Safe Mode has been a feature of Windows since the days of Windows 95, but it remains as important as ever.
If you are having serious problems, accessing the recovery tools in Safe Mode is one of the most common solutions.
Before the launch of Windows 8 in 2012, Safe Mode could be entered simply by pressing the F8 key while your computer was booting. But since then it’s a bit more complicated.
In this article, we show you how to access Safe Mode on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. The method varies depending on how usable your device is at the moment.
What is Safe Mode?
Safe Mode is a part of Windows that contains only a limited number of files and drivers. It doesn’t quite look like the usual desktop, but that’s the idea.
If no programs are running or connections are being made, Safe Mode is unlikely to make your computer’s problems worse. If it works properly here, you know that default settings and basic drivers are not the cause.
All your usual files and settings will not be affected by entering Safe Mode unless you specifically choose to delete them. There are also some helpful tools that can help you troubleshoot any issues you’re having.
Start Windows in Safe Mode from Settings
If you can boot into Windows as normal, it’s easy to access Safe Mode:
- Open Settings
- In Windows 10, go to Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup. On Windows 11, it’s just System > Recovery
- Click the “Restart Now” button and confirm if necessary
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
- Once your device has restarted, you will see the following options. Select ‘Troubleshoot’
- On the next screens, choose Advanced Options > Startup Settings
- Click on ‘Restart’ and your device will restart
- You should now see nine options on the screen. Press the ‘4’ or ‘F4’ key to enter Safe Mode
- Enter your login PIN or password if prompted
Start Windows in Safe Mode from the login screen
If you can’t get past the login screen, there’s still a way to get into Safe Mode:
- Press and hold the Shift key
- Simultaneously click on the power icon (looks like a vertical line extending from a small circle) and choose “Restart”
- Your device should reboot to the “Choose an option” screen. Choose Advanced Options > Startup Settings
- Click on ‘Restart’ and your device will restart
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
- You should now see nine options on the screen. Press the 4/F4 key to enable Safe Mode without an internet connection, or 5/F5 if you want to be connected too
- Enter your login PIN or password if prompted
Start Windows in Safe Mode from a blank screen
But what if your device becomes completely unresponsive? The good news is that there is still a way to use physical buttons to enter safe mode. However, it requires a few steps more than the usual method:
- Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, or until your device shuts down completely
- Press the power button once to start the boot process
- Once you see signs of life, press and hold the power button again for 10 seconds
- Repeat steps 2-3 two more times
- Press the power button again, but this time leave it to complete the boot process
- Your device should now load the Auto Repair screen. Choose Advanced options
- Select “Startup Settings” then “Restart”
- After rebooting, you will see nine options on the screen. Press the ‘5’ or ‘F5’ key to enable Safe Mode with Networking
- Enter your login PIN or password if prompted
How do you get out of safe mode in Windows
To exit safe mode in Windows, there are a few steps you need to take. It’s exactly the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11:
- Open the System Configuration app. If it doesn’t show up during the search, use Windows key + R (to open the ‘Run’ window), then type ‘msconfig’ and hit enter
- Select the “Boot” tab at the top of the window
- Uncheck the “Secure Boot” box
- Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm
- Restart your device when prompted. You are now out of safe mode
See our list of Windows How Tos for more tutorials like this. You may also be interested in our complete guide to Windows 11.
