How to Enable Secure Boot Aorus

If you’re trying to meet Windows 10/11 requirements and you keep seeing Secure Boot or TPM warnings, don’t overthink it. On Gigabyte AORUS systems, the job is pretty straightforward: go into the BIOS/UEFI, switch to Advanced Mode if you’re not there already, set Secure Boot to Enabled, optionally turn on TPM 2.0 (AMD CPU fTPM), then save and reboot.

The tricky part is that sometimes Secure Boot can look “enabled” in the BIOS but still show as “not active” after you boot back into Windows. So below is a quick pre-save vs post-reboot checklist to catch that.

Enter Gigabyte AORUS BIOS/UEFI (Del key, Advanced Mode vs Easy Mode)

1. Restart your PC.
2. While it’s starting up, press Del to enter BIOS/UEFI (this is the BIOS key on many Gigabyte boards).
3. Check which mode you’re in:

• If you land in an Easy Mode screen, switch to Advanced Mode. On many Gigabyte systems, that’s F2.
• If you’re already in Advanced Mode, skip straight to the Secure Boot area.

Quick sanity check: try to make sure you’re in Advanced Mode. The Secure Boot option is usually easier to find there, and you’ll need Advanced Mode anyway for AMD CPU fTPM (TPM 2.0).

Find the Secure Boot setting in BIOS

Once you’re in Advanced Mode:

1. Use the BIOS tabs at the top or on the left.
2. Find a tab/page called Secure Boot (sometimes it’s a dedicated “Secure Boot” section).
3. Open it.

If you don’t see it right away, don’t start changing random settings. Look for “Secure Boot” in the BIOS sections first. On AORUS systems, it’s typically its own tab/area, not something buried under SATA or boot priority menus.

Enable Secure Boot (set to Enabled and save changes)

Now for the part you actually came for.

1. In the Secure Boot menu, find the option labeled Secure Boot.
2. Change it from Disabled to Enabled.
3. Save your changes (this is the step people skip, and it matters).

On Gigabyte BIOS, saving is usually done with a Save & Exit option or a similar prompt shown on-screen. Use the save option that actually writes the settings and reboots.

Enable TPM 2.0 alongside Secure Boot (AMD CPU fTPM steps)

If you’re seeing Windows 10/11 setup errors, Secure Boot is often only half the requirement. TPM 2.0 usually needs to be on too.

Use this flow:

1. Stay in Advanced Mode.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Find AMD CPU fTPM.
4. Set AMD CPU fTPM to Enabled.
5. Save your BIOS changes again.

At this point, you want both:

• Secure Boot = Enabled
• TPM 2.0 (AMD CPU fTPM) = Enabled

Then you can reboot into Windows.

Save and reboot into Windows (Windows 10/11 context)

Here’s the order that works best:

1. Confirm Secure Boot shows Enabled in BIOS.
2. Confirm AMD CPU fTPM shows Enabled (if you’re enabling TPM).
3. Use Save & Exit (or the equivalent save option).
4. Reboot normally into Windows.

Once Windows starts, check the status where your installer or system check is complaining about Secure Boot/TPM. If it still complains, don’t assume you missed the Secure Boot menu—use the checklist below for “enabled but not active.”

If Secure Boot shows as enabled but not active: what to double-check

This is the common confusion behind searches like “AORUS Secure Boot enabled not active” and “Secure Boot enabled but not active.” Usually, it comes down to a few simple issues.

Use this checklist:

1. Did you actually save before rebooting?

• In BIOS, setting Secure Boot = Enabled is only half the job.
• If you exit without using the BIOS save option, Windows may still see the old setting.

What to do: go back into BIOS, confirm you can see Secure Boot = Enabled, then save using the BIOS Save & Exit option.

2. Are you looking at the right Secure Boot place?

Some people enable Secure Boot in one menu and then check a different screen in BIOS. It can look inconsistent.

What to do: confirm the Secure Boot setting you changed is in the Secure Boot menu/tab itself.

3. Were you in Advanced Mode when you changed it?

If you toggled things while still in Easy Mode, you may not get the exact same options the way you expect.

What to do: restart → Del → switch to Advanced Mode (like F2) → change Secure Boot → save.

4. Are you checking after the full reboot?

Sometimes people re-check too early or skip a proper reboot cycle after saving.

What to do: after you save and exit, let Windows fully load, then re-check the Secure Boot status (or the Windows requirement check).

5. If you enabled TPM, did you enable the correct TPM option?

On AORUS systems with AMD, TPM 2.0 is usually labeled as AMD CPU fTPM in BIOS.

What to do: confirm Advanced Mode > Settings > AMD CPU fTPM = Enabled, then save and reboot.

AORUS models: what may differ (B550M Aorus Elite / Windows 11 vs Windows 10)

Menu labels can vary a little across AORUS boards and laptops, but the logic stays the same:

• Enter BIOS with Del
• Switch to Advanced Mode (often F2 if you start in Easy Mode)
• Find the Secure Boot menu and set it to Enabled
• Save, reboot
• If needed, enable AMD CPU fTPM via Advanced Mode > Settings

For specific models like B550M Aorus Elite, you might notice:

• the tab names shift slightly
• the Secure Boot option sits under a different heading, even though it’s still the Secure Boot setting
• TPM naming stays centered on AMD CPU fTPM

Windows 10 vs Windows 11 can also change what the error looks like during setup. If you’re seeing Secure Boot/TPM warnings, treat it as a “turn on both in BIOS” situation:

• Secure Boot = Enabled
• AMD CPU fTPM = Enabled

If you enable only Secure Boot and not TPM, Windows may still block the install or keep showing the same requirement message.

Common Secure Boot errors and quick fixes (based on the BIOS steps)

Here are the typical problems and the quickest fixes that match the BIOS flow above.

“Secure Boot enabled not active”

Most likely fix: you didn’t save.

• Reboot into BIOS using Del
• Go to Secure Boot
• Set it to Enabled
• Use Save & Exit
• Reboot into Windows and re-check

“Secure Boot enabled but not active”

Most likely fix: you enabled the setting, but didn’t apply it, or you’re checking in the wrong place.

• Make sure you’re in Advanced Mode
• Change Secure Boot = Enabled inside the Secure Boot section
• Save, reboot, then re-check after Windows fully loads

Secure Boot option isn’t showing up

Most likely fix: wrong mode or the BIOS layout you’re viewing isn’t showing the right screen.

• Restart and enter BIOS with Del
• Switch to Advanced Mode (often F2)
• Look again for the Secure Boot tab/menu

Windows still complains even after Secure Boot is enabled

Most likely fix: TPM 2.0 isn’t enabled (or not enabled correctly).

• In BIOS: Advanced Mode > Settings > AMD CPU fTPM > Enabled
• Save and reboot

TPM/Windows errors even when Secure Boot is on

Most likely fix: TPM 2.0 is still off.

• Turn on AMD CPU fTPM
• Save and reboot

If you’re setting up a PC for Windows 10/11, use the BIOS steps above and then confirm Secure Boot is active after reboot—not just showing Enabled inside the BIOS screen.