How to boot from USB on Microsoft Surface

Updated 26 October 2026

Surface devices start from USB if you hold the Volume Down button as you press power. A USB-A port or an adapter may be needed.

Quick answer

• Boot menu key: Hold Volume Down while powering on
• Setup (BIOS/UEFI) key: Hold Volume Up while powering on

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 (Hold Volume Down while powering on) 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
• Acer
• MSI
• Gigabyte and Aorus
• Samsung
• Toshiba and Dynabook
• Apple Mac (Intel)