Secure Boot and Linux: do you need to turn it off?
Secure Boot is a UEFI feature that only lets approved software start. Many popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and Linux Mint, support it. Some smaller systems and tools do not.
If your USB drive will not start
- Check the system's documentation to see if it supports Secure Boot.
- Look for a security violation message at start-up. It usually means Secure Boot is blocking it.
- If needed, open the UEFI settings and turn Secure Boot off, then try again.
Things to remember
- Note the original setting so you can restore it.
- Turning Secure Boot off lowers protection slightly, so turn it back on if the system supports it.
- BitLocker on Windows may ask for a recovery key after the setting changes.
Related: UEFI vs Legacy BIOS and how to boot from USB.