Exit Zen
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[[!meta title="Starting Tails on PC"]]
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This page describes the basic and advanced techniques to start Tails from a USB stick on PC.
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<h1 id="windows-restart">Starting from Windows 8 or 10</h1>
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From Windows or the sign-in screen of Windows:
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<div class="next">
<p>If the Boot Loader appears, you can follow our [[instructions
on the Welcome Screen|install/windows#tails]].</p>
</div>
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<h1 id="boot-menu-key">Starting with the Boot Menu key</h1>
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<h1 id="not-at-all">Troubleshooting Tails not starting at all</h1>
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Use this section if the computer does not start from the USB stick and the Boot Loader does not display:
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<h2 id="verify">Verify your Tails USB stick</h2>
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<p>If you get the following error message in Windows:</p>
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<p class="code">The disc image file is corrupted.</p>
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<p>Then, you have to [[install Tails using <i>balenaEtcher</i>|install/windows#etcher]].</p>
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<h2 id="known-issues">Check our list of known issues</h2>
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Similar problems might have been reported already for your computer model in our [[list of known issues about Tails not starting at all|support/known_issues#pc-not-at-all]].
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<h2 id="bios-settings">Edit the BIOS or UEFI settings (advanced users)</h2>
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To learn how to edit the BIOS or UEFI settings, search for the user manual of the computer on the support website of the manufacturer.
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<p>Take note of the changes that you apply to the BIOS or UEFI settings. That way, you
can revert the changes if they prevent the computer from starting on its usual
operating system.</p>
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In the BIOS or UEFI settings, try to apply the following changes:
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Make sure that the Boot Menu key is enabled, in your BIOS or UEFI options. This option might be called **Boot Device List** or something similar, depending on the computer.
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Edit the **Boot Order**. You might see an entry for **Removable devices** or **USB media**. Move this entry to the top of the list to force the computer to start from the USB stick before starting from the internal hard disk.
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