How to Fix "Secure Boot is not enabled on this machine" in FIFA 23

Have you been eagerly awaiting the release of FIFA 23, only to be stopped in your tracks by the dreaded "Secure Boot is not enabled on this machine" error? As a fellow soccer gaming fanatic, I feel your pain. This frustrating technical issue is preventing countless players from enjoying the latest entry in the popular FIFA franchise.

Not to worry – help is on the way!

In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through how to fix the "Secure Boot not enabled" message in FIFA 23. With over a decade of experience in PC gaming and technology, I‘ll help you get back on the pitch in no time with some proven solutions. Let‘s kick things off!

Why Am I Seeing the "Secure Boot not enabled" Error?

Before we dig into the fixes, it‘s important to understand what‘s causing this error in the first place.

The "Secure Boot not enabled" message relates to a specific security feature called Secure Boot. Secure Boot is a protocol that‘s part of your computer‘s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) firmware. When enabled, Secure Boot prevents unauthorized applications and malware from loading when you boot up your machine.

FIFA 23 requires that Secure Boot is active in order to launch properly. The game includes anti-tampering technology called EA Anticheat. For this to function, Secure Boot must be switched on.

If Secure Boot is disabled on your PC, FIFA 23 detects this and throws up the "not enabled" error message. Essentially, it‘s a security check that‘s failing and preventing the game from starting up.

Now this could be because Secure Boot is indeed disabled in your BIOS. However, the more likely cause is a conflict between FIFA 23 and your system environment. Things like antivirus software or the EA Anticheat module itself can sometimes clash with the game, leading to the error incorrectly appearing.

Luckily, there are a few straightforward troubleshooting steps we can take to resolve this. Let‘s run through them now…

Enable Secure Boot in your PC‘s BIOS

Let‘s first check to see if Secure Boot is actually disabled in your BIOS. Here‘s how to check and enable it:

Reboot your computer and enter the BIOS menu by pressing F2, F10, Delete or whichever key prompts you to enter BIOS during boot.
Navigate to the Boot tab, often found on the left-side menu.
Look for a setting called Secure Boot or something similar. Enable this option if it‘s currently disabled.
You may need to disable CSM (Compatibility Support Module) first before enabling Secure Boot on some systems.
Save changes and exit BIOS. Allow your computer to restart.

With Secure Boot now active in your BIOS, try running FIFA 23 again. There‘s a good chance this may have resolved the issue already.

Run Origin/EA App as an Administrator

If you still see the error, don‘t worry. We can try elevating the privileges of Origin or EA Desktop app before launching FIFA 23. Here‘s how:

On Windows 11:

Right click the Origin/EA app shortcut on your desktop or Start menu.
Select "Run as administrator" from the context menu.
When prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to allow the app to make changes.
Origin/EA will launch with admin rights, allowing FIFA 23 to open.

On Windows 10:

Right click the Origin/EA app shortcut, then go to Properties > Compatibility tab.
Check the box next to "Run this program as an administrator."
Click OK to save changes. Now launch Origin/EA normally and it will run with admin privileges.

Running the app as an admin helps bypass permissions issues that may be interfering with FIFA 23‘s launch. Give it a shot and see if the game opens normally now.

Add FIFA 23 to Your Antivirus Exceptions List

Another potential culprit is your antivirus software misidentifying FIFA 23 as some kind of threat. Your AV app‘s real-time protection can block apps it deems suspicious – sometimes incorrectly flagging legitimate programs.

To prevent this, we can add FIFA 23 as an exception to your antivirus. Here are steps for some popular options:

Windows Security / Defender:

Open Windows Security settings (type ‘Security‘ into Start to find it).
Click App & Browser control > Reputation-based protection settings.
Under Allow apps through Controlled folder access, click Add an allowed app and select FIFA 23.

Norton:

Open Norton app and click Settings. Go to Real-Time Protection > Exclusions.
Click Add Exclusion and choose FIFA 23 install folder.

AVG:

In AVG, go to Menu > Settings > Exceptions.
Click Add Exception and browse to FIFA 23 folder location.

Avast:

Open Avast and go to Settings > General > Exclusions.
Click Add Exclusion and select the FIFA 23 install directory.

With FIFA 23 now excluded from your antivirus scans, it should be able to launch without any conflicts.

Temporarily Disable Antivirus Real-Time Scanning

If adding exceptions doesn‘t work, we can take things a step further by fully disabling your antivirus real-time protection for a short time while we test.

Here are the steps for some major antivirus apps:

Windows Security:

Open Windows Security settings. Go to Virus & Threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings.
Turn off Real-time protection. Don‘t forget to turn it back on after testing FIFA 23!

Norton:

Open Norton and click Settings > Real-Time Protection.
Uncheck Enable Real-Time Protection, then launch FIFA 23.
Return here after testing and re-enable Real-Time Protection.

McAfee:

Open McAfee and go to the main Home section.
Toggle the Real-Time Scanning switch to Off.
Test FIFA 23, then come back and turn Real-Time Scanning back on.

AVG:

In AVG, go to Options > Advanced Settings > Real-Time Protection.
Uncheck Enable Real-Time Protection and launch FIFA 23.
Come back and re-check it to turn protection back on after testing.

With antivirus real-time scanning disabled, FIFA should now start up without the "Secure Boot" error getting in the way.

Uninstall and Reinstall EA Anticheat

The EA Anticheat module that comes bundled with FIFA 23 could also potentially be causing a conflict. We can reinstall it from scratch to see if that fixes things.

Here are the steps to fully uninstall and reinstall EA Anticheat:

Browse to your FIFA 23 install directory, usually something like C:\Program Files\FIFA 23.
Locate the EA Anticheat folder within this directory.
Run the UninstallEAnticheat.exe executable found in this folder. This will remove EA Anticheat.
Launch Origin/EA Desktop app as administrator, then open FIFA 23 through it.
When prompted, accept the EA Anticheat setup. This will reinstall it fresh.

Rebuilding EA Anticheat in this manner can clear up any corrupted files or issues that may have been causing the "Secure Boot not enabled" message initially.

Update Your BIOS and Chipset Drivers

Outdated BIOS and chipset drivers can also sometimes lead to FIFA 23 compatibility issues and technical errors like this.

I recommend:

Checking your motherboard manufacturer‘s website for the latest BIOS update for your model and installing it.
Going to your laptop or PC maker‘s site and downloading updated chipset drivers. Install these as well.
Finally, grab the newest graphics drivers directly from Nvidia or AMD depending on your GPU.

Keeping your critical system software and firmware up to date ensures maximum compatibility with new apps and games like FIFA 23.

Disable Background Apps and Overlays

Too many apps and overlays running in the background while FIFA 23 is launched could potentially interfere with the game and cause this error.

I suggest closing any unnecessary background apps before playing FIFA 23. Also temporarily disable overlays and notifications from chat apps, Discord, MSI Afterburner, GeForce Experience, etc.

Reducing background noise will minimize software conflicts impacting FIFA 23. We can re-enable these utilities again after confirming the game launches fine.

Adjust BIOS Peripheral Settings

Obscure BIOS settings related to peripherals can sometimes affect games in weird ways. It‘s worth checking for any misconfigured options:

Make sure Wake-on-LAN is disabled if you don‘t use this feature.
Confirm your onboard audio device is enabled, and set to Auto mode not PME.
Disable Serial Port & Parallel Port if you don‘t use these legacy connections.
Check that USB legacy support is turned off and USB 3.0 enabled for best performance.

Tweaking these types of peripherals settings in your system BIOS could potentially fix the strange "Secure Boot not enabled" bug in FIFA 23.

Contact EA Support for Further Troubleshooting

If you still see the error after exhausting all other options, your best bet is to engage EA Support for assistance. Their technicians can look at your specific setup and logs to pinpoint what might be going wrong.

You can contact them via:

Email: [email protected]
Live chat: https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/
Phone: 866-543-5435

Provide as many details as possible – your full PC specs, Windows version, Origin/EA App info, FIFA 23 edition etc. With this info, EA Support can get your issue properly investigated and fixed.

As a temporary workaround, they may suggest trying FIFA 23 through EA Play early access rather than the full launch version. This tees the game up in a different environment which could let it bypass the bug.

Be Patient and Keep an Eye Out for a Patch

While extremely frustrating, issues like this often crop up after big game launches on PC. With so many different possible system configurations, unforeseen bugs can slip through the testing phases.

FIFA 23‘s developers are likely aware of the problem and working on an official fix behind the scenes. These things can take a bit of time to properly test and roll out.

Based on EA‘s typical patch turnaround times, I would expect an update resolving the "Secure Boot not enabled" error to drop within 1-2 weeks.

In the meantime, trying the various troubleshooting steps here should help you get back on the field and enjoying FIFA 23 again. Keep an eye out for any new game patches, and feel free to contact me here with any other questions!

Let‘s Hear from You!

Hopefully this deep dive has given you some ideas on banishing the pesky "Secure Boot not enabled" message in FIFA 23 for good.

If you‘re still struggling, post a comment below and I‘ll be happy to provide some personalized troubleshooting assistance. Or if you found success with any of the steps here, share your experiences – it will help other readers!

Now get out there, smash through this error, and score some screamers! Just be careful not to pepper your monitor with shots on goal when you bag a last-minute winner online. Those things aren‘t cheap!