The boot loop after enabling Secure Boot usually means the firmware cannot validate the current boot files or keys. Use the following sequence to recover and then get Secure Boot working again.
- Turn Secure Boot off so Windows can start:
- Enter the UEFI/BIOS setup during power‑on (for example by pressing F1, F2, F12, or Esc, depending on the device).
- Locate Secure Boot under Security, Boot, or Authentication and set it to Disabled.
- Save and restart. Confirm that Windows boots normally.
- Reset Secure Boot keys to factory defaults:
- Go back into UEFI/BIOS.
- In the Secure Boot section, use the option to Reset or Restore factory default Secure Boot keys.
- Prefer Reset rather than Clear if both exist. The goal is to restore the manufacturer’s default Secure Boot variables.
- Save and restart with Secure Boot still disabled and confirm Windows boots.
- Rebuild the EFI boot files in Windows (fixes loops caused by invalid boot files):
- Boot into Windows with Secure Boot disabled.
- Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator).
- Run these commands one by one:
mountvol s: /s del s:\*.*/f /s /q bcdboot %systemroot% /s S: - After “Boot files successfully created” appears, restart the PC (still with Secure Boot disabled) and confirm it boots normally.
- Re‑enable Secure Boot:
- Enter UEFI/BIOS again.
- Ensure CSM/Legacy boot is disabled and boot mode is UEFI.
- Set Secure Boot to Enabled (or Standard with default keys loaded).
- Save and restart.
- If the PC still loops to BIOS after enabling Secure Boot:
- Disable Secure Boot again so the system is usable.
- If available, use the firmware option to reset BIOS/UEFI to factory settings, then repeat steps 2–4.
- If the device still cannot boot with Secure Boot enabled after resetting keys and rebuilding boot files, contact the motherboard/device manufacturer for model‑specific guidance.
These steps follow the documented recovery procedure for Secure Boot issues and the general guidance for disabling and re‑enabling Secure Boot on Windows 11 systems.
References:
- How to manage the Windows Boot Manager revocations for Secure Boot changes associated with CVE-2023-24932
- Disabling Secure Boot
- Windows devices for home users, businesses, and schools with Microsoft-managed updates
- Windows 11 and Secure Boot
- Secure boot state is still off tried alot of things - Microsoft Q&A
- Can't enable secure boot - Microsoft Q&A
- why don't i have the 2023 secure boot keys - Microsoft Q&A
- Trying to Convert my Windows installation to UEFI using the command prompt mbr2gpt, what to do next ? - Microsoft Q&A
- Unable to recover Bitlocker key and unable to reload Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A