How to Enable Secure Boot For CS2 (2025 Guide)

FACEIT announced in X that from the 25th of November, both TPM 2.0 AND Secure Boot will be required for all CS2 players. Your computer needs Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 enabled to launch matches and keep the anti-cheat system running properly.
Did you see the pop-up of Faceit saying that your Secure Boot needs to be enabled? If you don’t have any idea of this, don’t worry. Because this guide will explain what it is, why CS2 needs it enabled, and how you can check if it’s open.

What is Secure Boot and TPM 2.0?

Secure Boot

Secure Boot is a security standard designed to ensure that only trusted software is loaded during computer startup, preventing malware from being loaded.
It achieves this by establishing a chain of trust between firmware, drivers, and the operating system, using public/private key pairs to verify digital signatures and ensure the integrity of all boot components.

TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module)

TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module 2.0) is a hardware security chip that provides hardware-based security for computers, such as securely storing encryption keys, protecting user data, and verifying system integrity.

Together, these two technologies strengthen anti-cheat verification and improve overall account security.

Why Does Faceit Require Secure Boot For CS2?

Faceit’s anti-cheat operates at a low system level, meaning it must trust the Windows environment it runs in.
By enforcing Secure Boot (and sometimes TPM 2.0), Faceit can:

• Prevent kernel-level cheats that inject drivers before Windows starts.
• Ensure system integrity and confirm your boot chain hasn’t been modified.
• Align with Windows 11’s default security model, which already requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.
  These requirements are gradually being implemented to ensure fair, tamper-free competitive matches.

How to Check If Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 Are Enabled

You can verify this manually or automatically.

Option 1 - Manual Check

1. Press Win + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter.
2. In System Information, look for:
   Secure Boot State → should show On.
   TPM Version (under Device Security or Security Processor Details).
   If Secure Boot is Off or Unsupported, or TPM shows Not Found, you’ll need to enable them in BIOS/UEFI.

Option 2 - Using GearUP (Recommended)

GearUP can automatically scan your PC and display whether Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are active. It also provides quick guidance for enabling them because there’s no need to dig through BIOS menus manually. Besides, GearUP is an excellent game accelerator that enhances your gameplay smoothness. It optimizes your network to reduce latency caused by various factors during gameplay. Here’s how to use it to detect if your PC has enabled secure boot:

1. Download GearUP via the official website
2. Log in with an account and search for “CS2” in the game gallery
3. Find Secure Boot detection and launch it

How to Enable Secure Boot For CS2?

**First of all, back up all important files!! **
Here are the steps:

1. Restart your PC and press Del, F2, or Esc during startup to enter BIOS/UEFI.
2. Find the Boot or Security tab.
3. Enable UEFI Mode if your system is still in Legacy/CSM Mode.
4. Set Secure Boot = Enabled
5. Find TPM, PTT, or fTPM (the name varies by manufacturer) and enable it.
6. Save changes and reboot.
   After restarting, open System Information or GearUP Booster again to confirm that Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are now active.

Troubleshooting

Conclusion

Faceit's implementation is fundamentally designed for anti-cheating in games. You can check whether Secure Boot is enabled on your computer by viewing system information or opening GearUP. If Faceit reports an error stating it's not activated, you'll need to enter your BIOS settings to make the necessary changes.

Common FAQs

Is Secure Boot safe to turn on?
Yes. It’s a standard feature built into Windows and UEFI firmware. Enabling it doesn’t affect performance or gameplay.
Will enabling Secure Boot slow down my PC or affect gaming performance?
No. Secure Boot runs only during system startup and does not affect frame rate, ping, or gameplay.
My Secure Boot is “unsupported.” What does that mean?
This usually means your system is using Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI. You’ll need to convert your disk to GPT and switch to UEFI mode before Secure Boot can be enabled.