Start Windows 11 or 10 in Safe Mode

You need Safe Mode when something that loads with Windows gets in the way: malware that blocks a scan, or a new driver that causes crashes. Read the steps through once before you start, because the screens you need appear while Windows is not running. Opening this page on your phone helps.

1. Choose the kind of Safe Mode and the way in

   Windows offers three kinds of Safe Mode. Most people need one of the first two.

   • Safe Mode loads the bare minimum, with no internet. Use it to uninstall a program or roll back a driver.
   • Safe Mode with Networking adds internet access. Use it when you need to update Defender or reach a website.
   • Safe Mode with Command Prompt opens a text window instead of the desktop. Nothing on this site needs it.

   If	Then use
   Windows starts and you can sign in	Step 2, from Settings.
   You reach the sign-in screen but cannot sign in, or Settings will not open	Step 3, Shift and Restart.
   Windows never reaches the sign-in screen	Step 4, the recovery screen.

2. Route 1: restart from Settings

   1. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Recovery. On Windows 10, open Settings › Update & Security › Recovery.
   2. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now.

   The PC restarts to a blue screen titled Choose an option. Go to step 5.

3. Route 2: hold Shift while you restart

   This works from the sign-in screen, so you do not need to sign in first.

   1. Select the Power icon, either in the Start menu or at the bottom right of the sign-in screen.
   2. Hold down Shift, select Restart, and keep holding Shift until the screen changes.

   If Windows warns that someone else is still signed in, choose Restart anyway. When Choose an option appears, go to step 5.

4. Route 3: use the recovery screen when Windows will not start

   When Windows fails to start twice in a row, it opens its recovery tools on the next attempt. You can bring this about on purpose.

   1. Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the PC turns off, then press it again to turn the PC on.
   2. At the first sign of Windows starting, such as the manufacturer’s logo, hold the power button for 10 seconds again.
   3. Turn it on, interrupt it the same way once more, then turn it on and let it run.

   Windows shows Preparing Automatic Repair, then a screen with an Advanced options button. Select it to reach Choose an option. The exact wording may differ slightly.

5. Open Startup Settings and pick Safe Mode

   1. On Choose an option, select Troubleshoot › Advanced options › Startup Settings, then Restart.
   2. When the numbered list appears, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

   If Startup Settings is not listed, select See more recovery options first. If the PC asks for a recovery key, enter the one you looked up earlier.

6. Sign in and do the job you came for

   Safe Mode looks plain: large text, a black background and the words Safe Mode in the corners. That is expected. Face and fingerprint sign-in often do not work here, so use your PIN or password.

   • To scan for malware, open Windows Security and follow the Defender scan procedure. If it will not start a scan in Safe Mode, restart normally and use the offline scan described there instead.
   • To remove a program that arrived around the time trouble started, use Settings › Apps. Some programs refuse to uninstall in Safe Mode; remove those after you return to normal Windows.
   • To undo a driver update, right-click Start, open Device Manager, open the device’s Properties, and on the Driver tab select Roll Back Driver.

7. Restart to return to normal Windows

   Restart from the Start menu as usual. Safe Mode chosen this way lasts for one start only, so Windows should come back normally.

   If the PC keeps starting in Safe Mode, the Safe boot option was probably switched on in System Configuration, a method some websites suggest. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and select OK. On the Boot tab, clear Safe boot, select OK, and restart.

   If your problem disappears in Safe Mode but returns in normal Windows, that is useful evidence: something that starts with Windows, such as a start-up app or a driver, is the likely cause.