Software⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: How do I set the grub timeout and the grub default boot entry?

Configure GRUB timeout and default boot entry for dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows.

Quick Answer: Edit /etc/default/grub, update-grub, and set GRUB_TIMEOUT and GRUB_DEFAULT variables to customize the GRUB behavior.

To set the GRUB timeout and default boot entry on Ubuntu 12.04 (or above), you need to edit the GRUB configuration file.

🔍 Why This Happens

  • [Cause]

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Method 1: Setting GRUB Timeout

  1. Step 1: Open the terminal and run the command sudo nano /etc/default/grub.

Method 2: Setting GRUB Default Boot Entry

  1. Step 1: In the nano editor, search for GRUB_DEFAULT= and change it to your desired default boot entry (e.g. GRUB_DEFAULT=Ubuntu).

✨ Wrapping Up

To save the changes and exit nano, press Ctrl+X, then press Y to confirm, and finally press Enter to save.

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