What is TPM?
A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is utilized to enhance the security of your PC. It is employed by services such as BitLocker drive encryption and Windows Hello, among others, to securely generate and store cryptographic keys. Additionally, it verifies the authenticity of your device’s operating system and firmware, ensuring they haven’t been tampered with.
Generally, it is a standalone chip on the motherboard, although the TPM 2.0 standard permits manufacturers like Intel or AMD to integrate TPM capabilities into their chipsets, eliminating the need for a separate chip.
TPM has been in existence for over two decades and has been incorporated into PCs since around 2005. As of this writing, in 2016, TPM version 2.0 became the standard in new PCs.
Does My PC Already Have TPM?
There’s a good chance your PC already has TPM, and if it’s less than five years old, you likely have TPM 2.0.
To check if your Windows 10 PC has TPM, navigate to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device Security. If TPM is present, you’ll see a “Security processor” section on the screen.
The next step is to determine the version of TPM your PC has. Click on “Security processor details,” and look for the “Specification version” on the subsequent screen. It should indicate either “1.2” or “2.0.”
How to Enable TPM 2.0 in BIOS
How to enable TPM in BIOS? The TPM 2.0 enable process is very simple. You just need to do 2 steps.
Step 1: Enter BIOS. Most PCs can enter BIOS in this way
Select Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Restart now, and then from the next screen, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart. Of course, there are other ways:
Use the BIOS key: Shut the PC completely. Power on the PC. When the PC logo appears, press the BIOS key. The BIOS key may be Del, F1, F2, F10, Esc, etc. You can try them.
Microsoft Surface Only: Shut down your Surface. Press and hold the volume-up button on your Surface and at the same time, press and release the power button. When you see the Surface logo, release the volume-up button. The UEFI menu will display within a few seconds.
Step 2: Enable TPM 2.0
You need to go to the Advanced, Security, or Trusted Computing tab. Then, enable the TPM. It may be labeled Security Device, Security Device Support, TPM State, AMD fTPM switch, AMD PSP fTPM, Intel PTT, or Intel Platform Trust Technology.
Dell: For Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision, Vostro, and select XPS, go to Security, select TPM 2.0 Security, and select TPM On. For Alienware, go to Security and set Firmware TPM to enabled. For Inspiron, select Security and switch the toggle under Intel Platform Trust Technology to On.
Lenovo: Go to Security > Security Chip. Then, check to see if the Security Chip Type is TPM and if the Security Chip is Enabled.
Microsoft Surface: Once you enter BIOS, you will see the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Make sure it is enabled.
HP: Go to the Security tab to make sure the TPM Device status is Available. Then, change TPM State to Enabled.
ASUS: For Intel motherboards, go to the AdvancedPCH-FW Configuration page and enable PTT. For AMD motherboards, go to the AdvancedAMD fTPM configuration page and switch the TPM Device Selection option to Firmware TPM.
If your computer is not listed in the aforementioned solutions, you will need to contact your computer vendor’s customer service to inquire further about how to access the BIOS and enable TPM 2.0.
