How to Update and Clear TPM security processor firmware

If you have a TPM-enabled laptop or PC, and you are receiving a message in Windows Defender Security Center telling you that you need to update your security processor or TPM firmware, then you should update it on priority. In this guide, I will share how you can Clear TPM & Update TPM security processor firmware.

In case you do not know, TPM or Trusted Platform Module is a specialized chip on an endpoint device. It can store RSA encryption keys specific to the host system for hardware authentication. The TPM chip also holds an RSA key pair called the Endorsement Key. The pair is maintained inside the chip and cannot be accessed by software. In short, it can store crucial data including Fingerprints, Facial data, etc. in the chip, and it’s not easily accessible.

The update for TPM usually holds a patch for a security vulnerability which can impact operating system security. The update will address the vulnerability which you will need to download and install. It is also possible that firmware updates are sent by OEMs which are usually faster compared to Windows Update. 

This is the best way to update your TPM. So in case you have set your update to manual mode,  check if you have an update and if it includes a security patch. In case of the automatic update, it will download and install. You will get an idea when you see a notification in Action Center asking you to restart your computer.

Here is a small warning. Do not apply TPM firmware update from OEMs before installing the Windows operating system update. Windows will be unable to determine if your system is affected.

Many OEMs including Microsoft offer Firmware Updates separately. If TPM firmware update was not included in Windows Update, you would have to manually download, and apply it. Below is the list of OEMs from where you can download the update. You can always check your manufacturer from here.

Once you have installed the firmware update either through the Windows Update or from the OEM website, you will also need to clear your TPM. This is important to make sure that the data is secured.

Before you go ahead, and follow the steps, make sure to backup your TPM data so that you can restore them later. Clearing your TPM will reset your security processor to its default settings. Also, it’s important that unless you own the PC, you should not do it at all. This may be needed if you see a message here – Reset your security processor to fix functionality issues.

To clear your TPM on your Windows computer, follow the steps below:

Your device will need to restart before the process is complete.

You can also open the Run box, type tpm.msc and hit Enter to open the TPM Management window.

Here, on the right side, click on Clear TPM.

NOTE: Before you clear your TPM, make sure you turn off BitLocker on all of your drives first (or save the encryption password safely), or else you’ll lose the encryption keys to your drives and you won’t be able to access them.

The Clear-Tpm cmdlet resets the Trusted Platform Module to its default state and removes the owner authorization value and any keys stored in the TPM.

This command uses the owner authorization value stored in the registry instead of specifying a value or using a value in a file. You can read more on this at docs.microsoft.com.

Hope this helps!

Updated on February 16, 2023Tags: Defender, Firmware