Black Ops 7: Secure & Ready

To bolster security and curb cheating, the upcoming Black Ops 7 PC beta demands Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be active on your Windows system.

While these features might already be enabled for some, others will encounter a notification upon launching Call of Duty – assuming you’ve figured out how to access the Black Ops 7 beta. This prompt will guide you to enable the requirements. However, completing this involves adjusting settings within your computer’s BIOS.

This guide will walk you through enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, allowing you to dive into the Black Ops 7 beta. Activision has also produced a helpful video demonstrating the process, which we suggest watching first. For detailed written instructions, continue below.

How to enable Secure Boot on Windows PC

Keep in mind that BIOS menus vary based on the manufacturer. Therefore, providing a comprehensive, universal guide is impossible. However, most BIOS setups share similar steps.

1. Initiate the BIOS by restarting your computer and repeatedly pressing the DEL, F2, F10, or ESC key during startup.
   1. Note: You may also find a UEFI Firmware Settings option within your advanced settings. However, this particular option was not available in my case.
2. Within the BIOS interface, look for a section labeled Security, Boot, or Authentication.
3. Locate the Secure Boot setting and activate it.
4. If a pop-up window appears with further instructions, follow them. These might involve adding a Platform Key or disabling CSM (Compatibility Support Module) mode.
5. Save your changes and restart your Windows PC.

How to enable TPM 2.0

1. Re-enter the BIOS.
2. Search for a menu labeled Security, Advanced, or Trusted Computing.
3. Find an option named TPM Device, Security Device, Intel PTT, or AMD fTPM.
4. Enable the chosen option, save your changes, and restart your Windows PC once more.

If you encounter any difficulties, Activision’s official explanation might offer further assistance.

Be aware that enabling these settings could potentially lead to a situation where your computer fails to display any output after restarting. This occurred during testing, but there’s a solution: perform a BIOS reset by removing the CMOS battery. Locate the small, coin-shaped battery on your motherboard, remove it, wait approximately five minutes to allow any residual power to dissipate, and then reinstall the battery. Reports suggest this may be an isolated incident.

Why does Black Ops 7 require Secure Boot and TPM?

Black Ops 7, alongside other modern multiplayer titles like Battlefield 6, is implementing enhanced security measures to ensure fair online gameplay. By mandating these hardware-level security features, the game aims to significantly reduce the likelihood of cheating. Furthermore, the anti-cheat system should be more effective at identifying and preventing cheaters. Ideally, this means Black Ops 7 will offer a more cheat-free online environment than previous entries in the series.

At least, that’s the hope.