4 Ways To Change The Boot Order In Windows 10

The boot menu shows up every time you turn on a PC where two or more Windows operating systems are installed. For instance, if you have installed Windows 10 and Windows 7 in a dual boot setup, you will get the boot menu where you can either select the non-default operating system or let the boot menu automatically boot into the default operating system.

By default settings, the most recently installed or most recently upgraded operating system is the default operating system in the boot menu.

However, at times, after installing or upgrading an operating system, you might want to change the boot order to set or change the default operating system.

In Windows 10, if you need to change the default boot order, you can do so without the help of third-party tools.

The following are the four ways out there to change the boot order in Windows 10.

Method 1 of 4

Change the boot order in Windows 10 via System Configuration

Step 1: Type msconfig in the Start/taskbar search field and then press the Enter key to open the System Configuration dialog.

Step 2: Switch to the Boot tab. Select the operating system that you want to set as the default and then click Set as default button. Click the Apply button.

Here, you can also change the default 30-second waiting period to the time of your choice.

Method 2 of 4

Change the boot order in Windows 10 via advanced options

Step 1: Close all running programs. Restart your PC.

Step 2: When you see the boot menu (Choose an operating system) screen, click the Change defaults or choose others.

Step 3: Next, you will get the Options screen. Here, click Choose a default operating system tile.

Step 4: On the Choose a default operating system screen, you can see the default operating system. The entry at the top of the list is usually the default operating system.

To change the default operating system, simply click on the tile that you want to set as the default operating system in the boot menu. For instance, I am clicking on Windows 10 entry to make it the default operating system.

That’s all! You will not see any confirmation message.

Instead, you will be taken back to the Options screen, where you can click Change the timer tile if you wish to change the default 30 seconds of the boot menu to 5, 10, or 15 seconds.

To exit, click the Back icon. You will now get the Choose an operating system screen. Here, the default operating system will appear at the top of the list. Click on an entry to boot into it.

Method 3 of 4

Another way to change the boot order in Windows 10

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Navigate to Update & security > Recovery.

Step 2: Click the Restart now button in the Advanced startup section.

Step 3: Your PC will restart, and you will get the Choose an option screen after the restart. Click Use another operating system tile.

Step 4: On the Choose an operating system screen, click Change defaults.

Step 5: Next, you will see the Options screen. Here, click Choose a default operating system tile.

Step 6: Finally, click on the OS entry that you want to set as default to make it the default.

You will now see the Options screen. Click the Back icon to go back to Choose an operating system screen. Here, you can see the default operating system. The default one appears at the top of the list.

Click on an entry to boot into it.

Method 4 of 4

Change the boot order in Windows 10 using EasyBCD

EasyBCD is one of the must-have tools for dual-boot PC users. With EasyBCD, you can easily change not just the default boot order but also add a new operating system to the boot menu.

Here is how to use the EasyBCD to change the boot order in Windows 10.

Step 1: Download EasyBCD and install the same. The free version is for personal and non-commercial use only.

Step 2: Run, EasyBCD. Click the Edit Boot Menu button on the left pane.

Step 3: In the Modify Menu Entries section, select an entry and then click the Up or Down icons to move it up or down.

To change the default operating system, simply click the checkbox next to it.

Here you can also change the countdown time from the default 30 seconds to something else, or you can make the boot menu wait until the user selects an entry.

Finally, click the Save settings button.