Black Ops 7 Beta Won’t Launch? Here’s the Quick Fix — Enable Secure Boot & TPM 2.0
Activision requires both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 enabled on Windows PCs to run the Black Ops 7 beta. If these settings aren’t active, the game will prompt you to enable them and you’ll need to change firmware (BIOS/UEFI) settings to proceed.
How to enable secure boot on Windows PC
BIOS and UEFI menus vary by manufacturer, so the exact names and locations will differ. However, the general process is consistent across most systems:
- Restart the PC and repeatedly press the key to enter firmware setup. Common keys are DEL, F2, F10, or ESC.
- You can sometimes get to the firmware by using Windows advanced startup and selecting UEFI Firmware Settings, though this option isn’t always present.
- In the firmware, look for a tab or menu called Security, Boot, or Authentication.
- Find Secure Boot and enable it.
- If a prompt appears, follow on-screen instructions. Typical actions include adding a Platform Key or disabling CSM (Compatibility Support Module) so Secure Boot can take effect.
- Save changes and restart your PC.
Tip: if Secure Boot is greyed out, check for CSM or legacy boot options and switch your drive to UEFI mode if necessary.
How to enable TPM 2.0
Enabling TPM is also done in firmware. Follow these steps:
- Enter the BIOS/UEFI setup again.
- Find a menu named Security, Advanced, or Trusted Computing.
- Look for entries called TPM Device, Security Device, Intel PTT, or AMD fTPM.
- Enable the option, save changes, and restart the PC.
If you hit problems, this official explainer from Activision may help with specific firmware settings or troubleshooting.
There is a chance that enabling both Secure Boot and TPM will cause display issues on restart. For example, one reported case required resetting the motherboard CMOS to recover display output. If that happens, power down, locate the coin-cell battery on the motherboard, remove it, wait about five minutes to discharge residual power, then reinstall it and reboot. This resets firmware settings to defaults.
Why does Black Ops 7 require secure boot and TPM?
Activision and other developers are adding hardware-level checks as part of anti-cheat measures. In short, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 make the system environment harder to tamper with, which helps anti-cheat software detect or block cheating tools more reliably. For example, similar requirements were used by other modern multiplayer shooters like Battlefield 6.
These measures are intended to improve online integrity and reduce cheating, but their effectiveness depends on implementation and ongoing updates to anti-cheat systems.
