To enable Secure Boot for FACEIT, open your BIOS, make sure the PC boots in UEFI mode (with CSM disabled), turn on Secure Boot in the security section, then confirm the result in Windows with msinfo32. Menu paths differ between Gigabyte, MSI and ASUS, so each board has its own walkthrough below. Since November 25, 2025, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are mandatory for every FACEIT player: without them, FACEIT Anti-Cheat will not let you into a match.
What Secure Boot Is and Why FACEIT Anti-Cheat Needs It
Secure Boot is a UEFI security protocol. Every time your PC starts, it verifies the digital signatures of software that loads before Windows, and any component with a mismatched signature is blocked. FACEIT Anti-Cheat runs at the kernel level, and without Secure Boot it cannot confirm that no cheat driver or rootkit was loaded before Windows started. That is exactly how the most serious cheating tools operate.
Together with TPM 2.0, Secure Boot produces a cryptographically protected boot report known as Measured Boot. FACEIT AC checks it before connecting you: a clean boot gets access, anything else is blocked. There is no performance cost, because the check only runs at startup and has no effect on FPS or ping.
| FACEIT requirement | What it does | FPS impact | Mandatory since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secure Boot | Blocks unsigned drivers at boot | None | November 25, 2025 |
| TPM 2.0 | Verifies boot integrity with a cryptographic report | None | November 25, 2025 |
| IOMMU / VBS | Hardware-level RAM firewall against DMA cheats | Rare and minimal | Phased rollout since April 2025 |
How to Check Your Secure Boot Status Without Entering BIOS
Before going into BIOS, check the current status from Windows: Secure Boot may already be on. This is especially likely if you did a clean install of Windows 11, since its installer requires Secure Boot support. The check takes under a minute:
Press Win + R, type msinfo32 and press Enter.
BIOS Mode should read UEFI.
Secure Boot State should read On.
If BIOS Mode shows Legacy and Secure Boot State shows Off or Unsupported, the system is booting in legacy mode. In that case you first need to convert the drive from MBR to GPT and switch to UEFI, and only then enable Secure Boot in BIOS. If BIOS Mode is already UEFI and Secure Boot is simply Off, the drive is fine and you only need to change the board settings.
What to Do Before Enabling Secure Boot for FACEIT
Flipping one switch in BIOS does not always work. Some players find that Windows no longer boots after their first attempt. That is fixable, but a few minutes of preparation save far more time.
Step one: check the partition style of your system drive. Open Disk Management (Win + X, then Disk Management), right-click the system disk, choose Properties, open the Volumes tab and look at Partition Style. GPT means you are set. MBR means Secure Boot will not work properly until you convert the drive. Microsoft's official tool for this is mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS, run from an elevated command prompt. Back up your data before any disk operation.
Step two: update your BIOS. FACEIT has documented issues with outdated firmware on Gigabyte and MSI boards. Your exact board model is listed in msinfo32 under BaseBoard Product; use it to download the latest firmware from the manufacturer's website. With current firmware, Secure Boot usually works on the first try.
How to Enable Secure Boot for FACEIT on Gigabyte Motherboards
Gigabyte boards have one catch that trips up almost everyone: while CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is enabled, the Secure Boot section does not appear in BIOS at all. Players look for it, find nothing and assume the board lacks support. It does support it; CSM just has to be disabled first.
Here is the sequence from Gigabyte's guide. Skip a step and Secure Boot either stays off or FACEIT AC rejects it:
Restart your PC and press Delete to enter BIOS.
Switch to Advanced Mode (F2 or the on-screen button).
Go to Boot, then CSM Support, and set it to Disabled.
The Secure Boot section now appears; open it.
Set Secure Boot Mode to Standard.
Set Secure Boot to Enabled.
Confirm the prompt to restore Factory Keys, which the system offers automatically.
Save with F10, choose Yes and let the PC reboot.
Verify in msinfo32 that Secure Boot State reads On.
If FACEIT AC still shows an error after the reboot, check your firmware version. Gigabyte has released BIOS updates that fix Secure Boot issues with FACEIT. After updating, repeat the setup, because a firmware update resets Secure Boot to factory defaults.
How to Enable Secure Boot for FACEIT on MSI Boards
MSI is a special case. FACEIT has officially acknowledged a bug: on some boards, Secure Boot shows as Enabled in both BIOS and Windows, yet FACEIT AC rejects it because of incorrect default keys. MSI therefore needs a different procedure.
The key difference is Custom mode instead of Standard. Make sure your firmware is current before you start, otherwise the required menu items may be missing:
Restart your PC and press Delete to enter BIOS.
Go to Settings, then Security, then Secure Boot.
Set Secure Boot Mode to Custom.
Set Secure Boot Preset to Maximum Security.
Save with F10, choose Yes and let the PC reboot.
If Secure Boot Preset or Image Execution Policy is not in the menu, the firmware is outdated and needs an update. According to FACEIT Support, in some cases only a beta BIOS resolves the issue. After updating, repeat the steps above and check the result in msinfo32.
How to Enable Secure Boot for FACEIT on ASUS Boards
ASUS boards are simpler, but different firmware versions label the setting differently, which causes confusion. FACEIT states that on ASUS boards Secure Boot should be set to Windows UEFI Mode, while some firmware versions simply call it Standard. Both are correct.
Do not skip the final msinfo32 check; it is better to confirm the result before you launch the FACEIT client.
Enter BIOS (Delete or F2 at startup).
Go to Advanced Mode, then Boot, then Secure Boot.
Set OS Type to Windows UEFI Mode (or Standard).
If you are offered UEFI or UEFI with CSM, choose UEFI.
Save with F10 and reboot.
Verify in msinfo32 that Secure Boot State reads On.
Gigabyte, MSI and ASUS use different menu paths and labels, but the principle is the same on all three: UEFI without CSM and active Secure Boot with trusted keys. Once that is in place, FACEIT AC accepts the system without errors.
What to Do If Secure Boot Is On but FACEIT Still Shows an Error
This is the most common scenario: msinfo32 says On, BIOS looks right, and the error still appears at launch. Before redoing everything from scratch, rule out these typical causes, most of which take minutes to fix:
Setup Mode. If BIOS shows "Secure Boot can be enabled when system is in User Mode," the feature is stuck in setup mode and is not applied. Go to Security, then Secure Boot, then Key Management, select Install Default Secure Boot Keys, switch Secure Boot Mode from Custom to Standard and save. This is the step people miss most often.
MBR drive. Windows is booting in Legacy mode. Convert the drive with mbr2gpt and switch to UEFI.
Outdated BIOS. A firmware update resets Secure Boot, so it has to be enabled again.
Broken client. If nothing else helps, reinstall the FACEIT client from the official faceit.com site.
If the problem is not Secure Boot but the match connection itself, see our guides on common FACEIT errors and what to do if you can't connect to FACEIT servers.
Quick Recap by Board and What Comes Next
Setting up Secure Boot for FACEIT is easier than it looks. Gigabyte: disable CSM, set Secure Boot Mode to Standard and enable it. MSI: Custom mode with the Maximum Security preset on current firmware. ASUS: OS Type set to Windows UEFI Mode.
Since November 25, 2025, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are mandatory for everyone on the platform. The next layer, IOMMU and VBS, has been required for players above 3,000 FACEIT Elo since August 2025. FACEIT has also announced that Windows 11 will be required starting October 14, 2026. It is better to sort out these settings now than to hit an error right before a match that matters. If you are new to the platform, our guide on how to play on FACEIT in CS2 covers the rest.
FAQ
Is Secure Boot required for FACEIT?
Yes. Since November 25, 2025, FACEIT Anti-Cheat requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be enabled for every player. Without them, the client shows an error and blocks matchmaking.
How do I enable Secure Boot for FACEIT if BIOS has no Secure Boot option?
Usually the section is hidden while CSM is on, which is typical for Gigabyte boards. Disable CSM Support under Boot and the Secure Boot option appears. If it is still missing, update your BIOS.
Does Secure Boot affect FPS or ping in CS2?
No. Secure Boot only runs at startup to verify bootloader signatures, so it has no effect on in-game performance.
How can I check whether Secure Boot is on?
Press Win + R, type msinfo32 and find Secure Boot State. It should read On, and BIOS Mode should read UEFI.
