem, you need to reset the BIOS to its default settings, which are the ones that came with your motherboard when you bought it. These settings are usually safe and stable, and they can help your PC run normally again.

Steps to Reset Motherboard BIOS or CMOS

Resetting the BIOS is not an easy task for beginners, and it requires some technical skills and knowledge. You need to follow these steps carefully and precisely, or you might end up damaging your motherboard beyond repair.

Step 1: Open the BIOS menu 

The first thing you need to do is to enter the BIOS menu. This is a special menu that only appears when you boot up your PC. To access it, you need to press a specific key on your keyboard as soon as you see the manufacturer’s logo on the screen. The key may vary depending on your motherboard brand and model, but some common ones are F12, Del, Esc, F8, F2, etc. You can check the manual that came with your motherboard or look online for the exact key for your model.

Once you press the key, you will see a screen with various options and tabs. This is the BIOS menu, where you can change the settings of your motherboard. The BIOS menu may look different on different motherboards, but it usually has some common tabs, such as Main, Advanced, Boot, Security, Exit, etc. Each tab has some sub-options that let you modify different aspects of your system.

Be very careful not to change anything in the BIOS menu unless you know what you’re doing. Changing the wrong setting can cause serious problems for your PC, such as overheating, crashing, freezing, etc. If you’re not sure about something, leave it as it is.

Step 2: Select the Default Settings option 

Select the Default Settings option The next thing you need to do is to find the option that lets you reset the BIOS to its default settings. This option may have different names on different motherboards, such as Load Default, Load Setup Defaults, Load Default Settings, Load BIOS Defaults, Optimal Load Defaults, etc. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the BIOS menu and find this option. It may be located in one of the tabs or sub-menus of the BIOS menu.

Once you find the option to reset the BIOS, you need to select it and press Enter. A confirmation message will pop up, asking you if you’re sure you want to reset the BIOS. Press Y or Yes to confirm. This will restore all the settings of your motherboard to their original values, as they were when you first bought it. This will erase any changes or customizations that you made in the BIOS menu before.

Step 3: Reset Windows 10’s BIOS 

Once you confirm that you want to reset the BIOS, you need to press F10 to save and exit the BIOS menu. Your PC will restart automatically. This will apply the default settings of your motherboard to your system, and hopefully fix any problems that you had before.

Congratulations! You have successfully reset your BIOS to its factory defaults. Your PC should boot up normally now, and run smoothly and stably. If you want to access the BIOS again and make some changes, you can repeat the same steps as before. Just remember to be careful and don’t mess with something you don’t understand. Happy tweaking!

What is the Clear CMOS button?

Some motherboards have a button that is specifically designed to clear the CMOS. You can find this button on the back panel of your PC, near the USB ports or the audio jacks. The button may have a label such as CLR_CMOS, CLEAR, RESET, etc. To clear the CMOS using the button, you need to follow these steps:

• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Press and hold the clear CMOS button for a few seconds, then release it.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup. Follow the instructions on the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

Where is Clear CMOS gigabyte Button?

If you have a gigabyte motherboard, you can clear the CMOS using a special feature called Q-Flash Plus. This feature lets you update or restore your BIOS without entering the BIOS menu or booting up your PC. You just need a USB flash drive with the latest BIOS file for your motherboard model. To clear the CMOS using Q-Flash Plus, you need to follow these steps:

• Download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard model from gigabyte’s website. The file should have an extension such as .Fxx, .FAx, .FBx, etc.
• Format a USB flash drive to FAT32 file system and copy the BIOS file to it. Rename the file to GIGABYTE.bin.
• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Insert the USB flash drive into one of the USB ports on your motherboard’s back panel. Make sure it is not connected to any hubs or extensions.
• Press and hold the Q-Flash Plus button on your motherboard for a few seconds, then release it. The button may have a label such as QF+, QF_P, QFP, etc. You can find it near the USB ports or the audio jacks on your motherboard’s back panel.
• Wait for a few minutes, until the Q-Flash Plus LED stops blinking. This means that the BIOS update or restore is complete.
• Remove the USB flash drive from the USB port and plug the power cord back in.
• Turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup. Follow the instructions on the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

How To Reset Bios Without Display

To reset the BIOS without display, you need to clear the CMOS memory, which stores the BIOS settings. There are different ways to do this, depending on your motherboard and your tools.

How to Clear CMOS Jumper

A jumper is a small plastic cap that connects two metal pins on your motherboard. Some motherboards have a jumper that is specifically designed to clear the CMOS. You can find this jumper near the CMOS battery, which is a round silver coin-like battery on your motherboard. The jumper may have a label such as CLR_CMOS, CLEAR, CLRTC, etc. To clear the CMOS using the jumper, you need to follow these steps:

• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Open the case of your PC and locate the CMOS jumper on your motherboard.
• Remove the jumper from its normal position, which is usually covering pins 1 and 2, and move it to cover pins 2 and 3. This will short the pins and clear the CMOS.
• Wait for a few seconds, then move the jumper back to its normal position, covering pins 1 and 2.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup. Follow the instructions on the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

How to Remove CMOS Battery

Another way to clear the CMOS is to remove the CMOS battery from your motherboard. The CMOS battery provides power to the CMOS chip when your PC is turned off, so that it can retain the BIOS settings. By removing the battery, you can cut off the power to the CMOS chip and clear its memory. To remove the CMOS battery, you need to follow these steps:

• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Open the case of your PC and locate the CMOS battery on your motherboard. It is a round silver coin-like battery that is usually held by a metal clip or a plastic holder.
• Carefully remove the battery from its slot, using a small screwdriver or a fingernail if needed. Be gentle and don’t damage the battery or its contacts.
• Wait for a few minutes, then put the battery back in its slot, making sure that it is oriented correctly. The positive side (+) of the battery should face up.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup.  Follow the instructions on the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

How to Clear CMOS without jumper

If your motherboard doesn’t have a CMOS jumper, or if you can’t find it, you can still clear the CMOS using a different method. You can use a metal object, such as a screwdriver, a paper clip, or a coin, to short the two pins that are connected to the CMOS battery. This will create a circuit and clear the CMOS. To clear the CMOS without a jumper, you need to follow these steps:

• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Open the case of your PC and locate the CMOS battery on your motherboard. It is a round silver coin-like battery that is usually held by a metal clip or a plastic holder.
• Identify the two pins that are connected to the battery holder. They may be labeled as BAT+, BAT-, CLRP1, CLRP2, etc. You can also use a multimeter to test which pins are connected to the battery.
• Use a metal object, such as a screwdriver, a paper clip, or a coin, to touch both pins at the same time. This will short the pins and clear the CMOS.
• Wait for a few seconds, then remove the metal object from the pins.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup. Follow the instructions on the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

How to Clear CMOS with Screwdriver

If none of the above methods work for you, or if you don’t have access to any tools or devices, you can still clear the CMOS using a screwdriver. This method is similar to clearing the CMOS without a jumper, but it involves removing the motherboard from the case and shorting the pins directly on the chip. This method is risky and not recommended, as you may damage your motherboard or other components. To clear the CMOS with a screwdriver, you need to follow these steps:

• Turn off your PC and unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Open the case of your PC and disconnect all the cables and wires from your motherboard. Be careful not to damage any connectors or pins.
• Remove the screws that hold your motherboard to the case and carefully lift it out of the case. Place it on a non-conductive surface, such as a wooden table or a cardboard box.
• Locate the CMOS chip on your motherboard. It is a small rectangular chip that has eight pins on each side. It may have a label such as AMI, AWARD, PHOENIX, etc.
• Use a screwdriver to touch any two pins on one side of the chip at the same time. This will short the pins and clear the CMOS.
• Wait for a few seconds, then remove the screwdriver from the pins.
• Put your motherboard back in the case and reconnect all the cables and wires. Make sure everything is connected properly and securely.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn on your PC. You may see a message saying that the CMOS has been cleared or that you need to enter the BIOS setup.  Follow the instructions on
• the screen and reset the BIOS settings to your preference.

These are some of the ways to reset the BIOS without using the BIOS menu. These methods can be useful if you can’t access the BIOS menu or if your PC doesn’t show any display or respond to any key presses. However, these methods are also risky and not recommended for beginners. You may end up damaging your motherboard or other components if you do something wrong. Use these methods at your own risk and only as a last resort.

The best way to reset the BIOS is to use the BIOS menu and select the default settings option. This is the safest and easiest method, and it works for most cases. If you can access the BIOS menu, always use this method to reset the BIOS.