How to boot from USB on HP

Updated 26 October 2026

On HP computers press Esc to open the Startup Menu, then F9 for Boot Device Options. F10 opens BIOS setup.

Quick answer

• Boot menu key: Esc, then F9
• Setup (BIOS/UEFI) key: F10

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 (Esc, then F9) 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
• Lenovo
• ASUS
• Acer
• MSI
• Gigabyte and Aorus
• Samsung
• Microsoft Surface
• Toshiba and Dynabook
• Apple Mac (Intel)