How to Fix No Bootable Device Found on Windows 11 - 4 Ways!

This article focuses on resolving the "No bootable device found on Windows 11" error. You will learn what this error is, what causes it, and all the possible ways you can do to fix it quickly.

By @Miya Last Updated October 30, 2024

What Causes the "No Bootable Device Found" Error?

If you are seeing "No bootable devices found" on Windows 11 computer screen, it means that your system is unable to find a bootable device to start the operating system. This error message can be frustrating and might prevent you from accessing your important files and documents.

In this article, we will discuss the possible causes of this error and how to fix no bootable device quickly. There are several reasons why you might encounter the Windows 11 "No bootable devices found" error on your computer. Here are some of the common causes:

  • Corrupted or damaged boot sector: The boot sector is a critical part of the hard drive that contains information about the operating system and boot process. If it gets corrupted or damaged, your system won't be able to boot up.
  • Incorrect boot order: If your computer's BIOS is set to boot from a non-bootable device, such as a USB drive, CD/DVD, or external hard drive, you will see the "No bootable device found" error.
  • Loose or disconnected cables: If the hard drive cables are loose or disconnected, your computer won't be able to detect the hard drive, resulting in the "No bootable device found" error.

Possible Ways to Fix the "No Bootable Device Found" Error

Learn how to fix Windows 11 boot device not found with 4 effective ways below.

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#1. Remove the Peripheral Device and Check the Hard Drive Cables

If your computer's hard drive cables are loose or disconnected, your system won't be able to detect the hard drive, resulting in the "No bootable device found" error. Make sure that the cables are securely connected to the hard drive and motherboard.

If the computer still does not recognize the bootable device you installed, try removing and reconnecting all hardware components. First, turn off the computer and unplug the power cord. Then, you can remove anything connected to the computer, such as hard drives, USB drives, mice, etc., and replace all hardware correctly to see if that solves the problem.

#2. Check Boot Order in BIOS

Then you need to do is to check the boot order in your computer's BIOS. Make sure that the hard disk is set as the primary boot device.

  1. Restart your PC and press DEL, F1, or F2 (varies with different manufacturers) to enter the BIOS setup.
  2. Click on Boot located at the top bar of the setup menu to display the boot sequence.

  1. Set the order in which your device boots for the operating system by using the required keys given on your system.
  2. Set your order to boot from the OS disk first. Press the F10 key to save the BIOS changes. Click "Yes" at the confirmation prompt to confirm your changes. Then restart your computer

#3. Run Startup Repair of Windows 11

If the boot sector is corrupted or damaged, you can try running the Startup Repair tool to fix it. It is designed to detect and repair common startup problems you may be facing. To run Windows 11 startup repair, follow the steps below:

  1. Start your PC -> press the power button as soon as the Windows logo appears -> keep pressing the power button to perform a hard shut. Then repeat this step two more times to access the advanced startup environment.
  2. Choose Advanced options when the recovery screen appears.
  3. Then click Troubleshoot -> Advanced options.

  1. In Advanced options tab, select Start-up Repair.

Soon after, Windows will scan and diagnose your PC for any issues that may be preventing it from functioning properly.

#4. Reinstall Windows 11

If none of the above methods can solve the "No bootable device found on Windows 11" problem, you can try to reinstall Windows 11. To cleanly install Windows, you can use the Windows 11 media creation tool to create an installation package on a USB flash drive or CD. It is worth noting that please backup Windows 11 to a USB drive in advance to avoid losing any important data.

  1. Insert the installation media, and then restart your computer.
  2. Press a specified key (usually F2 or F11) when the computer starts up to boot into BIOS and modify the boot order so that your computer will boot from the installation disk.
  3. When loaded, click Install now, and follow the instruction to complete the process​.

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A Simpler Way to Bring Windows 11 Back to Normal

If the above methods do not help you solve the problem, you may consider creating a system backup and bootable disk from another Windows 11 computer that is running well to help you get the problematic computer back to normal. The powerful backup and restore software - AOMEI Backupper can give you a hand.

★ It enables you to create the system image for Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista. With this system image backup, you can restore Windows to an earlier normal state, solving many system issues.

★ With it, you can easily create a bootable USB drive to perform system restore in WinPE even when the computer fails to boot.

★ This software provides you with multiple functions to protect your data and system in all aspects, including file backup & synchronization, hard disk clone and other powerful tools.

Next, we will show you how to reboot the problematic computer via AOMEI Backupper. Download the software to get started:

AOMEI Backupper

Best free Windows backup and restore software for personal use.

🧱 Preparations:  Go to Backup tab and choose System Backup to create a system image for recovery needs.  Go to Tools tab and use Create Bootable Media tool to make a recovery media in case the computer fails to boot.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper. Click Restore on the left side. Then, click Select Task or Select Image File to find the system image you created before.

Step 2. Select the system backup in the following window and then click Next.

Step 3. Then, select to restore the entire backup or a part and click Next.

Step 4. Then, click Start Restore to execute the progress. When the progress is complete, click Finish to exit.

Tip✍: ✦ Universal Restore: If the system image is created on another PC with different hardware, you need to tick Universal Restore to make sure the computer can boot up after restoration (supported by professional edition).

Wrap Up

In conclusion, the "No bootable device found on Windows 11" error can be caused by various reasons, but the above methods should help you fix it quickly. For example, you can try removing peripheral devices and checking cables, checking the boot order in BIOS, running Startup Repair, or reinstalling Windows 11.

Alternatively, you can create a system backup and bootable disk using AOMEI Backupper to restore Windows 11 to an earlier normal state and solve the problem. AOMEI Backupper also offers the automatic file sync feature. Try it now to discover more!