How to Switch Between Graphical and Text-Based Multiboot Menus in Windows 11

Switching Between Visual and Text-Only Boot Menus in Windows 11

This whole thing kicked off for me when I wanted to switch between the shiny graphical boot menu—complete with icons and pretty backgrounds—and the old-school text menu, which just shows a simple list navigated with arrow keys. Maybe you’re in the same boat—preferring clicking with a mouse over using the keyboard, or vice versa—and found out it’s not as simple as flicking a switch. I had to dig around in BIOS, experiment with bcdedit, and restart a dozen times before I finally got it sorted.

What’s the real difference, anyway?

The main difference is how the menu looks and how you interact with it. The graphical multiboot menu is the showstopper—icons, background images, maybe some animations, and usually a timer for auto-booting. It’s user-friendly and looks great, especially if you’ve got multiple operating systems or boot options set up. You can tweak it pretty easily through the GUI, configuration files, or using BCDEdit.

The text-based menu is the old-school style—just a simple list of options you scroll through with the arrow keys, no fancy visuals. Sometimes, it’s quicker, especially if your system isn’t fussed with fancy graphics, and it can make troubleshooting a whole lot easier. On my older ASUS build, this menu was buried somewhere in BIOS settings, but these days, it’s controlled through Windows’ boot configuration.

How to switch TO the graphical boot menu

This is where things got a bit tricky for me. First up, open an elevated Command Prompt. To do that, right-click the Start menu, select Run as administrator, type cmd, and hit Enter. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter after typing cmd. You might see the User Account Control prompt — just click OK to proceed.

Once it’s open, enter this command:

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy standard

This command sets Windows to use the ‘standard’ (graphical) boot menu style. Think of it like switching modes in the bootloader. After running it, give it a moment, then reboot your PC (you can do a Shift + Restart from the login screen or just restart normally). When Windows boots up again, you should see a nice, visual menu with icons and backgrounds.

It’s worth noting—sometimes the change doesn’t apply immediately, or Windows defaults back to the legacy style for some reason. If that happens, try running the command again or verify that the bootmenupolicy is set correctly. Also, check your BIOS/UEFI settings, as some options—like Secure Boot, Fast Boot, or Compatibility Support Module (CSM)—can override Windows’ choices. On my older PCs, I found key options under Boot or Security sections of BIOS, often hidden behind multiple menus. So if it’s not working right away, those are good places to look.

Switching back to the plain text menu

If you prefer the good old text menu, just run this command instead:

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy legacy

This reverts everything back to a DOS-style list—no graphics, just options you move between with arrow keys. After executing it, restart your PC and during boot, you’ll see that simple list again. It’s just flipping a setting in the BCD. For safety, I always recommend exporting a backup of your BCD before making changes, in case something goes awry. You can do that with:

bcdedit /export C:\backup_bcd

If needed, restore your backup with:

bcdedit /import C:\backup_bcd

From experience, making sure you run the Command Prompt as administrator is essential—if you don’t, the commands won’t work or you’ll get errors.

Extra tips I found handy

Always back up your BCD first—it’s a lifesaver if things go sideways.
If the menu isn’t switching as expected, double-check you ran the command as admin and review the syntax. The {current} GUID works in most cases, but you can list all entries with bcdedit /enum to be certain.
Sometimes, a reboot or clearing certain BIOS settings related to boot — like Secure Boot or UEFI modes — can help everything line up correctly.

Admittedly, it’s not a perfect or totally seamless process—sometimes you’re flying blind, especially on OEM systems that lock things down or hide options. But with some patience and trial and error, I managed to get my preferred setup working. Just sharing in case it helps others pulling their hair out at midnight.

In summary

This isn’t a one-click, entirely straightforward toggle, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty manageable. Remember: back up your BCD before making changes, run commands as an administrator, and check BIOS settings if things seem off. I hope this helps—took me ages to figure out, but now I prefer the graphical menu, with the text one as a backup. Playing around with boot options can feel a bit like juggling a time bomb, but it’s worth the effort to customise your setup.

Hopefully, this saves someone else a weekend’s worth of frustration. Good luck, and happy booting!