en	[[!meta title="Modifying the boot options using the Boot Loader"]]

en	The Boot Loader is the first screen that appears when Tails starts.

en	You can use the Boot Loader to modify the *boot options*. Boot options are special parameters used to troubleshoot or work around hardware support problems. For example, our [[list of known issues with graphics cards|support/known_issues/graphics]] documents boot options for different graphics cards.

en	Depending on the computer, the Boot Loader might be either *GRUB* or *SYSLINUX*.

en	In both *GRUB* and *SYSLINUX*, the keyboard layout of the Boot Menu is set to English (US).

en	[[!img english_us_keyboard.png alt=""]]

en	[[!toc levels=1]]

en	Using *SYSLINUX*

en	This is what *SYSLINUX* looks like:

en	[[!img install/inc/screenshots/syslinux.png class="screenshot" alt="Black screen ('SYSLINUX') with Tails logo and 2 options: 'Tails' and 'Tails (Troubleshooting Mode)'."]]

en	<div class="note">

en	If your Boot Loader looks different, refer to our instructions below on modifying the boot options [[using GRUB|boot_options#grub]].

en	</div>

en	To modify the boot options in *SYSLINUX*:

en	Press **Tab** when *SYSLINUX* appears.

en	A command line with a list of boot options appears at the bottom of the screen.

en	[[!img syslinux-with-options.png class="screenshot" alt="SYSLINUX with a list of options starting with '/live/vmlinuz' at the bottom"]]

en	Modify the boot options as needed.

en	To add a boot option, press **Space** and type the boot option that you want to add.

en	If you want to add more than one boot option, type them one after the other and separate them with a **Space**.

en	Press **Enter** to start Tails.

en	Using *GRUB*

en	This is what *GRUB* looks like:

en	[[!img install/inc/screenshots/grub.png class="screenshot" alt="Black screen ('GNU GRUB') with Tails logo and 3 options: 'Tails' and 'Tails (Troubleshooting Mode)' and 'Tails (External Hard Disk)'."]]

en	If your Boot Loader looks different, refer to our instructions on modifying the boot options [[using SYSLINUX|boot_options#syslinux]] above.

en	To modify the boot options in *GRUB*:

en	Press **e** when GRUB appears.

en	A new screen appears with more options.

en	[[!img grub-with-options.png class="screenshot" alt="GRUB with a list of options starting with 'setparams Tails'"]]

en	To add a boot option, navigate with the arrows of the keyboard to the end of the line that starts with `linux`. Type the boot option that you want to add. The line is most likely wrapped and displayed on several lines but it is a single configuration line.

en	Press **Ctrl+X**, **F10**, or **Fn+F10** to start Tails.

en	Modify the boot options on the USB stick

en	To use modified boot options automatically when restarting Tails, you can save these changes to your Tails USB stick.

en	<div class="bug">

en	These modifications are deleted each time you upgrade Tails. ([[!tails_ticket 18268]])

en	To do so:

en	When starting Tails, [[set up an administration password|doc/first_steps/welcome_screen/administration_password]].

en	Open a *Console*.

en	Execute to following command to allow modifying the content of the Tails partition on the USB stick.

en	sudo mount -o remount,rw /usr/lib/live/mount/medium/

en	Execute the following command to edit the configuration of the Boot Loader.

en	If your computer uses *SYSLINUX*:

en	gnome-text-editor admin:/usr/lib/live/mount/medium/syslinux/live64.cfg

en	The section `label live` corresponds to the default boot options.

en	The section `label livefailsafe` corresponds to the troubleshooting mode.

en	If your computer uses *GRUB*:

en	gnome-text-editor admin:/usr/lib/live/mount/medium/EFI/debian/grub.cfg

en	The section `menuentry 'Tails 6.11'` corresponds to the default boot options.

en	The section `menuentry 'Tails 6.11 (Troubleshooting Mode)'` corresponds to the troubleshoot mode.

en	Save your changes.

en	Restart to test your changes.