How to Boot into Safe Mode in Windows 11

If you need to know how to reboot in Safe Mode in Windows 11, the simplest route is Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now, then Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart, and press 4 or F4. Safe Mode starts Windows with only essential drivers and services, which helps you find out whether a driver, app or setting is causing a problem.

What Is Safe Mode in Windows 11?

Safe Mode is a limited startup state that loads only the basic files, drivers and services Windows needs to run. Third-party startup apps, most non-essential drivers and many background services stay switched off.

That limitation is what makes it useful. If a problem disappears in Safe Mode, Microsoft's Windows startup settings article explains that you can rule out the default settings and basic device drivers as the cause. The culprit is then something that loads in a normal startup, such as a graphics driver, an antivirus product or an app that launches at sign-in.

What Are the Safe Mode Options?

Windows 11 offers three Safe Mode variants on the Startup Settings screen, and you choose them with the number keys or function keys.

The same screen also lists options such as boot logging, low-resolution video and disabling automatic restart on system failure, which are useful for deeper troubleshooting.

How Do I Boot into Safe Mode from Settings?

When Windows still starts normally, Settings is the most reliable way into Safe Mode.

1. Save your work and close open apps.
2. Open Settings → System → Recovery.
3. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now, then confirm.
4. On the blue Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
5. When the Startup Settings list appears, press 4 for Safe Mode, 5 for Safe Mode with Networking or 6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
6. Sign in. The words "Safe Mode" appear in the corners of the screen.

If your drive is encrypted with BitLocker or device encryption, Windows may ask for the recovery key at this point. Find it before you start; our guide on BitLocker in Windows 11 explains where the key is usually stored.

How Do I Get into Safe Mode from the Sign-in Screen?

From the sign-in screen, hold Shift while you select Power → Restart. This opens the same Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) menu, so you can follow steps 4 to 6 above.

The Shift-restart trick also works from the Start menu when you are already signed in, which is handy if the Settings app is misbehaving. It is the fastest way to do a Windows 11 reboot in Safe Mode when you only need a quick test, because it skips several clicks in Settings and works even when the desktop is sluggish or partly frozen.

How Do I Start Safe Mode When Windows Won't Boot?

If Windows cannot reach the desktop or sign-in screen, force it into Windows RE by interrupting startup twice. Microsoft's Windows Recovery Environment article describes this method:

1. Turn on the PC and wait for the Windows or manufacturer logo.
2. As soon as the logo appears, press and hold the power button until the PC switches off.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 once more.
4. Turn the PC on a third time. Windows should show the Automatic Repair screen.
5. Select Advanced options → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart, then press 4, 5 or 6.

If that fails, boot from a USB recovery drive or Windows installation media and choose Repair your computer. Our guide to creating a Windows recovery drive shows how to make one on a working PC.

What Should I Do Once I'm in Safe Mode?

Use Safe Mode to undo whatever changed just before the problem started. Expect the screen to look different: the resolution is usually low and the background black, because only a basic display driver is loaded. That is normal and goes away when you restart. Common actions include:

• Rolling back or uninstalling a recently updated driver in Device Manager.
• Uninstalling an app or antivirus product that was installed shortly before the problem.
• Disabling startup apps; see our guide to managing startup programs in Windows 11.
• Running sfc /scannow and DISM from an administrator command prompt to repair system files.
• Reading crash dumps to identify a faulty driver, covered in our BSOD viewer guide.

A Common Mistake We See

People sometimes enable Safe Mode through System Configuration (msconfig) and then find that every restart lands them back in Safe Mode. That happens because the Safe boot box in msconfig makes the setting permanent until you clear it.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig and select OK.
2. Open the Boot tab.
3. Under Boot options, clear the Safe boot check box.
4. Select OK and restart.

If Safe Mode works perfectly but normal startup still fails after you have removed recent drivers and apps, a Windows 11 repair install is usually the next step before considering a full reinstall.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Safe Mode do in Windows 11?

Safe Mode starts Windows with a minimal set of files, drivers and services. Third-party startup apps and most extra drivers are not loaded. If your problem does not appear in Safe Mode, the default settings and basic drivers are not the cause, which points you towards a driver, app or service that loads normally.

What is the keyboard shortcut for Safe Mode in Windows 11?

There is no dedicated one-key shortcut for Safe Mode in Windows 11. The quickest method is to hold Shift while selecting Restart from the Start menu or sign-in screen, then choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options and Startup Settings, select Restart, and press 4 when the list of startup options appears.

How do I use Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Windows 11?

Open Startup Settings through Windows RE and press 6 or F6. Windows starts with a command window instead of the desktop. From there you can run repair commands such as sfc /scannow or DISM. Type shutdown /r /t 0 to restart into normal mode when you have finished.

How do I get out of Safe Mode in Windows 11?

Restarting normally is usually enough. If the PC keeps returning to Safe Mode, open System Configuration by running msconfig, go to the Boot tab and clear the Safe boot check box, then restart. That box makes Safe Mode persistent until it is unchecked.

Will I lose files if I boot into Safe Mode?

No. Safe Mode only changes which drivers and services load at startup. Your files, apps and settings stay exactly where they are. You may notice a low screen resolution or missing features while in Safe Mode, but everything returns to normal when you restart without it.

Why does Safe Mode ask for a BitLocker recovery key?

Changing startup options through Windows RE can trigger BitLocker or device encryption to ask for the recovery key, because the boot process has changed. The key is often saved to your Microsoft account. Have it ready before you start so you are not locked out mid-repair.

Conclusion

Knowing how to reboot in Safe Mode in Windows 11 gives you a clean testing ground for fixing driver, app and startup problems. Use Settings when Windows works, the Shift-restart method from the sign-in screen, and the interrupted-boot method when it does not. If you are rebuilding a PC after repairs, browse our Windows 11 licences for a genuine key.

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