Should I update the motherboard BIOS?

The short answer

At Manchester PC we are often asked when you should update the motherboard BIOS, whether you should update it at all, and why we sometimes choose not to. The honest answer in 2026 is the same cautious one it has always been: do not update unless you have a specific reason to. If your machine is running well, the safest thing you can do is leave the firmware exactly as it is.

What most people call "the BIOS" is, on virtually every computer built since around 2012, actually UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). It does the same job as the old BIOS but in a far more capable, modern form, which is why you will see it written as BIOS/UEFI throughout this guide. Microsoft itself describes the firmware as the part of a PC "commonly referred to as UEFI (and sometimes called BIOS)", so the two names really do point at the same thing.

Two things have genuinely changed. First, the list of good reasons to update has grown. It used to be just two, fitting a newer CPU and fixing a known fault, and now it is closer to four, with firmware security or microcode patches and memory stability fixes added to the list. Second, the process is much safer than it once was, with tools that flash the firmware without ever loading Windows, backup chips that can recover a failed update, and boards that can update with no processor installed at all.

None of that makes updating risk-free. A failed flash can still ruin a motherboard. So the rule we live by is simple: work out whether you actually have a reason first, then update carefully, and never just for the sake of being on the latest version.

What the BIOS/UEFI actually does

The BIOS/UEFI is a small program that lives on a chip, normally soldered to the motherboard. Unlike your hard drive, SSD or memory, you cannot get at it from inside Windows. It has its own interface, which you reach by pressing a key such as F2 or Delete during start-up, before the operating system loads.

When you press the power button, electricity is sent straight to that chip. The firmware wakes up and begins to probe the components on the board to understand what they are and how to talk to them.

The right firmware version can communicate with your processor, memory and graphics, bring them together as a working computer, and put a picture on your screen. If it cannot establish that communication with the CPU, the RAM or the GPU, the computer fails to start and the screen stays blank. The usual reason is simple: the firmware does not understand a newer component, rather like speaking English to someone who only understands Italian. The fix is to check whether your current version supports the part in question, which you do on the motherboard manufacturer's support page.

UEFI replaced the original 1980s BIOS design to get past its real limits, and the differences are worth knowing because they explain why modern PCs behave the way they do:

• Support for large drives. The legacy BIOS used MBR partitioning, which caps a bootable drive at about 2.2TB. UEFI uses GPT, which supports drives far larger than anything on sale today.
• Secure Boot. UEFI can check the digital signature of the boot software at start-up, which helps block bootkits and rootkits that the old BIOS could not stop.
• Faster start-up and a graphical, mouse-driven settings screen, instead of the old keyboard-only text menus.
• Windows 11 readiness. Microsoft requires UEFI firmware with Secure Boot plus a TPM 2.0 security chip (along with a supported processor, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage). This is the single most common firmware question we get from customers moving off Windows 10.

When you should update the BIOS/UEFI

This is the part that matters. A BIOS/UEFI update is worth doing when it solves a real problem or unlocks hardware you actually want to use. There are four reasons that genuinely qualify, plus one that rarely does on its own.

1. Your board needs to support a newer CPU. If a motherboard was made in, say, 2023 but the processor you want did not arrive until 2025, the original firmware may not recognise it, even though the socket fits. When the manufacturer is happy the chip will run well on that board, they release a firmware update that adds support for it. This is still the most common good reason to update, and as you will see below it is now far easier to do.

2. You are hitting a fault the manufacturer has already fixed. If you get random blue screens, freezes or crashes, the cause is not always the firmware, but it can be. Read through the update notes on the manufacturer's website. If a release lists a fix for a problem that matches your symptoms, such as a memory or stability issue, an update is reasonable.

3. There is a named security or microcode patch for your hardware. Firmware updates increasingly carry processor microcode and security fixes that genuinely matter. Two recent examples make the point. Intel's 13th and 14th generation desktop chips suffered a serious instability problem caused by excessive voltage over time; Intel's fix was delivered as a microcode update that has to be applied through a BIOS update, and it was later followed by a further microcode revision, so it is worth being on the current release for affected systems. Separately, a UEFI vulnerability known as LogoFAIL, disclosed by security researchers in late 2023, affected firmware from all three major BIOS vendors and could be used to bypass Secure Boot; the fixes shipped as firmware updates. If a security fix names your hardware, that is a strong reason to update.

4. Your memory will not run at its rated speed. On AMD's current AM5 platform in particular, firmware updates (delivered as AGESA revisions) regularly improve DDR5 memory compatibility and the stability of EXPO and XMP memory profiles. If you have bought memory rated for a certain speed and the PC will not start reliably at that speed, an update is often the cure.

The weak reason: updating purely for "the latest version" or a small performance or feature tweak. On its own this rarely justifies the risk. As Gigabyte puts it in its own guidance, if you do not have a problem with your current version, it is recommended that you do not flash the BIOS.

You no longer need a working CPU to update

This is the biggest change since we first wrote about BIOS updates, and it solves the old chicken-and-egg trap. The classic problem with reason one above was that you needed a supported processor to start the computer far enough to update the firmware, but the whole point of updating was to add support for a processor the board could not yet start. Many modern boards break that loop with a feature that flashes the firmware using only the motherboard, the power supply and a USB stick. No processor, memory or graphics card needs to be fitted.

The names vary by manufacturer: ASUS calls it USB BIOS FlashBack, MSI calls it the Flash BIOS Button, Gigabyte calls it Q-Flash Plus, and ASRock calls it BIOS Flashback. The steps are similar across all of them: put the correct firmware file on a FAT32 USB stick, plug it into the labelled port, connect power, and press the button. ASUS describes it as about the simplest and most fail-safe way to update there is.

This matters more in 2026 than ever because of how long modern sockets now last. AMD's AM5 socket supports several generations of Ryzen processors on the same board, and at Computex 2026 AMD extended official AM5 support through 2029. In plain terms, you can buy an AM5 board now and realistically drop in a much newer processor years later, after a quick firmware update. Intel's current desktop socket, LGA 1851, is expected to be much shorter-lived, so the "new CPU, same board" upgrade path is far stronger on the AMD side, which is worth knowing when you choose a platform. If you are weighing up a computer upgrade, that longevity is a real part of the value.

Is updating safer than it used to be?

Yes, meaningfully, for three reasons.

Backup BIOS chips. Many boards carry two physical firmware chips, a main and a backup. Gigabyte's DualBIOS is the best known example, where, in the manufacturer's words, if the main BIOS is corrupted the backup takes over on the next boot to keep the system working. It is a genuine safety net, though it is not magic: if the failure is at the hardware level, the board still needs repair.

Flashing tools built into the firmware. This is the single biggest improvement. Every major brand now builds a flasher into the firmware itself, so it can read the update from a USB stick without ever loading Windows. ASUS calls it EZ Flash, MSI calls it M-Flash, Gigabyte calls it Q-Flash and ASRock calls it Instant Flash. Taking Windows out of the process removes the background apps, antivirus and crashes that historically caused failed updates.

Windows-based flashing is still discouraged. Updating from a tool that runs inside Windows is the riskiest method, precisely because Windows always has drivers, updates and security software running, and any crash during the flash can corrupt the firmware. The safe path is the built-in tool, or on a laptop the manufacturer's own update utility. None of this removes the risk of "bricking" entirely, which is why the safety rules below still matter.

How to update safely without bricking the board

A failed or interrupted update can still leave a motherboard unable to start, which is what people mean by a "bricked" board. The protections above reduce that risk but do not remove it, so these rules are as important as ever:

• Do not update without a reason. If the machine is stable, leave it alone.
• Never interrupt the update, and never switch the power off part way through.
• Keep the power stable. For a desktop a battery backup (UPS) is ideal. For a laptop, keep it plugged into the mains and charged, as most update tools refuse to run on battery alone.
• Use the exact file for your precise board model and revision. Many model names differ only by a small revision number, and flashing the wrong file is almost certain to stop the machine booting next time.

On laptops and pre-built machines from the likes of Dell, HP and Lenovo, the firmware normally updates through the manufacturer's own tool or Windows Update rather than a raw USB flash, and the exact model or service tag matters. Dell, HP and Lenovo all stress the same point: keep the laptop on mains power throughout, and let the vendor tool pick the correct file for your model. Newer machines will often refuse to update at all if they are not plugged in. If you would rather not risk it, our laptop repair team in Manchester can handle the update for you.

How to check your current BIOS version

Before you decide anything, find out which version you are on. It takes a minute and tells you whether an update even exists for your board.

1. Press the Windows key + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter.
2. In System Summary, read the BIOS Version/Date line. The same screen shows your motherboard make and model, and whether you are running in UEFI or Legacy mode.
3. Go to your motherboard or PC manufacturer's support page for that exact model and revision.
4. Read the changelog for each newer release, and only proceed if one of them fixes a problem you actually have or adds a CPU or feature you need.

If you find a release that matches a real reason from the list above, you have your answer. If nothing in the notes applies to you, the right move is to do nothing.

How Macs handle this differently

Apple Macs do not have a user-flashable BIOS in the PC sense, so none of the above applies in the same way. On both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, the firmware updates are delivered automatically inside macOS software updates. Apple is explicit about this: firmware updates are included in macOS updates, so you simply keep macOS up to date and there is no manual flash to perform.

BIOS/UEFI updates in Manchester: a practical guide

Your situation	Should you update the BIOS/UEFI?
Computer is stable and works fine	No. Leave it alone.
Fitting a newer CPU your board does not yet support	Yes. Use BIOS FlashBack if it will not start on the old firmware.
A named security or microcode fix applies to your exact chip	Yes, for example an Intel instability microcode fix.
Rated-speed DDR5 memory will not run reliably (AM5)	Often yes. An AGESA update may fix it.
You are hitting a fault the changelog lists as fixed	Yes, if it matches your symptom.
You only want the latest version or a small speed bump	Usually not worth the risk.
You have a Mac	Nothing to do. macOS updates the firmware for you.

Most people never think about firmware until something goes wrong: a new processor that will not start, memory that will not run at its rated speed, or a string of crashes that no amount of reinstalling Windows seems to fix. Those are exactly the moments when a careful, well-chosen update earns its place. The rest of the time, the best firmware decision is to make no decision at all.

If you are not sure whether an update is the answer, we are happy to check for you. We carry out CPU and motherboard upgrades, memory upgrades and computer repairs in Manchester, and we will always tell you honestly whether a firmware update is the right fix or whether your problem lies elsewhere. If you would like a hand, get a free, no-obligation quote and we will point you in the right direction.