Most players will spend the week before launch watching trailers. The ones who get to play on day one will spend it in their BIOS.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on PC on October 23, and Activision says PCs without TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are restricted from every online mode. This guide covers what those two settings are, how to check them in a couple of minutes, what to do if they are off, and the PC specs and preload dates worth knowing before you hit install.
Everything below comes from Activision’s official PC blog post and support pages, checked on October 11, 2026. We have not run the game ourselves, so we are not claiming hands-on results.
What Modern Warfare 4 Actually Requires on PC
Two security features need to be active: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. TPM is a small security chip, or a firmware version of one built into your processor. Secure Boot is a firmware setting that only lets trusted software load as your PC starts. Activision uses both to confirm a machine is in a trusted state before it lets you into matchmaking.
The catch is simple. If either one is missing, you are locked out of online play. The takeaway: this is not a graphics-card problem you can brute-force with a better GPU.
Your system also needs to meet a few baseline conditions, according to Activision’s support article:
- Windows: Windows 11, or Windows 10 on version 22H2 or later.
- Intel CPUs: 8th generation or newer, with Intel PTT turned on.
- AMD CPUs: Ryzen 2000 series or newer, with fTPM turned on.
- Boot mode: UEFI, not Legacy or CSM.
- Disk layout: GPT, not MBR.
That last pair is where older builds usually trip. A PC that was installed years ago in Legacy mode can have a perfectly good TPM and still fail the check.
How to Check Your PC in Two Minutes
You do not need to open the case. Two built-in Windows tools tell you almost everything.
- Check the TPM. Press Windows + R, type
tpm.mscand hit Enter. You want to see “The TPM is ready for use” with specification version 2.0. - Check Secure Boot and boot mode. Press Windows + R, type
msinfo32and hit Enter. Look for BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On. - Run Activision’s checker. The company offers a Secure Attestation Wizard, listed as version 1.2.0 on its support page, that tests whether your system passes.
If all three pass, you are done with this part. If not, the sections below cover the usual causes.
Turning TPM and Secure Boot On
Menu names vary by motherboard maker, so treat the labels below as a map, not exact wording.
TPM: restart, enter your BIOS (usually Delete or F2), and look under Advanced, Security or Trusted Computing. On Intel boards the option is usually called PTT. On AMD boards it is usually fTPM. Switch it on and save.
Secure Boot: this lives under the Boot or Security menu. If the toggle is greyed out, the cause is usually that the board is still in Legacy/CSM mode, or that no keys are installed. Switch to UEFI and the option normally unlocks.
The takeaway: change one thing at a time and recheck with msinfo32 after each restart, so you know which change worked.
The Legacy BIOS Trap: Converting MBR to GPT
If msinfo32 says BIOS Mode is Legacy, your Windows drive is probably still MBR. Microsoft ships a tool called MBR2GPT that converts the disk without wiping it.
Before you try it, back up anything you care about. Microsoft states the conversion cannot be undone, and you need Secure Boot and BitLocker off while you do it. The two commands, run from an elevated Command Prompt, are:
mbr2gpt /validate /allowFullOSmbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS
Only run the second command if the first one reports success. After the conversion, restart into the BIOS, switch from Legacy/CSM to UEFI, and then enable Secure Boot. Microsoft’s MBR2GPT documentation explains the requirements in full.
Firmware Problems Worth Knowing About
Sometimes the settings are right and the check still fails. Activision’s support page names a few known cases:
- Older AMD fTPM firmware: manufacturer versions that start with 3 and follow the pattern 3.*.0.* (for example 3.92.0.5) need a BIOS update. Version 3.92.5.5 is listed as fine.
- Some Intel firmware: INTC versions 302.12.*.* and 303.12.*.* may need a firmware update.
- “TCG Event Log Failed”: restart the PC and install the latest Windows updates.
The fix for the first two is a BIOS update from your motherboard or laptop maker. Download it from the manufacturer’s own support page, not a third-party site.
Expect a couple of Windows permission prompts on first launch too. Activision says you may see requests for CODBrokerInstaller.exe or enrollaik.exe. Clicking No blocks play, so click Yes if you trust the source.
Official PC Specs at a Glance
Activision lists three tiers. The specs are valid at launch and may change, and the company notes you may need extra storage for updates.
| Tier | OS | CPU | RAM | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Windows 10 64-bit | Ryzen 5 1400 or Core i5-6600 | 8 GB | RX 470, GTX 970, GTX 1060 or Arc A580 (3 GB VRAM) |
| Recommended | Windows 11 | Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i7-8700K | 16 GB | RX 6600 XT, RTX 3060 Ti or Arc B580 (8 GB VRAM) |
| Ray tracing (4K upscaled) | Windows 11 | Ryzen 7 3700X or Core i7-10700K | 32 GB | RX 9070 XT or RTX 5070 Ti (16 GB VRAM) |
Storage is 115 GB on an SSD, and Activision says an SSD is required. The recommended tier is aimed at a 90 FPS multiplayer target on High settings. That is the developer’s goal, not a benchmark, so treat it loosely until independent testing arrives.
A few smaller notes from the official post: Intel Arc cards need Resizable BAR enabled, and only Intel and AMD processors with AVX support are covered. Activision lists driver versions AMD 26.7.1, NVIDIA 616.56 and Intel 32.0.101.8974, and says a further NVIDIA driver is coming before launch. Some outlets report October 21 for that, but the official post does not give a date, so check NVIDIA’s site.
Preload and Launch Dates
Per the official blog, PC preload opens October 15 at 9 a.m. PT for digital pre-purchasers. Campaign Early Access starts Friday, October 16, for digital pre-orders. The full launch is October 23 on Battle.net, Steam and the Xbox PC app, at midnight local time.
You will see other preload times floating around social media. Go with the official blog’s 9 a.m. PT, and note that Steam’s listing has shown a different launch date in places, so rely on the publisher’s October 23.
One useful tip from the same post: Advanced Shader Delivery works best if you have the Xbox PC app installed beforehand. That can cut down the shader-compiling wait on first launch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting until launch night. A BIOS update and a disk conversion can eat an evening. Do them this week.
- Converting the disk without a backup. MBR2GPT is not reversible, per Microsoft.
- Leaving BitLocker on. Suspend or turn it off before conversion, as Microsoft requires.
- Staying on an older Windows 10 build. You need 22H2 or later.
- Trusting a single preload time. Confirm it on the official blog.
FAQ
Can I play Modern Warfare 4 on PC without TPM 2.0?
According to Activision, you will be restricted from any online mode without TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.
Does my CPU support TPM 2.0?
Activision lists Intel 8th generation or newer with PTT, and AMD Ryzen 2000 or newer with fTPM.
Why is Secure Boot greyed out in my BIOS?
Commonly the board is in Legacy/CSM mode. Switching to UEFI, which may require a GPT disk, usually makes the option available. Check your motherboard manual for exact steps.
When can I preload Modern Warfare 4 on PC?
October 15 at 9 a.m. PT for digital pre-purchasers, per the official blog.
Final Thoughts
The hardest part of getting Modern Warfare 4 ready is not the hardware, it is a few switches most people have never touched. Spend ten minutes today running tpm.msc and msinfo32. If both come back clean, you can ignore this whole topic and just wait for the preload.
Sources: Call of Duty official PC specs blog, Activision Support: TPM and Secure Boot, Microsoft MBR2GPT.
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