How to Boot from USB on HP Laptop (Windows 11/10)

Booting your HP laptop from a USB drive is often necessary for installing a new operating system, troubleshooting boot errors, or accessing recovery tools. This guide will walk you through the preparations and steps required to boot HP laptop from USB and troubleshoot common issues you may encounter.

What is the boot key for HP laptop?

The boot key for most HP laptops is ESC or F9. Pressing these keys during startup will open the boot menu, allowing you to select the USB drive as the boot device.

Preparations to Boot From USB on HP Laptop

Before booting your HP laptop from a USB drive, you need to prepare a bootable USB. Here’s how:

1. Format the USB Drive

Ensure your USB is formatted as FAT32 or NTFS: 

2. Create a Bootable USB Drive

There are usually two situations when making a bootable USB:

• If you want to install or run an operating system, use tools like Windows Installation Media Tool or Windows To Go Creator to create a portable OS on the USB drive.
• For troubleshooting system crashes or boot errors, use third-party software to make bootable media.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a versatile tool that simplifies creating bootable media. With an easy-to-do interface, even if you are new to computer, you can manage your hard drive like an expert.

Free download this powerful and full-featured tool, you can use it to install Windows or go into the Win-PE and fix boot errors.

Follow these steps to create a bootable USB:

Step 1. Download, install, and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

Step 2. Click Tools in the top toolbar and select Windows To Go Creator.

Step 3. Choose Create Windows To Go for personal computers and click Next.

Step 4. Select Create Windows To Go with system disc/ISO and locate the Windows installation file. Click Next.

Step 5. Ensure the USB drive is detected (click Refresh if not), then click Proceed.

This creates a portable Windows system on your USB drive, which you can use to boot any computer, including a brand-new one.

Additionally, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers a Make Bootable Media feature to create a Windows PE bootable USB for resolving issues like:

• Corrupted Master Boot Record.
• Hard drive errors, including bad sectors

Steps to Make HP Laptop to Boot from USB

There are two methods to boot your HP laptop from a USB drive: via the boot menu or BIOS settings.

Method 1: Boot from USB via Boot Menu

• Restart your laptop and press the HP boot menu key (ESC or F9) repeatedly during startup.
• When the boot menu appears, press F9 to access the BIOS boot options.
• Use the arrow keys to set the USB drive as the first boot option and save the changes.
• Restart the laptop, and it will boot from the USB drive.

Method 2: Boot from USB via BIOS

• Restart your laptop and press the HP BIOS key (F10) repeatedly to enter the BIOS setup screen.
• Navigate to the Boot tab using the arrow keys and select the USB drive.
• Press F10 to save the changes and reboot from the USB drive.

After booting from USB, you can restore factory settings or use recovery tools. Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed.

Tips: USB Not showing on HP Laptop

Sometimes you may find that HP booting from USB does not show up in the BIOS. Don't worry, we will continue to give some additional guidance.

1. USB connection problem - disconnect and reconnect USB

If it is a USB connection problem, you can disconnect and reconnect.

2. USB driver problem - change USB 3.0 configuration

Most BIOS systems include USB 2.0 drivers, and USB 3.0 drivers are only available after the operating system loads. If the problem is with USB 2.0 and 3.0, you need to configure USB 3.0 to automatic:

Step 1. Select System Configuration > BIOS/Platform Configuration (RBSU) > System Options > USB Options > USB 3.0 Mode.

Step 2. Press Enter after selecting the Automatic USB 3.0 Mode option. It will run at USB 2.0 speeds in the pre-boot environment and during boot.

3. Incorrect boot order - configure or reset the boot order

Windows 10 may experience some out-of-order situations under UEFI or Legacy BIOS. Resetting the boot order to its default settings or configuring the boot order can fix some issues.

Step 1. Press and hold F10 to access the BIOS Setup Utility.

Step 2. In Boot Options, make sure Fast Boot and Secure Boot are disabled or unchecked.

Step 3. In Boot Mode, select USB as the first boot option.

4. Outdated BIOS - Update BIOS

An outdated BIOS can also be the reason why HP cannot boot from USB or USB does not show up. So, you can fix a non-bootable USB by updating the BIOS.

Step 1. Search for Device Manager in the Start menu. Expand Firmware > System Firmware and click Update Driver.

Step 2. Click Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software.

Step 3. Wait for the update to download and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Conclusion

Booting your HP laptop from a USB drive is an essential skill for performing installations, repairs, or upgrades. By preparing a bootable USB drive with AOMEI Partition Assistant and following the steps outlined, you can efficiently troubleshoot or enhance your HP laptop’s functionality.

FAQs About Boot From USB on HP Laptop

1. How do I force my laptop to boot from USB?

Restart your laptop, access the boot menu by pressing ESC or F9, and select the USB drive as the boot device.

2. What is the boot key for HP laptop?

The boot key is typically ESC or F9.

3. How to install Windows 10 on HP laptop from USB?

Create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive, set it as the primary boot device, and follow the on-screen installation instructions.