How To Capture a Screenshot in BIOS Settings

Starting with Windows 10 version 1809, Microsoft has made it a bit easier to grab a screenshot of what’s on your screen, especially with the built-in Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch. But, of course, all that magic doesn’t work when you’re stuck in the BIOS screen. Usually, the BIOS doesn’t have a straightforward way to take a screenshot—kind of weird, but that’s how it is. If you’re troubleshooting hardware or just want to snap what you see before Windows even loads, you’ll need to get a little creative. The good news is, there are a few tricks that might do the job, depending on your motherboard and BIOS version. Choosing the right method can save a lot of frustration, so give them all a shot if the first doesn’t work.

A Flash on the Screen

If you’ve ever had a BIOS or startup issue, chances are you’ve seen photos online of those blurry shots captured with a phone — mainly because the BIOS doesn’t natively support screenshots. Pretty annoying, right? But not impossible. Sometimes it’s about setting up external devices or using hardware solutions. Because BIOS screens are kind of like a black box, the methods often require some extra hardware or intermediate steps. The trick is to act fast because once Windows loads, all bets are off.

How to Take a Screenshot in BIOS

Getting a screenshot in BIOS isn’t straightforward; it’s more like workarounds and hardware hacks. The main idea is to either use special BIOS features (if supported), external devices, or some USB trickery. Usually, a method involves prepping the machine beforehand, like formatting a USB drive so it can save images or capturing video externally. Certain motherboards or BIOS versions, especially the more recent ones, give you options, but others just don’t. So, here are some methods to try, and if one doesn’t work, move on to the next.

Save to USB (the most common workaround)

This one’s kind of old-school but still effective on many setups. The idea is: format a USB stick to FAT32, then use your BIOS’s built-in save feature (if available) or rely on your motherboard’s firmware to save screenshots directly from BIOS to that USB drive. Usually, the BIOS provides an option like “Save screenshot to USB” with certain keys pressed during POST. Not all motherboards support this, especially the older ones, but on newer ones, it’s worth a shot.

Here’s the process, just in case:

  • Insert a blank USB drive. Make sure it’s formatted to FAT32 because BIOS often refuses other formats. To format: Open “This PC, ” right-click the drive and select “Format”. Set “File System” to FAT32, then press Start.
  • Boot into BIOS — restart your computer and mash the BIOS key (like Del, F2, or Esc, depending on the board).If you don’t know what key, look for the splash screen or check your motherboard manual.
  • Navigate through BIOS menus — some BIOS versions have a dedicated “Save Screenshot” option that you can activate by pressing a certain key combo, like F12 or a designated hotkey. When you’re in BIOS, try hitting your assigned hotkey for screenshot saving. If the button prompts you with a “Save to USB” message, select your formatted USB device.
  • Capture and save — If the BIOS supports this feature, it’ll save a.bmp file directly onto the USB drive. Once Windows boots, just pull out the drive and view your snap. On some machines, the saving process might be flaky or require a BIOS update, so don’t freak out if it sometimes fails. On one setup it worked the first try, on another, it needed a restart and some tweaking.

KVM Over IP

If you’re into serious troubleshooting or remote management, KVM over IP is a way to go. This hardware setup lets you control another PC over the network, including accessing the BIOS, and often takes screenshots with specialized software. Devices like PiKVM or TinyPilot are popular, but they’re not cheap. Essentially, these tools “remotely” connect your keyboard, video, and mouse, letting you perform tasks just like being physically there. When it comes to BIOS screenshots, they usually support grabbing the display directly and transmitting the image over the network—pretty handy if you want detailed views or quick captures without fiddling with USB drives.

External Video Capture Device

This is for the serious hardware hackers. An external video capture device—say, a USB 3.0 or HDMI recorder—can take a live feed of what’s on your screen, including BIOS and POST screens. To do that, you just connect your motherboard’s HDMI output (sometimes the onboard graphics port or a dedicated video port), then feed it into the capture device. Set the device to record, and you’ve got a video of everything happening during startup, BIOS, and even error messages. Not the cheapest option, but hey, if you’re pulling BIOS screenshots frequently or want something non-invasive, it’s a solid choice. Just keep in mind, you’ll need to configure the recorder to always use the right video source, and the BIOS has to output video via HDMI for this to work. Depending on your motherboard, this might need some quick BIOS adjustments, like enabling integrated graphics or video output options.

In the end, BIOS screenshots are a bit of a headache, mainly because BIOS isn’t built for easy image capturing. But with the right tricks—USB formatting hacks, external hardware, or remote management—you can grab what you need. Not exactly user-friendly, but hey, sometimes tech just refuses to be easy.