How to boot from USB on Acer

Updated 26 October 2026

On some Acer models the F12 boot menu must first be enabled in setup, on the Main tab.

Quick answer

• Boot menu key: F12
• Setup (BIOS/UEFI) key: F2

Steps

1. Shut the computer down completely. On Windows, hold Shift while choosing Shut down so Fast Startup does not skip the menu.
2. Plug in your bootable USB drive.
3. Power on and press the boot menu key (F12) as soon as the logo appears.
4. Choose the USB drive. Pick the entry with UEFI in its name on a modern computer.
5. If it does not start, check Secure Boot and UEFI vs Legacy settings.

Need a drive to boot? Browse our Linux USB drives or shop by system. Full guide: how to boot from USB.

Other brands

• Dell
• HP
• Lenovo
• ASUS
• MSI
• Gigabyte and Aorus
• Samsung
• Microsoft Surface
• Toshiba and Dynabook
• Apple Mac (Intel)