How to turn on secure boot and TPM?

Question

After checking my system specifications, it seems like everything is ready to enable it. However, when I enter the BIOS, the Secure Boot option is greyed out and cannot be changed, even though my boot mode is already set to UEFI and my disk uses the GPT partition style. Why can’t I enable it? My BIOS version is from 2021.

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro

Version: 10.0.19045 Build 19045

Other OS Description: Not Available

OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

System Name: ADMIN-PC

System Manufacturer: To be filled by O.E.M.

System Model: To be filled by O.E.M.

System Type: x64-based PC

System SKU: To be filled by O.E.M.

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 4 Cores, 4 Threads

BIOS Version/Date: American Megatrends Inc. 4.6.5, 7/22/2021

SMBIOS Version: 2.7

Embedded Controller: 255.255

BIOS Mode: UEFI

BaseBoard Manufacturer: INTEL Corporation

BaseBoard Product: H61

BaseBoard Version: To be filled by O.E.M.

Platform Role: Desktop

Secure Boot State: Off

if something wrong like reason why secure boot turn on let me know

Answer 1

Dear @TheNoob REBORN

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand you're trying to turn on Secure Boot and TPM on your Windows 10 computer, but Secure Boot is greyed out in the BIOS even though you're using UEFI mode and a GPT disk.

I would like to clarify that:

• Your system uses an Intel H61 motherboard and an Intel Core i5-2400 CPU.
• While your system is in UEFI mode and uses GPT, most H61 boards only have partial UEFI support and do not include Secure Boot functionality.
• The BIOS version (American Megatrends 4.6.5) suggests a legacy implementation without full Secure Boot support.
• TPM 2.0 is also not present on this platform, and TPM 1.2 may only be available via an optional add-on module.

This is why the Secure Boot option appears in BIOS but remains greyed out. It’s a limitation of the hardware and firmware.

Here’s what I recommend moving forward:

• If you're aiming to upgrade to Windows 11, you’ll need a newer motherboard and CPU that support both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.
• If you’re planning to stay on Windows 10, your system will continue to function well without Secure Boot and TPM. However, please note that some security features may be limited.
• You might also want to check your motherboard vendor’s website for any BIOS updates. While it’s unlikely that Secure Boot support will be added for this chipset, it’s always worth verifying.

I know this might not be the answer you were hoping for, but I hope this helps clarify the situation. If you have any further questions, I’m here to support you.

Thank you for your cooperation.

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