Which Games Currently Require Secure Boot

If you’ve recently encountered an error like "Secure Boot not enabled" while launching competitive games such as Call of Duty or Battlefield 6, it’s not a technical glitch. This reflects a broader change in how modern games enforce system security to ensure fair gameplay.

Many modern titles now rely on Secure Boot, a firmware-level security feature that ensures your system hasn't been compromised before Windows even starts. If you’re unfamiliar with Secure Boot, check out our full guide: What Is Secure Boot. So why are more games enforcing this requirement? And what happens if it’s not enabled? Let’s break it down.

Why Do Some Games Require Secure Boot?

The answer boils down to anti-cheat technology.

Most traditional anti-cheat systems operate at the software level, scanning memory and processes while your game is running. However, cheat developers have gotten more advanced—some now build cheats that operate at the kernel or driver level, hooking deep into your system before Windows or the game even loads.

To combat this, developers have implemented kernel-level anti-cheat systems (like Vanguard, BattlEye, or Ricochet) that need maximum trust and control. But here’s the catch: If your system isn’t secure at the firmware level, those anti-cheat drivers can’t fully trust your environment.

That’s where Secure Boot comes in. It ensures your PC only boots signed, trusted code—eliminating rootkits, unsigned drivers, or tampered firmware that could be used to bypass anti-cheat mechanisms. Without it, the whole chain of trust falls apart. Secure Boot is the foundation these advanced anti-cheat tools build on. No Secure Boot = no fair play guarantee.

List of Games That Require Secure Boot

Note: Some games do not officially require Secure Boot but may still perform Secure Boot checks during anti-cheat initialization. Disabling it may cause inconsistent behavior or launch errors.

What Happens If Secure Boot Is Disabled?

If you try to launch one of these games without Secure Boot enabled, you may see:

• Secure Boot is not enabled on your system
• Anti-cheat initialization failed
• This game requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to run
• Driver could not load: unsupported system state

In some cases, the game will simply crash or close without much explanation—leaving players confused and frustrated.

Even if a title doesn’t strictly require Secure Boot, running without it may trigger:

• Failed anti-cheat updates
• Increased false positives
• Overall reduced system trustworthiness

How to Know If Secure Boot Is Enabled?

We recommend using GearUP, which supports one-click checks for your disk format, TPM, and Secure Boot status—for example, many players have used GearUP to resolve the recent Battlefield 6 Secure Boot issue.

Of course, it’s also a powerful game accelerator that effectively reduces ping and improves smoothness in games.

FAQ

Q1: Do I need Secure Boot for all games?
No, only certain competitive titles require it—mainly those with kernel-level anti-cheat.

Q2: Can I play Battlefield 6 without Secure Boot?
No. Battlefield 6 requires both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. The game won’t launch otherwise. If you've confirmed that Secure Boot is not enabled on your system, check out our dedicated guide page. We provide Secure Boot setup instructions for all major motherboard brands to help you resolve the issue effectively.

Q3: Will Secure Boot slow down my PC?
Not at all. It runs silently in the background and has zero impact on FPS or gaming performance.

Q4: Is Secure Boot the same as TPM?
No, but they often work together. TPM provides encryption, while Secure Boot protects the boot process.

Q5: Why I enabled Secure Boot but still get errors?
Make sure you’re also using UEFI boot mode and have no unsigned drivers or old BIOS settings conflicting with the boot process.