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Short for the Basic Input and Output System, the BIOS is essentially a chip on your PC's motherboard that initializes all other components when the PC starts up, like the GPU, CPU, RAM, and others. While it used to be dangerous to update the firmware with the risk of bricking the motherboard, it has become easier and safer in recent years.
The firmware needs to be updated from time to time to receive support for new devices, solve bugs, and improve system performance and stability. However, it is not mandatory for users to keep it updated to the latest version and should only be done when absolutely necessary.
Update your motherboard's BIOS to improve system performance
1) Find your current version
Before starting the process to update your system's BIOS, you need to know the current version of the one installed. To do so, search for "msinfo" in Windows Search, open System Information, and the version should be visible under the processor model. You will have to note down the version number and date.
2) Download the latest version
Head to your motherboard manufacturer's website and go to the downloads/support page. Next, fill in the model name of your motherboard. If you are on a laptop, fill in the model name of your laptop and you will find the latest utilities for it as well.
After finding the latest version of the firmware for your motherboard, download it if it's newer than the firmware already installed on your device. A ZIP file will be downloaded, which you will need to extract and transfer onto a USB flash drive that has been formatted.
3) Update your BIOS
Keep in mind that every motherboard manufacturer has a different way of updating their firmware and there is no clear-cut method for every device. There are several different flashing tools for some motherboards, whereas some motherboards have an in-built tool for updating firmware.
Continue the process by restarting the PC (keep the USB flash drive plugged in) and entering BIOS on the startup by pressing DEL/F2/F12 or any other key mentioned on the boot-up screen. All settings will be reset, so taking a picture of all your current settings is a good safety measure.
Once you have accessed the BIOS, head to the update tab, which will use the file on your flash drive to automatically install the new firmware. During this flashing process, do not turn the PC off and make sure there will be no power outage at this time. Failure at this stage could result in the PC being unusable.
Once the flashing process is complete, restart your PC and the new firmware should be safely installed.
