Lenovo Laptop Boot Menu Key, BIOS Key, Screenshot and Model Number
The Lenovo boot menu key is F12 on almost every Lenovo laptop. On a ThinkPad you can also press Enter at startup and then F12, and on IdeaPad, Yoga, LOQ and Legion models you may need Fn + F12 or the small Novo button. This guide covers the boot menu and BIOS keys, what to do when the boot menu is stuck, how to take a screenshot on a Lenovo laptop and how to find your exact model number.
Updated 8 November 2026
Lenovo boot menu key: ThinkPad
On a Lenovo ThinkPad, switch the laptop on and tap F12 straight away to open the boot menu, where you can pick a USB drive or another boot device. If you miss it, restart and tap Enter as soon as the red ThinkPad logo appears. This opens the Startup Interrupt Menu, where F12 opens the boot menu and F1 opens the BIOS setup.
If F12 does nothing, the Fn lock may be on. Try Fn + F12, or press Fn + Esc to switch the Fn lock off. This works on ThinkPad E, L, T, X1 and P models.
Boot menu key for IdeaPad, Yoga, ThinkBook, LOQ and Legion
On most IdeaPad, Yoga, ThinkBook, LOQ and Legion laptops the keys are:
- Boot menu: F12, or Fn + F12.
- BIOS setup: F2, or Fn + F2.
These models often ship with the media keys active, which is why the plain F12 key may adjust something else. Hold Fn while pressing it.
Many consumer Lenovo laptops also have a Novo button: a small button or pinhole on the side or next to the power button, sometimes marked with a curved arrow. Press it with the laptop off and a Novo Button Menu appears with Normal Startup, BIOS Setup, Boot Menu and System Recovery. It is the easiest way in when the keys do not respond.
Lenovo BIOS key and when you need it
You open the BIOS (UEFI setup) to change the boot order, turn Secure Boot or virtualization on or off, check the battery and hardware details, or set a supervisor password. The Lenovo BIOS key is F1 on ThinkPads and F2 (or Fn + F2) on IdeaPad, Yoga, ThinkBook, LOQ and Legion.
From Windows you can also go in without any key: open Settings, System, Recovery, then Advanced startup and Restart now. Choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings. This is handy on fast-booting laptops where you never see the logo long enough to press a key.
If the BIOS asks for a password you do not know, read our BIOS lock guide (BIOS Locked Laptop, Computrace and Intel AMT: How to Check Before You Buy) before buying or using that laptop.
Lenovo laptop boot menu stuck or USB not showing
If the boot menu opens but your USB does not show, or the laptop is stuck on the boot screen, check these:
- Make the USB with a proper tool such as the Windows Media Creation Tool, and use GPT/UEFI mode for modern laptops.
- Try another USB port, ideally a USB-A port directly on the laptop, not a hub.
- In the BIOS, check that USB boot is enabled. For older installers, Secure Boot may need to be turned off.
- If the laptop is stuck on the Lenovo logo, hold the power button for about 10 seconds, unplug the charger, wait, then start again. Some ThinkPads also have an emergency reset pinhole on the bottom.
- If the boot menu keeps appearing on its own, the internal SSD may not be detected. Check it in the BIOS, and get the laptop checked if it is missing.
Roman Urdu mein: boot menu mein USB na dikhe to doosra port try karein, USB ko UEFI mode mein dobara banayein, aur BIOS mein USB boot on karein.
How to take a screenshot on a Lenovo laptop
Screenshots on a Lenovo laptop work the same as on any Windows laptop:
- Windows + PrtSc: saves a full-screen screenshot straight to Pictures, Screenshots.
- Windows + Shift + S: opens the Snipping Tool so you can capture part of the screen. The image is copied, and you can paste it or save it.
- PrtSc on its own: copies the screen, or opens the Snipping Tool on newer Windows 11 builds.
- Alt + PrtSc: copies only the active window.
On some IdeaPad and ThinkPad keyboards PrtSc shares a key with another function, so you may need Fn + PrtSc. On older ThinkPads with no clear PrtSc key, Windows + Shift + S always works.
How to find your Lenovo laptop model number
There are four quick ways to know the exact Lenovo model:
- Sticker: turn the laptop over. The label shows the model name, the machine type (MTM, for example 21HD) and the serial number (S/N).
- Lenovo Vantage: the Lenovo app on most models shows the product name, serial number and warranty.
- Windows: press Windows + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter. System Model shows the machine type, and the product family shows the friendly name on most Lenovo laptops.
- PowerShell: run Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystemProduct and read the Name (machine type) and Version (for example ThinkPad T14 Gen 4).
Then enter the serial number on Lenovo's support website. It shows the full original specs and the warranty status, which also helps you check that a laptop is really new. Our warranty check guide (How to Check Laptop Warranty (HP, Dell, Lenovo, Apple, Asus, Acer)) explains it step by step.
Useful Lenovo keyboard shortcuts
- Fn + Esc: turns Fn lock on or off, so the top row works as F1 to F12 or as media keys.
- Brightness: the keys with a sun icon in the top row, usually F5 and F6 (with Fn if Fn lock is on).
- Volume: the speaker keys in the top row, usually F1 to F3.
- Touchpad on or off: on many IdeaPads a top-row key with a touchpad icon. If the cursor is frozen, press it, or check Settings, Bluetooth and devices, Touchpad.
- Bluetooth: open Quick Settings with Windows + A and click Bluetooth.
- Camera privacy: many recent Lenovo laptops have a sliding shutter or a camera key. If the webcam shows black, check the shutter first.
If the Fn keys stop working on a ThinkPad or IdeaPad, install Lenovo Vantage or the Lenovo hotkey driver from the support site.
Restart, update and first start on a Lenovo laptop
To reboot a Lenovo laptop that has frozen, hold the power button for about 10 seconds until it switches off, wait a few seconds and press it again. Use this only when Windows does not respond, because it can lose unsaved work.
On the first start of a new laptop, plug in the charger, press the power button and follow the Windows setup. Then run Windows Update and Lenovo Vantage (or Lenovo System Update on ThinkPads) to install the latest BIOS and drivers. If Windows shows as not activated, read our Windows activation guide (Windows Activation on an Imported Laptop: Check, Fix and Stay Genuine) and only use a genuine licence.
