How to Check Your BIOS Version (And Why It Matters)

Your computer's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) — or its modern replacement, UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) — is the firmware that runs before your operating system loads. It initializes hardware, manages boot sequences, and acts as the bridge between your physical components and your software. Knowing which version you're running matters more than most people realize.

What Is a BIOS Version?

Every BIOS release carries a version string — typically a combination of letters, numbers, and dates assigned by the motherboard manufacturer. This string identifies the exact firmware build installed on your system. Manufacturers release updated BIOS versions to fix bugs, patch security vulnerabilities, improve hardware compatibility (such as support for new CPUs or RAM speeds), and add features.

Checking your current version before any system upgrade, troubleshooting session, or planned BIOS update is a foundational step. Installing the wrong update — or updating unnecessarily — can cause serious problems. Knowing what you already have is where it starts.

How to Check Your BIOS Version on Windows 💻

Windows gives you several ways to find this information without ever rebooting into the BIOS itself.

Method 1: System Information Tool

1. Press Windows + R, type msinfo32, and hit Enter.
2. The System Information window opens.
3. Look for BIOS Version/Date in the right-hand panel under System Summary.

This displays the manufacturer name, version string, and the release date of your current BIOS — all in one place.

Method 2: Command Prompt

1. Open Command Prompt (search "cmd" in the Start menu).
2. Type the following and press Enter:

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion 

The output returns your BIOS version string directly. It's quick and scriptable — useful if you're checking across multiple machines.

Method 3: PowerShell

1. Open PowerShell.
2. Run:

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_BIOS 

This returns a broader set of information including manufacturer, version, release date, and serial number.

Method 4: Registry Editor

For advanced users, the BIOS version is stored at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHARDWAREDESCRIPTIONSystemBIOS 

Navigate there in regedit and look for the BIOSVersion and BIOSReleaseDate entries. This method is less common but confirms the same data.

How to Check BIOS Version on macOS and Linux 🖥️

macOS

Apple hardware uses EFI firmware rather than a traditional BIOS, and Apple manages firmware updates silently through system software updates. To see your firmware version:

1. Click the Apple menu → About This Mac → System Report.
2. Under Hardware Overview, look for Boot ROM Version.

This isn't a user-serviceable version in the same way as PC BIOS — Apple ties firmware updates directly to macOS releases.

Linux

On Linux, you can query BIOS information through the DMI table using the dmidecode tool:

sudo dmidecode -t bios 

This outputs the vendor, version, release date, and other BIOS characteristics. Most mainstream distributions include dmidecode or can install it through the package manager.

Checking BIOS Version by Entering the BIOS Directly

You can always check the version by restarting your machine and entering the BIOS/UEFI setup. The key to press during boot varies by manufacturer:

Once inside the BIOS interface, the version number is almost always displayed on the main or home screen — often in the top corner or under a "System Information" tab.

Factors That Affect What You See (and What to Do With It) 🔍

Once you have your version number, the next step depends on variables that differ significantly from one setup to another.

Motherboard manufacturer plays the biggest role. Version numbering conventions vary — ASUS might use formats like 3004, while AMI BIOS strings look more like F.70. Cross-referencing your result against the manufacturer's support page for your specific motherboard model is the only reliable way to know whether you're up to date.

System age and use case matter too. A system running stable workloads with no hardware changes may have little reason to update. A machine being upgraded with a new CPU generation almost certainly needs a BIOS update first — and knowing your current version tells you where you're starting from.

OEM vs. custom-built systems introduce another layer. On a prebuilt PC from Dell, HP, or Lenovo, BIOS updates often come through the manufacturer's own update utility or Windows Update. On a custom-built PC with a standalone motherboard, you typically manage updates manually through the manufacturer's support site.

Virtualized environments add complexity: if you're running Windows inside a virtual machine (VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox), the BIOS version reported will reflect the virtual firmware, not your physical host machine's firmware.

The version string itself is just data — what it means depends entirely on your hardware, your manufacturer's release history, and what you're trying to accomplish with the information. That context lives in your specific setup, not in the version number alone.