Acer Laptop Boot Menu Key, BIOS Key and Other Useful Acer Shortcuts
On most Acer laptops the boot menu key is F12 and the BIOS setup key is F2, pressed again and again right after you switch the laptop on. On many Acer models the F12 boot menu is turned off by default, so you first enable it in the BIOS. This guide covers the boot key for Aspire, Swift, Nitro, Predator and TravelMate, plus the no bootable device fix, screenshot keys, Wi-Fi and touchpad keys, and how to find your Acer model number.
Updated 8 November 2026
Acer boot menu key and BIOS key at a glance
- BIOS setup: F2 on almost all Acer laptops, including Aspire, Swift, Nitro, Predator and TravelMate.
- Boot menu (choose USB or SSD): F12, after it is enabled in the BIOS.
- Recovery on many Acer models: Alt + F10 at start-up, when D2D Recovery is enabled in the BIOS.
- Some older Acer desktops and netbooks use Del or Esc instead.
How to press it: shut the laptop down fully, press the power button, then tap the key about once a second until the screen appears. Do not hold it down. If Windows starts anyway, shut down and try again, or use the Windows method in the next section.
How to enable the F12 boot menu on an Acer laptop
If pressing F12 does nothing, the boot menu is probably switched off. To turn it on:
1. Switch on the laptop and tap F2 to open the BIOS. 2. Open the Main tab with the arrow keys. 3. Find F12 Boot Menu and set it to Enabled. 4. Press F10 to save and exit, then confirm with Yes.
Now F12 opens a list of drives at start-up, and you can pick your USB drive. On the Boot tab you can also change the boot order, so the USB or the Windows Boot Manager comes first. Some Acer models only let you change Secure Boot settings after you set a supervisor password in the Security tab. If you set one, write it down and remove it when you are done, because a forgotten BIOS password is hard to clear. Our BIOS lock guide explains why.
Open the BIOS or boot from USB from inside Windows
Fast startup in Windows 10 and Windows 11 can start so quickly that the F2 or F12 key is missed. In that case use Windows itself:
1. Open Settings, then System, then Recovery (on Windows 10: Update and Security, then Recovery). 2. Next to Advanced startup, click Restart now. 3. Choose Use a device to boot from a USB drive, or Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings to open the BIOS.
A quicker way is to hold the Shift key while you click Restart in the Start menu. This works on every Acer laptop with Windows 10 or 11, including Nitro and Predator gaming models.
Acer laptop says no bootable device: how to fix it
The message no bootable device means the laptop cannot find a drive with Windows on it. Try these steps in order:
1. Remove any USB drives and memory cards, then restart. 2. Open the BIOS with F2 and check that the SSD appears on the Main or Information tab. If it is missing, the SSD may be loose or faulty. 3. On the Boot tab, set Boot Mode to UEFI and put Windows Boot Manager first in the boot order. 4. Load the default settings from the Exit tab, then save and restart. 5. If the SSD is detected but Windows still does not start, use a Windows recovery USB to repair or reinstall Windows.
On a new box pack laptop from us, this should not happen. If it does, contact us within the 7-day checking warranty.
How to take a screenshot on an Acer laptop
Acer laptops use the normal Windows screenshot keys:
- PrtSc: copies the whole screen. Paste it into WhatsApp, Word or Paint with Ctrl + V.
- Windows key + PrtSc: saves the whole screen as a file in Pictures, then Screenshots.
- Alt + PrtSc: copies only the active window.
- Windows key + Shift + S: opens the Snipping Tool so you can select part of the screen.
On some Acer keyboards PrtSc shares a key with another function, so press Fn + PrtSc. On Windows 11 the PrtSc key may open the Snipping Tool directly. To record the screen, use the Snipping Tool record option in Windows 11 or Windows key + Alt + R for the Xbox Game Bar.
Acer Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, touchpad and brightness keys
Acer prints small icons on the F keys. Hold Fn and press the key with the icon:
- Airplane mode: the key with a plane icon, often F3. If Wi-Fi or Bluetooth will not turn on, check that airplane mode is off.
- Touchpad on or off: the key with a touchpad icon, often F7. If your cursor stops moving, this key is the first thing to try.
- Brightness and volume: on many Acer laptops, Fn with the arrow keys.
You can also turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from Quick Settings at the bottom right of the taskbar, or from Settings, then Bluetooth and devices. Many Acer models have a Function key behaviour option on the BIOS Main tab, so you can choose whether F1 to F12 act as media keys or normal F keys.
How to check your Acer laptop model and serial number
- Sticker: turn the laptop over. The label shows the model name (for example Aspire 5 A515-57), the serial number and the SNID.
- Windows: press Windows key + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter. System Model shows the full Acer model name.
- Acer apps: Acer Care Center or the NitroSense and PredatorSense apps also show the model and serial number.
The short code on the sticker, such as N16C1, is the regulatory code and can be shared by several models. Always use the full model name, such as Aspire 5 A515-57, when you look for drivers, parts or warranty on Acer's support website. To see the processor generation, use our how to check laptop generation guide.
Acer laptop not turning on, sound or screen problems
If your Acer laptop will not turn on, plug in the charger, wait a few minutes and hold the power button for 15 to 30 seconds. Many recent Acer laptops also have a small battery reset hole on the bottom; press it with a pin for a few seconds while the charger is unplugged, then try again.
For sound not working, check the volume key, the output device in Quick Settings, and update the audio driver from Acer's support site. A flickering or black screen can be a driver issue, so connect an external monitor over HDMI to see whether the laptop itself is working. For hardware faults, our laptop repair cost guide lists typical repair work in Pakistan. If you are replacing an old Acer, all our Acer laptops are Non Custom box pack with live prices and delivery across Pakistan.
