What Is Secure Boot and Why Does It Affect Gaming

If you’ve ever encountered an error message like “Secure Boot is not enabled on your system” while trying to launch a game, you might wonder—what exactly is Secure Boot, and why does it matter?

Secure Boot is a foundational security feature built into modern computers that ensures only trusted software runs during your system’s startup. While originally intended to block malware and unauthorized drivers, it’s now becoming increasingly essential in the gaming world—particularly for competitive online titles with strict anti-cheat systems.

What Does Secure Boot Do?

Secure Boot creates a trusted path between your firmware (BIOS/UEFI) and your operating system. Here’s what it does:

• Verifies system bootloaders: Prevents unauthorized or unsigned bootloaders from starting.
• Protects against rootkits: Stops malware that tries to hijack your system before the OS loads.
• Enhances anti-cheat protection: Ensures that kernel-level anti-cheat tools are operating in a secure environment.
  It does not slow down your PC or affect game performance. Instead, it ensures a safe and tamper-resistant boot process. Because it only affects the startup verification process, you won’t notice any difference in gameplay or everyday software usage.

Secure Boot is also an important line of defense in enterprise and school environments, where maintaining a clean boot chain is essential to preventing persistent malware.

How Does Secure Boot Affect Games?

Some games—especially those with kernel-level anti-cheat systems—require Secure Boot to be enabled. Without it, you may face errors such as:

• Secure Boot is not enabled on your system.
• Game refuses to launch.
• Anti-cheat driver installation fails.
  These requirements are increasingly common in competitive shooters and online titles, where cheating can ruin the experience for others. Secure Boot ensures that the anti-cheat mechanisms embedded deep within your operating system cannot be bypassed by rootkits or third-party tools.
  It’s worth noting that Secure Boot doesn’t detect cheating on its own. Instead, it creates a verified and stable environment that trusted anti-cheat software can operate in.

Want to know which games require Secure Boot? Check out our follow-up: Games That Require Secure Boot.

Secure Boot Requirements: What You Need to Know

To enable Secure Boot, your system must meet the following technical conditions:

1. UEFI Boot Mode (not Legacy): In BIOS settings, boot mode must be set to UEFI Only, and CSM (Compatibility Support Module) must be Disabled.
2. GPT Disk Partitioning (not MBR): The system disk must be in GPT format. If it’s MBR, use mbr2gpt tool or reinstall Windows.
3. Compatible Operating System: Supported OS includes Windows 8 and above. Windows 11 requires Secure Boot by default.
4. Signed Bootloaders and Drivers: All low-level drivers and boot components must be signed by Microsoft or your OEM.
5. Secure Boot-Capable Motherboard: Your BIOS/UEFI firmware must support Secure Boot (UEFI 2.3.1 or newer).
6. Setup Mode Must Be Disabled: In BIOS, make sure Secure Boot is in Standard or Custom mode, and Setup Mode is Disabled (this means the secure keys are loaded).
7. TPM 2.0 Module (Optional): Not required for Secure Boot itself, but essential for Windows 11 and often used alongside Secure Boot.

If you want to know how to enable Secure Boot on different motherboards, you can refer to this guide: Secure Boot Configuration Guide for All Motherboard Brands

How to Check Secure Boot & TPM Status in Windows

To make sure your system supports Secure Boot and meets the requirements for modern anti-cheat systems, you can try these methods:

Use GearUP

GearUP is a premium game accelerator equipped with specialized Secure Boot detection for gaming. When playing Secure Boot-required games, it automatically checks your settings and provides simple setup guides—no more guessing which options to enable or wrestling with complex BIOS configurations. Additionally, GearUP offers robust network optimization, reducing lag in over 2,500 games with a single click for a seamless gaming experience.

Check Secure Boot Status

Press Win + R → type msinfo32 → hit Enter to open System Information.

In the System Summary, check:

• BIOS Mode: Should be UEFI (not Legacy).
• Secure Boot State: Should show On if enabled.
  If it says:
• BIOS Mode: Legacy and Secure Boot State: Unsupported, then Secure Boot is not available unless you switch to UEFI in BIOS and reconfigure your system disk to GPT.

Check TPM (Trusted Platform Module) Status

Some anti-cheat systems may also require TPM 2.0:
Press Win + R → type tpm.msc → hit Enter.

A window will show your TPM version and status.

• Look for Status: The TPM is ready for use.
• TPM version should be 2.0 for full compatibility with Secure Boot and newer games.
  If no TPM is found, it may need to be enabled in BIOS, or your hardware may not support it.

FAQ about Secure Boot

Q1: Is Secure Boot required for gaming?
Not always. Only certain online games with advanced anti-cheat systems enforce this requirement.

Q2: Will Secure Boot slow down my PC?
No. The verification only occurs during system boot and has zero performance impact during gameplay.

Q3: How do I check Secure Boot status?

1. Press Win + R
2. Type msinfo32
3. Check "Secure Boot State" under System Summary

Q4: Can I still play games if Secure Boot is off?
Yes, except for titles that explicitly require it (these typically won't launch without Secure Boot enabled).

Q5: Secure Boot vs TPM

Q6: Can Secure Boot be enabled on any PC?
⚠️ Older PCs (pre-2013) or legacy BIOS systems often lack Secure Boot support entirely.

Q7: Does Secure Boot block dual-boot setups?
❗ May conflict with Linux/custom OS bootloaders unless:

• Your distribution supports Secure Boot (e.g., Ubuntu)
• You manually enroll keys
• Note: Windows-only gamers rarely encounter issues

TL;DR Summary

In short, Secure Boot allows users to only use software trusted by the device manufacturer (OEM). Due to system-level restrictions, Secure Boot has become the choice for anti-cheat in more and more new AAA games. To enable Secure Boot, you need to ensure your system meets requirements such as a GPT disk, TPM 2.0, UEFI Mode, and other detailed settings. While Secure Boot may affect gaming performance and experience to some extent, it also enhances fairness and security in multiplayer online games—likely an inevitable trend in development.

If you’re unsure how to set it up or want to know which games require it, explore our other articles:

• Games That Require Secure Boot
• How Game Anti-Cheat Works