Does Windows Update include BIOS updates? Sometimes, yes, but there's no blanket rule guaranteeing your specific machine will receive one alongside a routine monthly patch. Windows Update can deliver system BIOS/UEFI firmware updates to supported PCs. Whether you get one depends on your PC maker, the exact model you own, its firmware-update capabilities, and whether the manufacturer publishes a compatible package through that channel.
Part of the confusion starts with terminology. Modern PCs generally use UEFI firmware rather than the old legacy BIOS, though the two terms are still used interchangeably. Windows interfaces still refer to BIOS settings in some places, so many users never encounter the technical distinction.
Microsoft's Windows firmware-update documentation confirms that Windows Update can deliver both system and device firmware. Hardware manufacturers can publish compatible packages through Microsoft's delivery platform, allowing supported PCs to receive firmware updates without manually flashing them through a BIOS setup utility.
The important distinction is between a system BIOS/UEFI update and firmware for an individual hardware component. Here's how to check what Windows Update has delivered, determine whether your BIOS is current, and understand how this differs from Microsoft's Secure Boot certificate updates.
Does Windows Update include BIOS updates on your PC?
The mechanics work like this. A hardware maker packages a firmware image with a driver-style INF file describing which systems it supports. Once Windows receives the compatible package, it uses the UEFI UpdateCapsule function to pass the firmware payload to the platform firmware, which processes the update during startup.
Microsoft's UEFI firmware-update platform guide explicitly supports both system and device firmware. System firmware provides the boot and runtime services needed by the computer as a whole, while device firmware controls individual components.
That confirms full system BIOS/UEFI updates can travel through Windows Update, not just smaller component updates. However, the manufacturer must provide a compatible package, and the PC must support the required update mechanism.
Windows uses hardware identifiers and firmware resource information to target eligible devices. That helps ensure an update intended for one system or component isn't distributed to incompatible hardware.
According to TechTarget, modern Windows 11 PCs from manufacturers such as Lenovo, HP, and Dell support simplified firmware-update procedures. Manufacturer utilities, including Lenovo Vantage, HP Support Assistant, and Dell SupportAssist, can also provide BIOS updates without requiring users to manually navigate firmware setup.
This doesn't mean every PC from those brands receives BIOS updates through Windows Update. Availability varies by model, manufacturer support, and the distribution method selected for a particular firmware release.
An update labeled "firmware" in Windows Update also isn't automatic proof that your motherboard's BIOS version changed. It could target system firmware or an individual component. Checking the installed BIOS version and the manufacturer's release information provides a more reliable answer.
How to check for BIOS updates in Windows
Windows Update can show installed or available firmware packages, but the manufacturer's support page remains the more reliable place to compare BIOS versions and review available releases.
Here's a workable sequence:
Check your installed BIOS version. Press Windows + R, type
msinfo32, and press Enter. In System Information, find the "BIOS Version/Date" field. Alternatively, open PowerShell and runGet-CimInstance Win32_BIOSto view firmware information.Confirm your exact PC model. Check System Information or use the manufacturer's identification utility. Search for that exact model on the manufacturer's support website rather than relying on the general product family.
Compare BIOS versions. Look for the BIOS/UEFI section on the support page. Compare the installed version against the latest available release and read its release notes to understand what changed.
Check Windows Update. Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history to review installed updates. Look under Driver Updates for relevant firmware entries. You can also check Advanced options > Optional updates, where available, for additional firmware or driver packages.
Verify what the package targets. If Windows Update lists a firmware item, compare its description against the manufacturer's documentation. Check whether the system BIOS version changed after installation rather than assuming every firmware entry represents a motherboard update.
That last step prevents a false sense of security. A firmware item in your update history doesn't automatically mean your system BIOS changed.
You can also check Device Manager's Firmware category for firmware resources recognized by Windows. However, the presence of a firmware entry doesn't necessarily establish that the latest BIOS version is installed.
Before you install any firmware update
Firmware sits closer to the hardware than a typical app, which is reason enough to treat it with more care than an ordinary patch. Match the downloaded package to your exact model number before installing anything, and follow the precautions listed by the manufacturer.
Keep the PC connected to reliable power during a BIOS update. Interrupting the process can leave the system unable to boot. Back up important files before proceeding, particularly when installing firmware manually.
If your computer uses BitLocker or Windows device encryption, make sure you have access to its recovery key. Some BIOS updates require temporarily suspending BitLocker protection, depending on the manufacturer's update procedure.
For example, Dell's BIOS update guidance explains that firmware changes can trigger BitLocker recovery prompts if the appropriate precautions aren't taken. Follow your manufacturer's instructions rather than changing encryption settings unnecessarily.
The decision gets simpler once the version check is done. If Windows Update already shows a compatible firmware package pending, follow its installation instructions and allow the update process to complete without interruption.
If the manufacturer's support page lists something newer for your exact model, with release notes describing a security, stability, or compatibility fix, installing it through the manufacturer's approved update tool may be preferable to waiting for Windows Update.
A newer-looking release isn't, by itself, a reason to flash anything immediately. Reading what it actually fixes comes first.
Letting firmware go stale carries its own cost over time. Neglected BIOS or UEFI firmware can leave known security vulnerabilities unpatched, create compatibility problems with newer operating systems, or prevent users from benefiting from stability improvements included in subsequent releases.
Those are reasons to stay reasonably current, not reasons to install every available update without checking its purpose and compatibility.
Secure Boot certificate updates aren't the same thing
A separate update has been moving through Windows Update, and it's easy to confuse with a firmware flash since both affect boot security.
Microsoft has been automatically delivering updated 2023 Secure Boot certificates through Windows Update to eligible devices. These replace older certificates originally issued in 2011, some of which began expiring in June 2026.
According to Microsoft's Secure Boot guidance, most eligible devices receive the newer certificates automatically, although some systems may require additional firmware updates to support the process.
The certificate update itself doesn't mean the BIOS version changed. It updates the trust infrastructure used to verify software during startup.
Since April 2026, the Windows Security app has also provided information about Secure Boot certificate status.
To check, open Windows Security > Device security > Secure Boot, where the updated interface is available. Microsoft's Secure Boot status instructions explain how to determine whether a device has received the newer certificates and whether further action is required.
A green Secure Boot icon alone doesn't confirm that the certificate update is complete. Check the accompanying status message to see whether all required certificate changes have been applied.
Skipping these certificate updates doesn't immediately stop a PC from booting or installing ordinary Windows updates. However, devices relying on expired certificates can lose access to certain new boot-level protections, including updates to Windows Boot Manager, Secure Boot databases, revocation lists, and mitigations for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Completing the certificate update is therefore important wherever the hardware and firmware support it. If Windows reports that an update is blocked, follow Microsoft's guidance or the manufacturer's support instructions rather than attempting unsupported firmware changes.
A successful Secure Boot certificate update shouldn't be mistaken for confirmation that the system BIOS is current.
What to do now
Start by confirming what's actually installed using System Information or a PowerShell BIOS query. Then open the manufacturer's support page for your exact model and compare versions and release notes.
Check Windows Update's history and optional updates list too, but don't treat a firmware entry there as proof your system BIOS changed unless the package identifies the system firmware or the installed BIOS version confirms it.
If Windows Update already has a relevant package pending, follow the installation instructions and allow it to complete. If the manufacturer's page lists a newer release addressing a security, stability, or compatibility issue, use the manufacturer's approved update method rather than assuming Windows Update will eventually offer it.
Check Secure Boot certificate status in the Windows Security app as a separate task. It answers a narrower question than "is my firmware current," and the two checks belong on different parts of your maintenance list.
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