Electronic Arts has added a new gate to the PC door for Battlefield 6: the game now refuses to run on Windows machines that do not present a modern platform trust stack — specifically Secure Boot enabled (UEFI) and TPM 2.0 active — and many of the step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting flows being shared across the community reflect that enforcement and the practical paths players must take to regain access.
Background / Overview
Battlefield 6's enforcement is not an isolated developer decision; it’s part of a broader industry shift toward requiring hardware-backed attestation for multiplayer anti-cheat. Secure Boot (a UEFI firmware feature) ensures only cryptographically signed bootloaders and low-level components run during startup, while TPM 2.0 supplies a hardware root of trust for keys and attestation. Combined with a GPT partition scheme (required for native UEFI boot on Windows), these elements form the modern baseline publishers are using to make kernel‑level anti‑cheat meaningful.Microsoft normalized many of these requirements as part of the Windows 11 baseline, which is why most machines capable of running Windows 11 are already compliant. For Windows 10 users, however, legacy BIOS/MBR setups remain common and typically need conversion and firmware toggles to comply. Multiple community guides and industry writeups document a validated path: back up, validate disk and BitLocker state, use Microsoft’s mbr2gpt tool when allowed, switch firmware to UEFI, enable TPM (sometimes called PTT or fTPM), and enable Secure Boot.
Why publishers require Secure Boot and TPM (the technical rationale)
Secure Boot and TPM together raise the bar against several advanced cheat vectors:- Secure Boot prevents unsigned or tampered early‑boot components (bootkits/rootkits) from loading, closing a major avenue for cheats that subvert anti‑cheat before the OS or anti‑cheat drivers initialize.
- TPM 2.0 enables measured-boot and device attestation: anti‑cheat systems can cryptographically verify that a machine booted in an expected state and that keys or measurements are protected by hardware.
- GPT/UEFI is required for Secure Boot to function on Windows and for the modern boot model most anti‑cheat stacks expect.
Immediate impact on players: who is affected
Most relatively recent desktops and laptops (machines sold since roughly 2012–2016, depending on vendor) already have UEFI and either discrete TPM or firmware TPM (fTPM/PTT). Many of these systems simply need a firmware toggle and a short conversion to GPT. But several groups face real friction:- Owners of older motherboards that only support legacy BIOS/MBR.
- Users who dual‑boot with unsigned Linux kernels or use custom bootloaders (these setups can break under Secure Boot unless shim/signed bootloaders are used).
- Steam Deck and many Proton/SteamOS users, where the Secure Boot + kernel anti‑cheat model is non‑trivial to satisfy.
- Machines managed by corporate IT with TPM disabled by policy; changing firmware there may be prohibited.
How to check if your PC already meets the requirements
Before changing anything, check these from within Windows:- Run System Information (msinfo32) and look for BIOS Mode (should read UEFI) and Secure Boot State (should read On).
- Run tpm.msc (Windows + R → tpm.msc) and confirm Specification Version is 2.0 and that the TPM is ready for use.
- Open Disk Management → right‑click your boot disk → Properties → Volumes and confirm Partition style = GUID (GPT). If it reads MBR, you will need to convert before enabling Secure Boot.
Step‑by‑step: enable Secure Boot and TPM safely (validated sequence)
These steps summarize the non‑destructive path used widely by support articles and community experts. Do not skip the backups.- Back up everything important (full disk image recommended). Suspend BitLocker and save recovery keys if BitLocker is in use.
- Verify current state in Windows (msinfo32, tpm.msc, Disk Management).
- If the boot disk is MBR, run Microsoft’s MBR2GPT tool to convert (non‑destructively when preconditions are met):
- Validate first: mbr2gpt.exe /validate /disk:X /allowFullOS (replace X with disk number).
- Convert only if validate succeeds: mbr2gpt.exe /convert /disk:X /allowFullOS.
Microsoft’s tool enforces strict preconditions (partition counts, space for headers, valid BCD). If validation fails, address the listed issues or choose a clean install.
- Reboot to UEFI/BIOS firmware (via Advanced Startup or firmware key like DEL/F2). Enable TPM (look for labels such as Intel PTT, AMD fTPM, Security Device Support). Save and exit.
- Switch Boot Mode to UEFI only (disable CSM/Legacy), then enable Secure Boot (sometimes as Windows UEFI Mode or Standard/Default keys). If Secure Boot is greyed out, look for options to Restore Factory Keys or ensure you are in UEFI mode.
- Boot back into Windows and verify: msinfo32 should show BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On; tpm.msc should report Specification Version: 2.0. Re-enable BitLocker if used and recreate protectors as needed.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
- BitLocker recovery prompts: If BitLocker is active and not suspended before conversion or firmware changes, Windows can prompt for recovery keys. Always suspend BitLocker first and have recovery keys accessible.
- Greyed-out Secure Boot: Often a symptom of still-running Legacy/CSM mode or missing GPT partitioning. Convert to GPT and ensure firmware is in UEFI mode; then factory keys may need to be restored in the Secure Boot menu.
- Unsupported hardware: Some older boards simply lack Secure Boot capability or TPM 2.0 support. In those cases, replacing the motherboard or the entire PC may be the only path.
- Dual‑boot Linux breakage: Enabling Secure Boot can block unsigned GRUB kernels. Solutions include using a signed shim, enrolling keys, or temporarily disabling Secure Boot (which will block Battlefield’s enforcement). These solutions are advanced and distro‑dependent.
- Firmware bugs and fTPM/PTT quirks: Vendors have released BIOS updates to fix false-negative TPM detection and other issues; updating firmware is often the first and most effective troubleshooting step. Apply BIOS updates only after backing up and understanding rollback procedures.
Troubleshooting checklist if Battlefield still reports Secure Boot/TPM disabled
- Fully power off (shutdown, not sleep) then boot; some firmware re-checks only after a full power cycle.
- Re-run msinfo32 and tpm.msc to confirm state; use PowerShell’s Confirm-SecureBootUEFI for extra verification.
- Update UEFI/BIOS and Windows to latest releases; many anti‑cheat issues were resolved during beta with firmware/driver patches.
- If a third‑party kernel anti‑cheat is installed (Riot Vanguard, Valve/other drivers), uninstall or disable conflicting drivers temporarily and retry, following vendor guidance.
- If MBR2GPT validate fails, inspect partition layout (primary partition limits, reserved partitions) and address with careful partition edits or migrate via clean install.
Strengths: what this buys players and servers
- Stronger anti‑cheat posture: Hardware-enforced attestation and Secure Boot make certain kernel-level and pre‑OS cheats much harder to execute and hide. This improves fairness in competitive multiplayer and reduces the prevalence of sophisticated cheat rings.
- Platform consistency: Aligning PC requirements with the Windows 11 baseline reduces fragmentation and simplifies long-term support for publishers and anti‑cheat teams.
- Cross-industry momentum: Multiple major publishers adopting the same primitives creates a broader security baseline that benefits the game ecosystem as a whole.
Risks and trade‑offs: the case against mandatory attestation
- Exclusion of legacy and alternative setups: Many enthusiasts, Linux users, and owners of older hardware are effectively locked out unless they replace or significantly reconfigure their systems. This raises accessibility and fairness questions in the community.
- Privacy and telemetry concerns: TPM-backed attestation and platform telemetry create stronger bindings between device identity and online services, prompting legitimate concerns about what measurements are collected and how they’re used. These concerns require clear publisher transparency and minimal attestation vectors.
- Support overhead and user friction: The initial enforcement phases produce high volumes of support requests, BitLocker recovery incidents, and confusion for users unfamiliar with firmware and partitioning concepts.
- Potential for overreach: Whenever platform-level attestation becomes a gating condition, the risk exists that it could be used for purposes beyond cheat prevention, unless explicitly limited by policy and transparency commitments. Flagged vendor telemetry figures and claimed "cheats prevented" numbers should be treated as vendor claims unless independently verified.
Practical decision matrix: convert, replace, or skip?
- Consider conversion when: your motherboard supports UEFI and fTPM/PTT, you can satisfy mbr2gpt preconditions, you prefer to preserve your current Windows installation, and the time/cost to convert is less than replacing hardware.
- Consider a hardware refresh when: the motherboard lacks UEFI/Secure Boot/TPM, vendor firmware updates are unavailable, or the system is end‑of‑life economically.
- Consider skipping or playing on alternative platforms (console, cloud, or waiting for Proton/Steam Deck solutions) if your rig is not worth the conversion cost or you rely on an unsupported OS configuration.
A checklist for players who plan to enable Secure Boot and continue playing
- Full disk image backup plus offsite copy.
- Suspend or decrypt BitLocker and save recovery keys.
- Check Windows version and install latest cumulative updates.
- Run msinfo32, tpm.msc, and Disk Management to identify exactly which step you must take.
- If MBR, validate and convert with mbr2gpt only after ensuring preconditions.
- Update firmware (UEFI/BIOS) from the motherboard/OEM site.
- Reboot into firmware, enable TPM (PTT/fTPM), set Boot Mode to UEFI, and enable Secure Boot. Confirm in Windows, then re-enable BitLocker if necessary.
The broader industry and the road ahead
The move to require Secure Boot and TPM for flagship PC titles signals a lasting change: hardware-backed attestation is now part of the modern multiplayer security playbook. Publishers will likely continue to enforce platform trust where they believe it materially improves anti‑cheat effectiveness, and platform operators (Microsoft, Valve) will continue to surface compatibility checks in their tooling and stores. At the same time, the community and independent outlets will keep pressing for transparency, better support flows, and accommodations for alternative platform users.Some questions remain open and merit caution: vendor-provided telemetry about "cheats prevented" is valuable but not independently verifiable without third‑party data; any long‑term expansion of attestation beyond anti‑cheat should be governed by clear privacy rules and limited telemetry collection; and multi‑boot/Proton users need robust pathways to keep their setups viable without wholesale exclusion. These are policy and technical conversations the industry must continue to have publicly.
Conclusion
Battlefield 6’s Secure Boot and TPM requirement crystallizes a turning point for PC gaming: platform-level security primitives that were once optional are now material to what players can run. For many gamers the fix is straightforward — a firmware toggle, a validated MBR→GPT conversion, or a BIOS update — but for a nontrivial minority the enforced baseline means replacement, reconfiguration, or finding alternate ways to play. The trade‑off is clear: stronger defense against advanced cheats and improved server-side attestation versus increased friction and exclusion for legacy and non‑standard systems. The responsible path forward combines robust, well-documented technical guidance, transparent telemetry practices from publishers, and careful accommodation for non‑standard platforms to preserve the openness that has long been a hallmark of the PC ecosystem.Source: TechRadar Battlefield 6 Secure Boot – how to enable Secure Boot for Windows 11 and Windows 10
Source: geneonline.com Battlefield 6 Update Requires Secure Boot Enabled on Windows 11 and 10 Systems - GeneOnline News