How to boot into Safe Mode in Windows 11

Applies to: Windows 11 (the steps are almost the same in Windows 10). Safe Mode starts Windows with a reduced set of files and drivers. If a problem disappears there, Microsoft’s startup settings page explains that the default settings and basic drivers are probably not the cause, which points you toward an app, a third-party driver or something that loads at startup.

Which method to use

Your situation	Best method	What it does
Windows works and you can reach Settings	Method 1	Opens recovery from Settings, then one Safe Mode start
You can see the sign-in screen but can’t get past it	Method 2	Shift + Restart from the power icon, no sign-in needed
Windows crashes, freezes or shows a black screen during startup	Method 3	Forces the recovery screen without Windows loading
You need several restarts in a row in Safe Mode	Method 4	Keeps starting in Safe Mode until you turn it off
You’re pressing F8 and nothing happens	Any of the above	F8 is off by default; see the F8 section

Methods 1 to 3 all end at the same place: the Startup Settings screen in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Safe Mode chosen there lasts for one start only, so the next normal restart takes you back to regular Windows. Method 4 is different, because it changes a boot setting that stays on until you clear it.

Before you start: if your drive is encrypted with BitLocker or device encryption, Windows may ask for the recovery key when you change startup settings. Have it ready. Microsoft’s BitLocker recovery key page lists where it can be stored, most often in the Microsoft account you used to set up the PC, which you can check from a phone or another computer.

The Startup Settings screen: 4, 5 or 6

After the restart, Windows shows a numbered list. Press the number key or the matching function key (F4 for option 4, and so on). The three Safe Mode choices are:

Key	Option	Use it when
4 or F4	Enable Safe Mode	You only need the desktop: uninstalling an app, rolling back a driver, running a scan that’s already installed
5 or F5	Safe Mode with Networking	You need the internet: downloading a driver, a removal tool or an update
6 or F6	Safe Mode with Command Prompt	The desktop itself won’t load, or you plan to run commands such as SFC or DISM

The same screen also offers Enable low-resolution video (option 3), which keeps your current graphics driver but at a low resolution. Try it if the only problem is a display setting the monitor can’t show. Option 9, Disable automatic restart on system failure, is useful if the PC restarts too fast to read a blue screen stop code. Press Enter instead of a number to start Windows normally.

Method 1: From Settings

Use this when Windows starts and you can sign in. Save open work first, because the PC restarts right away.

1. Open Settings (Win + I) and go to System > Recovery.
2. Under Recovery options, find Advanced startup and select Restart now. Confirm if Windows asks.
3. On the blue Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then Restart.
4. When the list appears, press 4, 5 or 6.

If you don’t see Startup Settings under Advanced options, look for a See more recovery options link on that screen. If the recovery screen never appears, WinRE itself may be turned off; our WinRE guide shows how to check and enable it.

Method 2: Shift + Restart (works from the sign-in screen)

This is the quickest route, and it’s the one to use when you can reach the sign-in screen but not the desktop, for example after a driver update that makes the desktop crash.

1. On the sign-in screen, select the power icon in the bottom-right corner. If you’re already signed in, open Start and select the power button instead.
2. Hold down Shift and select Restart. Keep holding Shift until the blue screen appears. If Windows warns that other people are signed in, continue only if no one else has unsaved work.
3. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then Restart.
4. Press 4, 5 or 6.

You can do the same from a command line. From an administrator Command Prompt or Terminal, shutdown /r /o /t 0 restarts straight into the recovery screen, which helps when the Start menu or Settings won’t open.

Method 3: When Windows won’t start

When Windows can’t reach the sign-in screen, it normally opens recovery by itself after a few failed starts. You’ll see an Automatic Repair or Preparing Automatic Repair screen. If it doesn’t happen on its own, Microsoft’s recovery environment page describes how to force it:

1. Turn the PC on.
2. As soon as the manufacturer logo or the spinning dots appear, hold the power button until the PC turns off (about 10 seconds).
3. Do this a second time.
4. Turn the PC on a third time and let it start. It should show the Automatic Repair screen. Select Advanced options.
5. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then Restart, and press 4 or 5.

Note: a forced power-off is safe for Windows in this situation, but it can lose unsaved work and should not be repeated over and over. If your screen says Your PC did not start correctly, our Automatic Repair guide covers the other choices on that screen. If the screen is black rather than showing an error, see the black screen guide first.

If even the forced method doesn’t bring up recovery, start the PC from a USB recovery drive or Windows installation media and choose Repair your computer. That opens the same recovery menus from the USB drive instead of the internal one.

Method 4: System Configuration (msconfig)

System Configuration sets Safe Mode as a boot option. Unlike the other methods, it keeps starting Windows in Safe Mode on every restart until you turn it off again. That’s handy when an uninstaller or driver removal needs several restarts, but it’s also the most common reason people get stuck in Safe Mode.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig and press Enter.
2. Open the Boot tab. Under Boot options, check Safe boot.
3. Pick Minimal for plain Safe Mode, Network for Safe Mode with Networking, or Alternate shell for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Leave Active Directory repair alone; it is meant for domain controllers.
4. Select OK, then Restart.

Warning: if you pick Alternate shell, there’s no desktop and no Start menu. Write down the exit steps in the next section before you restart, because you’ll need to turn Safe boot off from the command line.

Why F8 doesn’t work in Windows 11

In Windows 7 you could tap F8 during startup to get a list of Safe Mode options. Since Windows 8, the F8 menu has been off by default. Windows now starts so quickly, especially on SSDs with Fast Startup, that there’s barely a moment to catch a key press, so Microsoft moved these options into the recovery screen instead. Microsoft’s own startup settings instructions go through WinRE and don’t mention F8.

Some PCs use F8, F11 or another key for the manufacturer’s own boot or recovery menu, so pressing it may open something else entirely. That’s a firmware feature, not the Windows Safe Mode menu.

You can bring the old menu back with bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy from an administrator Command Prompt, and undo it with bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard. It slows every start slightly and you still need good timing, so for most people Shift + Restart is easier. Don’t edit boot settings with bcdedit if you aren’t comfortable reversing the change.

What to do once you’re in Safe Mode

Safe Mode looks rough on purpose: low resolution, a black background and the words Safe Mode in the corners. Sign in with your normal account. If your PIN or Windows Hello isn’t accepted, select Sign-in options and use your account password.

Then work on whatever made you need Safe Mode:

• A recent app or driver. Uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, or open Device Manager, right-click the device, choose Properties and use Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab.
• Malware or unwanted software. Many threats don’t load in Safe Mode, which makes them easier to remove. Our malware scanning guide walks through Microsoft Defender’s full and offline scans.
• Damaged system files. Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth from an administrator Command Prompt.
• A change you can’t pin down. System Restore works from Safe Mode: search for Create a restore point, then select System Restore and pick a point from before the problem.

Some things don’t work in Safe Mode by design. Many third-party services, audio and printing are usually off, and the Microsoft Store and Windows Update may not run. If you need to download something, restart and choose option 5 (Safe Mode with Networking).

Tip: if the problem doesn’t show up in Safe Mode but returns in normal mode, the cause is something that loads at startup. If startup problems only happen after a shutdown and not after a restart, turning off Fast Startup is worth a try.

How to get out of Safe Mode

If you used Methods 1 to 3, just restart. Safe Mode chosen from Startup Settings applies to one start only.

If Windows keeps coming back to Safe Mode, the Safe boot option is still set:

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig and press Enter.
2. On the Boot tab, clear Safe boot.
3. Select OK and restart.

If you’re in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, or msconfig won’t open, run this from an administrator Command Prompt and then restart:

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot

If Windows still starts in Safe Mode after that, or crashes as soon as it starts normally, the original problem hasn’t been fixed yet. Go back into Safe Mode and continue with the steps above, or use the recovery options in our WinRE guide.

Known issues

As of November 2026, the main recent problem with getting into Safe Mode is one that has already been fixed. In October 2025, a Windows 11 security update left USB keyboards and mice unresponsive inside the recovery environment on versions 24H2 and 25H2, so you couldn’t select Startup Settings. Microsoft released a fix within days as an out-of-band update (KB5070773), as widely reported at the time. If you hit the same symptom on a PC that hasn’t been updated since then, a PS/2 keyboard or a laptop’s built-in keyboard may still work, or install the latest updates from normal mode first.

Related guides

• WinRE: what the Windows Recovery Environment is and how to open it
• Your PC couldn’t start properly: 7 fixes for the Automatic Repair screen
• Black Screen on Windows 11 or 10? How to Fix It
• How to disable Fast Startup in Windows 11 and 10
• How to scan for malware on Windows 11 and 10 with built-in tools

Official sources

• Microsoft Support: Windows startup settings
• Microsoft Support: Windows recovery environment
• Microsoft Support: Find your BitLocker recovery key