Leaving the BIOS setup utility takes one trip to the Exit menu where you pick Save Changes and Exit or Discard Changes and Exit.
The Exit tab in any BIOS setup holds exactly two options that matter, and knowing how to exit BIOS correctly just means picking the right one between them. Save your changes and reboot, or discard them and reboot — the whole process takes about ten seconds once you know where to look. The only catch is that different PC brands call the same two options slightly different names, and one shortcut key (F10) can skip the menu entirely on most machines.
The Two Exit Paths In BIOS
Every BIOS and UEFI setup utility works the same way at the exit screen. You get two choices, and the one you pick depends entirely on whether you changed anything while you were inside.
Save Changes and Exit (sometimes called Save and Reset or Save and Reboot) writes your current settings to the firmware memory and restarts the computer with those changes active. Use this when you deliberately configured something — a boot order change, a RAM speed adjustment, or a fan curve tweak — and you want it to stick.
Discard Changes and Exit (also labeled Exit Without Saving or Discard and Reset) leaves every setting exactly as it was before you entered BIOS. Use this when you opened BIOS just to look, or when you changed something that made the system feel unstable.
Whichever option you pick, a confirmation dialog usually appears asking if you are sure. On Oracle systems, the official documentation states to simply select OK on the confirmation box to complete the exit. Oracle also notes that the first reboot after a save can take longer than normal while the system synchronizes new settings with the onboard management controller.
Using A Keyboard Shortcut To Exit BIOS
Most PC firmwares support a one-key shortcut that bypasses the menu navigation entirely. The F10 key is the closest thing to a universal BIOS exit key. Pressing it usually triggers a Save Changes and Exit command followed by a confirmation prompt.
The shortcut works on BIOS setups from ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and most other manufacturers. But it is not universal — a few systems use a different key, and some require holding the Fn key alongside F10 on laptops. When in doubt, look at the bottom of the BIOS screen for a legend showing which key does what.
- F10 — Save and exit on most PCs
- ESC — Often exits the current menu or returns to a previous screen
- F9 — Loads setup defaults on many systems (useful before exiting if settings are corrupted)
Common BIOS Exit Options At A Glance
Different situations call for different exit choices. The table below maps the most common scenarios to the right action.
| Scenario | Recommended Exit Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| You made intentional changes you want to keep | Save Changes and Exit (or F10) | Settings persist after the reboot |
| You entered BIOS by accident or changed nothing | Discard Changes and Exit | Safe option, leaves everything as it was |
| You changed something and the system now feels off | Load Defaults then Save Changes and Exit | Resets BIOS to factory-safe values before rebooting |
| The PC boots straight into BIOS every time | Check boot order, then Save Changes and Exit | Drive with the operating system must be listed first |
| BIOS shows no obvious Exit menu | Look for an Exit tab or press the ESC key | Most utilities have a hidden exit path under a different tab label |
| A confirmation prompt seems confusing | Read the two options slowly — one saves, one discards | Yes usually means save; No usually discards |
| You want to exit without touching the mouse | Arrow keys to the Exit menu + Enter + F10 | Full keyboard navigation works on every BIOS screen |
| The system freezes when you try to exit | Hold the power button for ten seconds to force shutdown | Last resort — may lose unsaved changes but gets you out |
Does Your PC Keep Returning To BIOS?
If you exit BIOS and the machine loads BIOS again on the next startup, the problem is not the exit — it is the boot configuration. The system cannot find a valid operating system to load, so it falls back to the setup utility every time.
The fix is usually the boot order. Inside BIOS, find the Boot tab and check which drive is listed first. The drive containing Windows, Linux, or another OS must be at the top of the list. If no bootable drive appears, the connection may be loose, the drive may have failed, or the operating system may be corrupted. Oracle’s BIOS setup documentation confirms that the exit procedure itself is straightforward, but a system that keeps returning to BIOS needs hardware or boot troubleshooting.
Microsoft’s support answers echo the same advice: check the boot device order, boot into Windows Recovery Environment, and use Startup Repair or command-line tools when the OS will not start. Repeatedly exiting BIOS without addressing the underlying boot problem will not help.
What To Avoid When Exiting BIOS
Three mistakes cause most of the frustration people run into after leaving the setup utility.
- Saving changes accidentally. The confirmation prompt exists for this exact reason. Read it. If you did not make any deliberate changes, pick Discard Changes and Exit every time.
- Assuming every BIOS uses the same menu layout. ASUS ROG motherboards place the exit options in an Exit tab. Some Dell systems call it Exit or Save & Exit. A few older BIOS versions hide the exit behind a File tab. Look for any tab labeled Exit, Save, or a gear icon — then read the option text before confirming.
- Ignoring the boot order warning. If you skipped past the boot configuration because you just wanted to leave, and the system boots back into BIOS, that is the exact loop you created. Go back into BIOS, verify the boot drive order, then save and exit properly.
Quick Decision Guide For Exiting BIOS
When the exit screen is in front of you and the right choice is not obvious, this table cuts through the uncertainty.
| Your Situation | The Right Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You just configured a new drive or RAM | Save Changes and Exit (or F10) | Your hardware changes need to persist |
| You opened BIOS to check settings and changed nothing | Discard Changes and Exit | No reason to save what you did not touch |
| You tried a setting and now the PC will not boot | Discard Changes and Exit on next entry, or Load Defaults first | Undoes the problematic change |
| You see “No bootable device found” | Save Changes and Exit after fixing boot order | The OS drive must be first in the list |
| You are unsure what you did inside BIOS | Discard Changes and Exit | Safer to leave settings as they were |
| BIOS appeared on its own and you did not call it | Discard Changes and Exit, then troubleshoot boot order | The problem is outside BIOS, not inside it |
| You want a completely clean configuration | Load Setup Defaults → Save Changes and Exit | Resets everything to factory values |
Exit BIOS In Three Steps
Next time you are staring at a BIOS screen and want out, run through this sequence. Look at the top of the screen for a tab labeled Exit. If the top row of tabs shows no Exit label, press the right arrow key until the last tab is highlighted — that is often where the exit options live. Once inside the Exit menu, pick Save Changes and Exit if you made intentional changes, or Discard Changes and Exit if you did not. Confirm the prompt with Enter, and the machine will reboot. If it loads BIOS again after the restart, skip the exit menu and go straight to the Boot tab to check which drive is listed first. That fix stops the loop.
References & Sources
- Oracle. “Oracle ILOM — Exit BIOS Setup Utility.” Documents exit behavior and confirmation dialog for Oracle server BIOS.