How to Add Linux to Windows 10 Bootloader?

When the Linux distribution is installed on the computer along with the Windows, the Grub bootloader is set as the default for booting the operating system on the computer. It allows you to select the operating system which you want to boot on the computer in the first 30 seconds else it will boot the default set operating system.

To add Linux to the bootloader of Windows, we can follow two approaches discussed in this blog.

Let’s get into the first method.

Method 1: How to Add Linux to Windows 10 Bootloader Using EasyBCD?

EasyBCD is the software that can be installed on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11 to manage the computer’s bootloader. The EasyBCD comes in two different variants:

  •  Non-Commercial: limited features, and can be downloaded on the computer without paying a single penny.
  • Commercial: Advanced features and charges us $ 39 (at the time of writing this blog).

You can easily download the version of the EasyBCD according to your convenience from the link mentioned. After downloading the “exe” file of the EasyBCD, you can run it to install the EasyBCD.

When EasyBCD is installed, launch the application. You will see the screen:

Now, to add Linux to Windows 10 Bootloader, you have to click the “Add New Entry” in the EasyBCD options:

Under the “Operating System”, choose “Linux/BSD” and fill in all the details below. Then, in the “Portable/External Media”, choose the location where the Linux Distribution has been downloaded. And close the EasyBCD to save the settings and then restart the machine; the following interface will be displayed on the screen:

Note: These options will be available on the “Commercial” version of the EasyBCD.

How to Change the Boot Priority Order in UEFI Menu?

Another option to add Linux to Windows 10 bootloader is changing the priority order in the UEFI menu. Open the UEFI menu after restarting the computer and pressing the F2 key from the keyboard. The common keys to open the UEFI menu in different manufactured laptops are Esc, Delete, F1, F2, F10, F11, or F12. The following interface will appear on the screen:

Click on the “Advanced” option from the left menu of the screen and then click on the “Change Boot Order”:

Then, set the boot priority order using the “Move Up” and “Move Down” options:

And then, click on the “OK” button to save the priority order and close the UEFI menu by saving the changes with the F10 key. Restart the computer, and Ubuntu will be booted by default.

That’s how Linux has been added to the Windows 10 bootloader.

Conclusion

To add Linux to Windows 10 Bootloader, install the “Commercial” version of the EasyBCD or change the boot priority order of the UEFI menu. In this blog, both the mentioned methods have been explained in detail. You should use the Grub bootloader on the dual boot as it is easy and reliable. Else you can also use the methods explained in this blog.