How to Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode While Booting

To start Windows 10 in Safe Mode while booting, open the recovery screen, then pick Safe Mode from Startup Settings. If Windows won’t load, turn the PC on and force it off as the logo appears, twice. On the third start, Windows opens Automatic Repair. Select Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 4 or F4.

These steps cover Windows 10 (all recent versions) and Windows 11, which uses the same recovery screens. Only the Settings path differs. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so it no longer gets free security fixes; Safe Mode still works the same way.

What Safe Mode Does

Safe Mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. Third-party startup apps and most extra drivers don’t load. Microsoft explains that if a problem doesn’t happen in Safe Mode, default settings and basic drivers aren’t the cause, which points to something you added, such as an app, a driver or an update.

Safe Mode doesn’t fix anything by itself. It gives you a stable place to remove the thing that’s causing trouble.

Before You Start

• Know your account password. You sign in with your password in Safe Mode. A Windows Hello PIN or fingerprint may not work. If you use a Microsoft account, that’s your Microsoft account password.
• Find your BitLocker recovery key if the drive is encrypted. Microsoft says encrypted PCs need the key to change startup settings. See the box in Step 2 for where to find it.
• Use a wired keyboard if you can. The Startup Settings menu needs a key press. A wired USB keyboard is the most reliable choice.
• Save open work. Every method below restarts the PC.

Why F8 Usually Doesn’t Work

Older guides, including some PC makers’ pages, still say to press F8 during startup. On most Windows 10 and 11 PCs, startup is too fast to catch the key, so the old Advanced Boot Options menu doesn’t appear. Use one of the methods below to reach the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) instead. Windows RE is the blue “Choose an option” screen that holds the repair tools.

Step 1: Get to the Recovery Screen

Microsoft’s Windows Recovery Environment guide lists several ways in. Use the one that matches what your PC is doing.

What your PC is doing	Method to use
Won’t start, or crashes before the desktop	Force two failed starts
Shows the sign-in screen	Shift + Restart from the sign-in screen
Starts and lets you sign in	Settings > Recovery > Advanced startup
None of the above work	USB recovery drive or installation media

If Windows won’t start

1. Turn the PC on and wait for the Windows logo or your PC maker’s logo. Windows begins loading.
2. As soon as the logo appears, press and hold the power button until the PC shuts off. The startup is interrupted.
3. Turn the PC on again and repeat step 2. Windows has now failed to start twice.
4. Turn the PC on a third time. Windows shows Automatic Repair, or “Preparing Automatic Repair” followed by “Diagnosing your PC.” Wait for it to finish.
5. Select Advanced options. The Choose an option screen appears.

Microsoft notes that Windows also opens Windows RE on its own after it fails to start correctly several times. If you’re asked to pick an account and enter a password at this point, use an administrator account.

If you can reach the sign-in screen

Hold Shift, select the power icon, then select Restart. Keep holding Shift until the Choose an option screen appears. The same trick works from Start > Power if you’re signed in.

If you can sign in

In Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. In Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Recovery. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now. The PC restarts to the Choose an option screen.

If none of these work

Microsoft says you can boot from a USB recovery drive or Windows installation media to reach Windows RE:

1. On a working PC, make a recovery drive with the Recovery Drive app (search Start for it), or make installation media with Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page tool. Microsoft says the USB drive needs at least 8 GB for installation media, and everything on the drive is erased.
2. Plug the drive into the broken PC and start it from the USB drive. The key that opens the boot menu depends on the PC maker; common ones are F12, F10, F2, Esc and Del. See how to open the boot menu in Windows 11 for more on boot keys.
3. If you used installation media, pick your language, select Next, then select Repair my PC (or Repair your computer). Don’t select Install now. A recovery drive goes straight to the recovery screens.

Some PCs also have a maker-specific key; HP, for example, uses Esc then F11 at power-on. Check your PC maker’s support site. To be ready next time, follow our guide on how to make a Windows 11 recovery USB; the Recovery Drive app works the same way in Windows 10.

Step 2: Choose Safe Mode

These steps and options come from Microsoft’s Windows startup settings page.

1. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot. The Troubleshoot screen opens.
2. Select Advanced options > Startup Settings. If you don’t see Startup Settings, select See more recovery options first. A list of what the restart will let you change appears.
3. Select Restart. The PC restarts to the Startup Settings menu.
4. Press a number key or function key for the option you want. Windows starts in that mode.

• 4 or F4: Safe Mode, with a limited set of files and drivers. Pick this first for most problems.
• 5 or F5: Safe Mode with Networking, which adds the network drivers you need to get online. Pick this if you need to download a driver or reach a website.
• 6 or F6: Safe Mode with Command Prompt, which opens a command window instead of the desktop. Use it only if you’re comfortable typing commands.

The menu has other choices too, such as 3 for low-resolution video and 9 to stop automatic restarts after a crash. Press Enter to start Windows normally instead.

When the sign-in screen appears, use your account password. HP’s Safe Mode guide notes that a PIN or fingerprint may not work here.

How to tell you’re in Safe Mode

The words “Safe Mode” appear in the corners of the screen, usually on a black background. The display looks large and blurry because Windows uses a basic display driver. Some apps, sounds and USB devices may not work. All of that is normal and goes away when you restart normally.

If Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key

Microsoft warns that encrypted PCs need the BitLocker key to change startup settings. The key is 48 digits long. For a personal PC, sign in at aka.ms/myrecoverykey from another device with the Microsoft account you use on the PC. A work or school PC’s key is at aka.ms/aadrecoverykey, or with your IT department. You may also have printed it or saved it to a USB drive. Microsoft’s support page on finding your BitLocker recovery key says Microsoft can’t recreate a lost key. For more on how BitLocker works, see how to enable BitLocker in Windows 11.

Another Way: Start Safe Mode From System Configuration

If you can sign in normally and want to restart into Safe Mode without the recovery menus, use System Configuration. This setting stays on until you turn it off, so every restart goes to Safe Mode.

1. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and select OK. System Configuration opens.
2. Select the Boot tab.
3. Under Boot options, check Safe boot. Leave Minimal selected for regular Safe Mode, or choose Network for Safe Mode with Networking.
4. Select OK, then select Restart. The PC starts in Safe Mode.

When you’re done, repeat steps 1 and 2, clear Safe boot, select OK, and restart. If you skip this, Windows keeps starting in Safe Mode.

What to Do in Safe Mode

Try these, one at a time, and restart normally after each to see if the problem is gone:

• Uninstall a recent app in Settings > Apps. Some app uninstallers don’t run in Safe Mode; if one fails, try again after a normal start.
• Remove a problem driver. Right-click Start, select Device Manager, right-click the device you updated recently, and select Uninstall device. Windows usually reinstalls a basic driver at the next normal start.
• Run a full malware scan with Windows Security. If you can start normally, Microsoft also offers a Microsoft Defender Offline scan under Virus & threat protection > Scan options, which restarts and scans before Windows loads.
• Undo recent changes with System Restore.
• If a Windows 11 update caused the problem, see how to roll back a Windows 11 update. You can also remove a recent update from the recovery screen with Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.

How to Leave Safe Mode

Restart the PC normally. Safe Mode chosen from Startup Settings only lasts for one startup. If your PC keeps starting in Safe Mode, Microsoft says to press Windows key + R, type msconfig, open the Boot tab, clear Safe boot, and restart. If you used the command below, remove it with the matching command.

Advanced: Force Safe Mode From a Command Prompt

If Startup Settings won’t open, Dell’s Safe Mode guide describes a command-line method from Windows RE or installation media. Open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt, type bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal, press Enter, and restart. Use network instead of minimal for Safe Mode with Networking. When you’re done, run bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot from an administrator Command Prompt, or Windows will keep starting in Safe Mode. If the PC never gets as far as Safe Mode, our guide to fixing an Automatic Repair loop covers Startup Repair and the other recovery tools.

Troubleshooting

Forcing the PC off doesn’t open Automatic Repair. Hold the power button until the PC is fully off, and do it while the logo is on screen, not before. Some PCs need a third try. If it still doesn’t work, use a recovery drive or installation media.

Startup Settings is missing. Select See more recovery options on the Advanced options screen. If you started from installation media and still don’t see it, use the Command Prompt method above.

The keyboard doesn’t respond on the Startup Settings screen. Wireless and Bluetooth keyboards often don’t work this early. Plug in a wired USB keyboard and try again. On a laptop, the built-in keyboard usually works.

Windows won’t accept your PIN. Select Sign-in options and choose the password. If you’ve never used the password, reset your Microsoft account password from another device first.

Safe Mode crashes or freezes too. The cause may be a core driver, a failing drive or a damaged Windows install. Go back to the recovery screen and try Startup Repair, Uninstall Updates or System Restore before you consider Reset this PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Safe Mode delete my files?

No. Safe Mode only changes which drivers and services load at startup. Your files, apps and settings stay where they are.

Why doesn’t Wi-Fi work in Safe Mode?

Safe Mode loads only basic drivers. Choose Safe Mode with Networking (5 or F5) if you need the internet. Some Wi-Fi adapters still won’t connect, so an Ethernet cable is the safer bet.

Is it safe to force the PC off to reach recovery?

It’s the method Microsoft documents for PCs that won’t start. Don’t do it while Windows is installing updates if you can avoid it, and don’t repeat it more often than you need to.

Why is the screen low resolution in Safe Mode?

Windows uses a basic display driver instead of your graphics driver. The normal resolution comes back when you restart normally.

Does this work on Windows 11?

Yes. The recovery screen and Startup Settings work the same way; only the Settings path differs. In Windows 11, the Settings route is Settings > System > Recovery.

If Safe Mode shows that a recent change is the cause, remove it, restart normally, and then install updates again once Windows is stable.