Getting a new Lenovo laptop up and running or bringing one back to life after a reset usually feels like turning the page. But it doesn’t take much for things to go off track. You might just be installing some updates or changing a few settings, and suddenly the screen freezes or the BIOS locks up. Firmware updates are meant to make your system more stable, not add new headaches.
That’s why knowing exactly how to handle a Lenovo firmware update, from choosing the right tool to recovering from boot errors, makes all the difference. In this guide, I’ll cut through the confusion and take you step-by-step through the process, so you can update confidently and get your system ready for real work.
Lenovo Firmware Update – What It Is & Why It Matters
If you want to learn how to update firmware on Lenovo laptop, understanding what a Lenovo firmware update actually does is the first thing we need to cover. I had to get familiar with it after running into strange boot issues and hardware quirks. When performance dips without a clear reason, checking for a firmware update has often pointed me in the right direction.
What is Firmware?
Firmware is the link between your Lenovo laptop’s hardware and operating system, stored on a chip inside the motherboard. It runs every time you power on the device. This includes BIOS or its modern version, UEFI, which handles startup tasks like detecting your drive and initializing hardware. Without it, Windows wouldn’t even know how to boot.
Lenovo uses UEFI firmware to manage all this, and like any other software, it gets updates. These updates can fix bugs, improve performance, and enhance compatibility especially important for newer operating systems like Windows 11. Lenovo delivers these updates in a few different ways:
Windows Update can include critical firmware patches if your system supports it.
Lenovo Vantage, a utility app you can install from the Microsoft Store, is the company’s preferred tool for managing BIOS and driver updates.
fwupd is an open-source option for Linux users that allows firmware updates without needing to boot into Windows at all.
No matter which operating system you’re on, keeping your firmware updated is one of the best things you can do to maintain system health and stability.
Why Update Your Lenovo Firmware?
You might not think about firmware much, but keeping it updated can make a real difference in how your Lenovo laptop performs day to day. It can solve weird glitches, boost efficiency, and even prepare your system for major upgrades. If your laptop has been acting up or just feels slower than it should, a firmware update might be exactly what it needs.
Fix system bugs: Firmware updates often resolve infuriating issues like random reboots, freezing, or unresponsive touchpads, things that don’t always have obvious causes.
Improve thermal control and battery efficiency: Updates can refine how your system manages heat and power, helping your laptop stay cooler and last longer on a single charge.
Enhance security and TPM compatibility (Windows 11-ready): New firmware versions strengthen protection against low-level threats and make sure your device is ready for features like Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module support required by Windows 11.
How to Update Firmware on a Lenovo Laptop
Updating your Lenovo firmware isn’t something you do every day, but when the time comes, it’s worth doing right. You’ve got a few different tools to choose from, and each has its own way of handling the job. The important part is making sure your system’s ready and that you don’t skip the details. Let’s go through the steps one by one.
Step 1: Start by using the search bar to find "Command Prompt", and then click on the "Run as Administrator" option to open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
Step 2: In Command Prompt, type the following command and press “Enter”, to get your version number:
wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion
Step 3: Next, choose your update method:
Lenovo Vantage: This is the most user-friendly option. You can download it from the Microsoft Store, open the app, and run a quick system scan.
Lenovo System Update: If you prefer more control over what gets installed, this tool lets you pick and apply specific BIOS and driver updates from Lenovo’s support software.
Manual Update: For advanced users, you can head to Lenovo’s official website, search for your laptop model, and download the latest BIOS file.
Note: Before you install anything, make sure your laptop is plugged into its charger. Back up important files just to be safe, and if BitLocker is enabled, you may need to temporarily disable it to avoid boot problems after the update.
Step 4: Run the update using your chosen tool and follow the on-screen instructions. Your laptop will reboot and flash the BIOS.
Step 5: After the system restarts, open Command Prompt again and rerun:
wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion
If you see a new version number, your update was successful. From here, test your system and consider installing WPS Office to get back to work quickly.
Common Lenovo Firmware Update Problems—and How to Fix Them
Things don’t always go according to plan during a firmware update, even if you’ve done everything right. I’ve dealt with my share of Lenovo BIOS update issues like getting stuck on the Lenovo logo or running into updates that won’t install. It’s annoying, yes, but usually fixable. Here are some of the most common problems I’ve come across and how to sort them out.
Boot Failures After Update
Getting stuck on the Lenovo logo after a firmware update can be a heart-stopper. The system might look like it’s bricked, but chances are the update just didn’t settle in properly during the reboot.
Problem: After restarting, the laptop freezes on the Lenovo splash screen or gets stuck in an endless loading loop. This usually happens when the BIOS update doesn't complete cleanly or conflicts with certain startup settings.
Fix: Power off the device, turn it back on, and press F1 or F2 repeatedly to enter the BIOS. Once you're in, select “Load Setup Defaults” or “Reset to Default Settings”, then save and exit.
Secure Boot & GRUB Wipeouts (Linux Users)
Dual-booting with Linux? Firmware updates sometimes reset Secure Boot and overwrite GRUB bootloaders, leaving Linux completely inaccessible after restart.
Problem: The GRUB boot menu disappears, and the system boots straight into Windows every time. This happens because the update resets UEFI settings or wipes the GRUB entry from the bootloader.
Fix: Boot into a live Linux USB (like Ubuntu or Fedora), open a terminal, and use commands like sudo grub-install and sudo update-grub to reinstall GRUB on the EFI partition. Before future updates, back up your boot entries using a tool like efibootmgr.
Firmware Update Fails with Errors
Sometimes the update doesn’t even get that far. You might see an error popup, or nothing happens at all, one of the more common cases being when a Lenovo system firmware update failed mid-process or refused to appear entirely.
Problem: The update tool throws errors like “ERROR 105” (common on Linux), or Lenovo Vantage doesn’t list any BIOS updates despite your version being outdated. Occasionally, the update gets stuck in a loop and never completes.
Fix: Start by running Lenovo’s built-in Diagnostics tool from their support site to check for hidden issues. If you’re on Linux, make sure your system is fully up to date and that fwupd is properly configured. On Windows, try downloading the update manually from Lenovo’s support page.
Hardware Safety Tips
You don’t need a hardware failure to end up in a mess, just skipping a few precautions can cause major problems. A little preparation goes a long way here.
Problem: Interrupting the update process or running it with low battery can lead to BIOS corruption. If your system shuts down mid-update, it may not boot at all afterward, and recovery can be complicated.
Fix: Always connect your laptop to a reliable power source and ensure the battery is at least 50% charged before starting the update. Close all other programs and avoid touching the system during the update.
WPS Office – The Ideal Post-Update Companion
After finishing the firmware update, I wanted to test things out without disrupting the system. I had a few financial documents to open and some notes to pull together, but nothing that justified a full Office install. I came across WPS Office while browsing around. It handled the basics smoothly and let me ease back into work without overloading the setup. I didn’t expect much, but it turned out to be just enough for what I needed at that moment.
After the firmware update, I didn’t want to lose track of what I’d already configured. Between reinstalling drivers, checking BIOS settings, and reapplying system preferences, there were a lot of moving parts. I kept WPS Office open in the background as a sort of scratchpad, it helped me stay organized in a few simple ways:
WPS Writer: I used this to note which apps and utilities I had reinstalled, which BIOS version I updated to, and small reminders like re-enabling BitLocker or setting up sync tools.
WPS Spreadsheet: Perfect for logging driver versions, update dates, and device settings. It helped me keep things in one place, especially when cross-checking Lenovo Vantage or support downloads.
WPS PDF: I opened a few Lenovo support PDFs here, highlighted the parts I needed, and skipped over the rest. It made following troubleshooting steps a lot easier.
WPS Presentation: I didn’t need anything fancy, but it was useful for laying out steps visually when I wanted to explain the process to someone else setting up their Lenovo.
Once the basics were covered, I tried out a few of the AI tools just to see what they could do. They came in handy in small ways like organizing update logs or cleaning up spreadsheet entries I’d pasted in from different sources. The features I ended up using most were:
AI Formula Assistant: I typed in plain-language questions like “total updates by device” and got back working formulas without having to dig through Excel-style menus.
AI Chart Recommendations: When tracking install progress or comparing update versions across devices, this made it easier to visualize the data without overthinking the layout.
It wasn’t about doing everything in one app, it was just useful to have something lightweight on hand while getting things back in order.
FAQs About Lenovo Firmware Update
1. Will updating firmware delete my files?
No. But it's still smart to back up in case of unexpected issues.
2. Why won’t my laptop boot after updating?
Secure Boot may have caused issues. Try resetting BIOS or using recovery media.
3. Can I still use Office apps after reinstalling Windows?
Microsoft Office may expire. WPS Office is a free and compatible alternative.
4. Is WPS Office safe after a clean install?
Absolutely. It’s been tested across Lenovo systems and works great out of the box.
5. I lost GRUB after updating, how do I get it back?
Boot into a Linux live USB and reinstall GRUB. WPS Office runs on Linux, too!
Keeping Your Lenovo Setup Solid with WPS
Getting through a Lenovo firmware update especially after a reset feels like finally having your machine listen to you again. The crashes stop, the boot issues fade, and suddenly things just work. But once everything’s stable, it’s worth having tools that help you stay that way. WPS Office has been that quiet constant for me, just reliable enough to handle the notes, logs, and setup steps without adding to the noise. After the technical stuff is done, it’s the kind of app that keeps your system running smoothly in the background while you get back to real work.
