How to Reset Gigabyte BIOS

If you experience system instability due to corrupted or incorrect BIOS settings, resetting can be an effective solution. It can even help remove special/administrator passwords if you forget them or don’t notice them.

You can restore BIOS settings using the firmware and hardware method. The first involves load optimized defaults from the BIOS Setup screen. On the other hand, the hardware method involves removing the onboard battery or using a jumper to clear the CMOS value.

Whether you are using an AORUS, AERO, GAMING, or ULTRA DURABLE motherboard, this article will walk you through the various ways of resetting Gigabyte BIOS.

Use the Clear CMOS Button

If you’re using a newer, high-end motherboard, you’ll probably find a Clear CMOS button. It can be located at rear I/O panel or inside system board itself (along with other headers).

Without a doubt, this is the most convenient and fastest way to perform a BIOS reset on any mobo. All you have to do is press the dedicated button and it will restore the CMOS values ​​(system clock and other hardware parameters) to factory defaults.

Even though the BIOS configuration is stored in Southbridge or Super I/O chips currently, it’s CMOS that supports it. Therefore, clearing the CMOS will clear the data stored in the RAM and restore the motherboard settings.

Attention: Never use the CMOS button while the system is on. You may lose your valuable data or in worst case, may even damage the motherboard.

Follow the instructions given below to learn the proper way to reset Gigabyte motherboard BIOS.

Start by locating the buttons first: If yours is available on the rear I/O panel, you’ll probably find a reset icon labeled CLEAR CMOS. However, Gigabyte has embedded buttons on the system board on some models. In this case, you can first refer to the user manual for quick navigation. Search CMOS_SW or similar indications. Then, turn off your PC correctly. If you are facing problems booting the PC, hold down the power button for a while at least 10 seconds and this will force it to shut down. Besides that, unplug the power cord from the power supply. Now, just hit the special button.
Although the CMOS CLEAR button is located on my TRX40 AORUS MASTER motherboard I/O panel, yours is probably on the system board. If so, you need open the PC case to reach this button. Once done, turn on your computer and press Del to enter Gigabyte BIOS. The BIOS key may be different for other motherboards. To quickly check yours, just search the internet (based on your model). In the BIOS Setup screen, find the section dedicated to load optimized defaults. It’s usually at the bottom Save & Exit. I will go into detail about this in the next section. Finally, save changes and reboot your Gigabyte PC. This should complete the BIOS reset.

Load Optimized Defaults From BIOS

While using the CMOS button is the most effective and fastest method of resetting the BIOS, this button isn’t available on every motherboard. Instead, you can do this from the UEFI/Legacy Utility, which can be accessed on any system.

Note that this is only useful if you experienced no boot/system failure and your PC passed the Power-On-Self-Test (POST) successfully. Also, you need to manually load factory defaults even after clearing CMOS.

Considering the fact that most of the users are using UEFI mode these days, here is a general guideline on how to load optimized defaults:

First, refer to the user manual or check the BIOS Menu button for your model online. Now, close all running programs and restart your computer. As soon as you see the Gigabyte logo on the startup screen, press the BIOS button to access related settings. Click tabs Save & Exit. You can even use the arrow keys to navigate here. you will see Load Optimized Defaults, Load Fail-Safe Defaults, or similar indications. Select this option. After the confirmation dialog box appears, press Yes. You are not finished. Now, select an option Save & Exit Setup. Again, press Yes and it will reboot your computer. The next time you turn on your computer, all BIOS configurations will be set to their default values.

The general idea for resetting the Gigabyte BIOS in legacy mode is pretty much the same. Without further delay, let’s get into the necessary steps:

As indicated before, restart your computer, and use the BIOS Menu key to enter the interface. Check the right pane and find the key used to optimize defaults. On most models, F9 as shown below. Press the button and a confirmation box will appear. Here, select Yes or simply press Y. Next, find the key to save and exit the Gigabyte Legacy BIOS setup. As you can see below, usually F10. Final, press Y to save and exit setup. Once your computer boots up, it should load the default BIOS configuration.

Remove the CMOS Battery

Each motherboard has a small coin-shaped battery that maintains power even after the computer is turned off. It continues to supply power to the RTC RAM in sufficient quantity, which holds all BIOS configurations.

When removing the CMOS battery, we are basically disconnecting the power. Now, the CMOS chip unable to retain saved settings and everything will be reverted back to their default state after you plug it back in.

The exact location of the onboard battery varies by model. This can be between the PCIe slots or above the front panel header. It’s always a good idea to refer to the motherboard user manual to identify the correct position.

While clearing CMOS using this method sounds a bit technical, it’s actually quite easy if you follow my instructions the right way. This can help resolve any issues that can arise due to power outages, hardware incompatibility, failed/corrupted BIOS updates, and more.

Attention: Connect yourself or a PC to get rid of the possibility of static buildup that can damage internal components when you operate it. Check out our other guides that go into detail about this.

start with turn off your computer. Along with it, unplug the PSU power supply and also unplug all external devices. Press and hold down the power button up to 10 seconds. This will discharge any remaining static electricity. Next, loosen all the screws and remove the PC case carefully. The exact steps vary for older and newer cases. Here is a detailed guide that will help you open any PC case. Now, put your PC on its side such that you can see the system board clearly. Navigate to the CMOS battery section and press the deadbolt in the opposite direction. You can use a plastic spudger like I did below. Cells should be deleted automatically. If not, you need pull it manually from the compartment. After waiting for about 5 to 10 minutes, re-enter the cell to the seat. When you do, make sure you align the positives and negatives. Make sure the positive side (indicated by a ‘+’ sign) is facing up. Slowly press the CMOS battery down and the battery will lock in place. Now, put the PC case back on and turn on your Gigabyte computer. Enter the BIOS setup screen and optimized default load, as instructed above. Do not forget to save changes and reboot again.

Clear CMOS Using Jumper

Another possible way to clear the CMOS values ​​and reset the Gigabyte BIOS is to short-circuit a jumper pin using metal conductors. You can use a screwdriver or jumper caps.

On most Gigabyte motherboards, the jumper is located somewhere near the CMOS battery (labeled CLR_CMOS). Since it is relatively difficult to find, I highly recommend referring to the user guide to find it quickly.

Most Gigabyte models embed a 2-pin CMOS jumper. Even my TRX40 AORUS MASTER motherboard includes this. Here’s a quick demonstration of how I cleared CMOS using the jumper method which should help you get the general concept down: Turn off your PC, unplug the power plug, and discharge the capacitor by holding down the power button for 10 seconds. Don’t forget to ground yourself to prevent components from ESD (Electronic Discharge). Furthermore, open case your PC to access the system board. Find the CLR_CMOS jumper and identify the number of pins. If there are two, follow the process below: Take a screwdriver or other metal conductor and touch both pins. Stand for about 30 seconds before removing metal objects. If your Gigabyte motherboard has a 3-pin CMOS jumper, you’ll also get a jumper cap. The process will be slightly different: Pull the jumper cap off default position(1-2). Then, swipe to ‘Clean’ position (2-3). Now, back to initial position (1-2) after one minute. This will clear the CMOS values. Finally, close the case, plug in the power adapter again, and turn on your Gigabyte computer. Open BIOS screen using Del or the correct key. Here, load optimized defaults, save settings, and exit to complete BIOS reset.