If your dual boot system does not show the operating system selection menu or the Windows Boot Manager while booting up, you are not alone. A missing dual boot option is common on newly created dual boot systems, mainly caused by an incorrectly configured boot manager.

Fortunately, you can fix this issue by tweaking a few Windows settings. So, here are a few ways to fix the missing dual boot menu on your Windows system.

Note that while the instructions in this article were written for Windows 10 systems, they are applicable to Windows 11 as well.

Why Am I Not Seeing a Dual Boot Option in Windows 10 or 11?

The dual boot option or the Windows Boot Manager during restart may not show for several reasons. Some common causes for this include:

  • The boot menu is not activated.
  • Systems with fast startup enabled may boot directly into the default OS without offering any boot options.
  • The default operating system in Startup and Recovery may be incorrectly configured.
  • Some corrupted system files are causing the boot manager to malfunction.

As such, you have recently set up a dual boot system, but you can't see the option to change operating systems, follow these steps in Windows 10.

1. Enable the Boot Menu Using Command Prompt

If the boot menu has been disabled somehow, you won’t see the dual boot option appear. The boot menu can become deactivated after upgrading to the latest version of the OS.

Fortunately, you can use the Windows command processor to enable the boot menu.

enable boot menu using Command Prompt in Windows 10

To enable the boot menu using the Command Prompt:

  1. Type cmd in the Windows search bar, right-click on the Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
  2. In the Command Prompt window, type the command listed below and hit the Enter key. If possible, copy and paste the command to avoid the not recognized as an internal command error.
            bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes
        
  3. Upon successful execution, you will see the operation completed successfully message.

If you're curious as to what you've just run, BCDEdit is a command-line-based utility to manage BCD (Boot Configuration Data). When executed, it changes the boot configuration and activates the boot menu.

If you want to deactivate or hide the boot menu, open the Command Prompt as admin and enter the following command:

        bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu no
    

Once executed, your system will boot into the set default OS without showing the dual boot option.

2. Configure the Default Operating System in Startup and Recovery

Windows 10's Advanced System Settings window allows you to select the default operating system to boot into. It can also display a list of operating systems and recovery options during a restart.

Configuring these settings can help you fix a missing dual boot option in Windows 10.

To configure the default operating system in Windows 10:

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Then, go to System and open the About tab from the left pane.
  3. Scroll down to the Related settings section and click on Advanced system settings. On older Windows 10 computers, go to Control Panel > System and Security and click on Advanced system settings from the left pane.
    advanced system settings windows 11
  4. In the System Properties window that appears, locate the Startup and Recovery section and click the Settings button.
  5. In the Startup and Recovery window, click the drop-down for Default operating system and choose your preferred OS.
    set default operating system windows 10
  6. Next, check the Time to display list of operating systems option and set it to 30 seconds. This setting means your computer will show the boot menu for 30 seconds. Once this time elapses, it will load the operating system you selected as default.
  7. Click OK to save the changes.

Restart your computer and wait for the boot menu to appear. Next, choose your preferred OS using the arrow key and hit the Enter key. If you don’t make any selection before 30 seconds, your computer will load the set default OS.

3. Configure the Boot Manager With EasyBCD

Sometimes, the bcdedit command won't work. It either fails to activate the boot menu or will not work even after displaying the success message.

In this situation, you can use a third-party utility called EasyBCD to add a boot entry. EasyBCD is a lightweight program for the Windows platform and free to use for non-commercial purposes.

easybcd boot menu editor

To add boot entry using EasyBCD:

  1. Go to the Neosmart EasyBCD page and click on See More.
  2. EasyBCD is available in Commercial and Non-commercial versions. Click on Register for downloading the free version and then enter an email address and username to download the tool.
  3. Run the installer and wait for the app to finish installing on your computer.
  4. Launch EasyBCD and click on the Edit Boot Menu button.
  5. Here you will see a dual boot entry listed by default. If you want to change the default OS, tick the box under the Default column for the entry you want to set as default.
  6. Under Menu Options, check the Use Metro bootloader option.
  7. Select Count down from and set it to 30 seconds.
  8. Click Save Settings, and you will see the Bootloader settings saved successfully message.

Close EasyBCD and restart your PC. During restart, you will see the boot menu with a dual boot option. If the option is still not showing, boot into Windows and launch EasyBCD. Repeat steps 4-8 again and restart your computer.

4. Disable the Windows Fast Startup Feature

The Fast Startup feature in Windows 10 helps you restart your PC faster after shutdown. When enabled, it saves your operating system to a hibernation file that speeds up the boot process. It is a handy feature to have on older systems, especially if your system takes all the time in the world to restart.

However, it has some disadvantages as well. When Fast Startup is enabled, Windows locks the installation drive. As a result, Windows may fail to recognize the OS on a dual-boot configured system.

To disable fast startup, do the following:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type control and click OK to open the Control Panel.
  2. In the Control Panel, go to System and Security > Power Options.
    control panel power options windows
  3. In the right pane, click on Choose what the power buttons do.
  4. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable. Now you will be able to access the grayed-out Shutdown settings.
    turn off fast startup Windows-10
  5. Uncheck the Turn on fast startup (recommended) option.
  6. Click on Save changes to turn off fast startup in Windows.

Once successfully disabled, restart your PC and wait for the dual boot option to appear.

5. Restore Dual Boot Menu Using the System Configuration Tool

ms config system configuration dual boot

If configuring the Startup and Recovery option doesn’t work, you can configure the boot menu using the System Configuration tool. It lets you manage and set your default OS in a dual boot setup and also set up a timeout for the boot menu.

Follow these steps to configure the boot menu using the System Configuration tool:

  1. Press Win + R to open Run.
  2. Type msconfig and click OK to open the System Configuration utility.
  3. Here, open the Boot tab. If you have a dual boot setup, it will show all the operating systems installed on your PC.
  4. Select the OS that is not set as default and click the Set as default button.
  5. Next, under the Timeout field, set the value as 20, 30, or 60. These values are seconds, so if you have set it to 30, the boot manager will wait 30 seconds before loading the default OS.
  6. Click OK and Apply to save the changes. If a Restart prompt appears, select Restart.
  7. As your PC restart, you will see the dual boot option. Use the arrow key to select the OS and hit enter to load the operating system.

Now You Should See the Dual Boot Menu in Windows 10

Whether you want to dual boot Windows 11 with Windows 10 or an older version of Microsoft’s operating system, the boot menu is a critical aspect of any dual boot process. Boot configuration tools such as the BCDEdit and EasyBCD can help you troubleshoot the boot menu missing issue without having to reinstall the OS again.