Toshiba Boot Menu: How to Open & Use It

The Toshiba boot menu is a built-in utility that lets you choose which device your laptop or desktop starts from. You open it by pressing a specific key during startup, select a boot device (like a USB drive or DVD), and your computer then loads the operating system from that choice.

What the Boot Menu Does

When you power on a Toshiba computer, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI firmware initializes hardware and then looks for a bootable operating system. Normally it checks the internal hard drive first. The boot menu interrupts that process and shows a list of all connected bootable devices—hard drive, USB flash drive, optical drive, network adapter, or an SD card. Selecting one tells the firmware to start from that device for this boot only. The next time you restart, the computer returns to its normal startup order.

People use the boot menu most often to install a new operating system, run a live Linux environment, boot a recovery disk, or test a hard drive with diagnostic software. It is a temporary override, not a permanent change to the boot order.

How to Open the Toshiba Boot Menu

For most Toshiba laptops and desktops, the key to open the boot menu is F12. Here is the standard procedure:

1. Shut down the computer completely.
2. Insert the bootable USB drive, DVD, or other media you want to use.
3. Press the power button, then immediately tap the F12 key repeatedly—about once per second—until the boot menu appears.
4. Use the arrow keys to highlight the desired device (e.g., “USB Hard Drive� or “DVD Drive�).
5. Press Enter to boot from that device.

If F12 does not work, try F2 (opens BIOS setup) or Esc on some models. A few older Toshiba models use F11 or F8. The exact key is often displayed briefly at the bottom of the screen during startup, like “Press F12 for Boot Menu.�

Entering the BIOS Setup Instead

The boot menu is different from the BIOS setup utility. The BIOS setup (often opened with F2) lets you change permanent settings—like the default boot order, enable or disable hardware, set a supervisor password, or adjust the system clock. The boot menu only affects the current boot. If you need to change the default boot order permanently, you must enter the BIOS setup, go to the “Boot� tab, and rearrange the devices. On some Toshiba models, the BIOS setup also has a “Boot Menu� option you can enable or disable; if disabled, F12 may not work.

Common Problems and Fixes

The boot menu doesn’t appear. First, make sure you are pressing the key immediately after the power button. On Windows 10 or 11 with Fast Startup enabled, the shutdown may not fully close the firmware; try a “Restart� instead of “Shut down,� or disable Fast Startup in Windows power settings. If the key still fails, check if the keyboard is working (try Caps Lock). On some models, the Fn key must be pressed together with F12 if the function keys are set to media keys by default.

The USB device is not listed. The USB drive must be bootable (have a valid boot sector). Also, some Toshiba laptops only show USB devices if they are plugged in before powering on. Try a different USB port (preferably a USB 2.0 port if available). If the drive still doesn’t appear, check if the BIOS has “Legacy USB� or “USB Boot� enabled.

It boots to Windows anyway. If you select the USB but it still loads Windows, the USB may not be properly created, or the system may skip it because of Secure Boot settings. For Linux or older Windows installers, you may need to disable Secure Boot in the BIOS setup.

Toshiba vs. Other Brands

Most laptop brands use a similar temporary boot menu, but the key differs. Toshiba uses F12; Dell commonly uses F12; HP uses F9 or Esc; Lenovo uses F12 or F11; Acer uses F12; Asus uses Esc or F8. The concept is the same—a one-time device selection—but the key varies. If you are used to another brand, remember that Toshiba’s is F12, not F9 or Esc.

Safety and Precautions

Opening the boot menu is safe and does not change any permanent settings. You cannot damage your computer by simply viewing the menu. However, be careful when you select a device: booting from an untrusted USB drive could load malicious software. Only boot from media you created yourself or that comes from a trusted source. Also, if you are installing an operating system, back up your data first—installing over an existing OS can erase files.

Alternatives to the Boot Menu

If you cannot access the boot menu, you have other ways to boot from a different device:

• Change the boot order permanently in the BIOS setup (F2).
• On Windows 10/11, go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup, then choose “Use a deviceâ€� to select a USB or DVD without touching any key.
• Use a one-time boot option from the Windows boot manager by holding Shift while clicking Restart.

These alternatives are useful if the F12 key is broken or if the firmware is not cooperating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What key opens the boot menu on a Toshiba Satellite?
Most Toshiba Satellite models use F12. If that doesn’t work, try F2 for the BIOS setup, then look for a “Boot Menu� option or change the boot order there.

Why is my USB not showing in the Toshiba boot menu?
Make sure the USB is bootable and plugged in before powering on. Try a different port, and check that USB boot is enabled in the BIOS. Some older models require the USB drive to be formatted as FAT32.

Can I open the boot menu on a Toshiba without a keyboard?
No, you need a keyboard to press the key. If your keyboard is not working, you might use an external USB keyboard, or use the Windows advanced startup option to boot from a device.

Does the boot menu work on all Toshiba models?
Most Toshiba laptops and desktops have a boot menu, but the key can vary. The F12 key is standard on the majority. Some very old models might not have a boot menu at all; you would then change the boot order in the BIOS.

Is it safe to press F12 during startup?
Yes. Pressing F12 only opens the boot menu; it does not change any settings. Even if you press it accidentally, you can simply choose the normal hard drive and continue.

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