How to Boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode (Every Method)

To boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode, open Settings or hold Shift while selecting Restart, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and press 4, 5, or 6. If Windows will not start normally, use Windows Recovery Environment or Windows 11 installation media to reach the same Startup Settings menu. Safe Mode loads fewer drivers and services, which can help you remove a bad driver, undo a software change, or diagnose repeated crashes.

Which Safe Mode method should you use right now?

Choose the route that matches what you can still access:

Windows starts, but crashes or behaves badly
Windows reaches the sign-in screen but not the desktop
Windows repeatedly fails to start
Windows shows Automatic Repair or recovery options
Windows cannot reach recovery options by itself

• If you can use the desktop, open Settings and go to Advanced startup.
• If you can reach the sign-in screen, hold Shift while selecting Restart.
• If Windows fails during startup, let Windows Recovery Environment appear after repeated failed starts, or boot from Windows 11 installation media.
• If you need repair commands, choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt or open Command Prompt from Advanced options.

Safe Mode is for diagnosis, not a repair by itself. Use it to remove a recently installed driver or app, undo a setting, run a malware scan, install a compatible update, or use System Restore. If the same failure occurs in ordinary Safe Mode, look beyond normal startup software: possible causes include hardware, storage damage, corrupted Windows files, or a serious boot problem.

What Safe Mode changes—and what it cannot fix

Safe Mode starts Windows with a limited set of drivers and services. Display output may use a basic driver, hardware features may be unavailable, and many startup programs will not run. This reduced environment helps show whether a third-party driver, service, or startup application is causing the normal startup failure.

Start with ordinary Safe Mode. Choose Safe Mode with Networking only when you need network access, and choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt when you need command-line tools. Networking exposes the unstable system to threats, so disconnect from the internet when it is not needed. Command Prompt is useful for experienced users running System File Checker, DISM, disk checks, or boot diagnostics; selecting it does not automatically repair anything.

Safe Mode cannot reliably fix a failing drive, defective memory, overheating, physical damage, or every kind of Windows corruption. It may not help if the machine cannot read the Windows installation at all. Before changing anything, disconnect recently added peripherals, note what changed immediately before the problem began, and back up accessible files if Windows still allows it. Some recovery actions require an administrator account. If the system drive is encrypted with BitLocker, recovery tools may request the BitLocker recovery key; find it before proceeding if possible.

How to enter Safe Mode from Windows, the sign-in screen, or a restart

These methods use Windows Recovery Environment. You normally do not need an elevated Command Prompt, but recovery may require an administrator account.

From Settings

1. Open Settings with Windows key + I.
2. Select System.
3. Select Recovery.
4. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now.
5. At the recovery screen, select Troubleshoot.
6. Select Advanced options.
7. Select Startup Settings.
8. Select Restart.
9. When Startup Settings appears, press the key for the mode you need: - Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode. - Press 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. - Press 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart

Windows should restart into the selected mode. If the function keys do not respond, use the number keys. On some keyboards, you may need to hold Fn while pressing F4, F5, or F6.

From the sign-in screen

1. At the Windows sign-in screen, select the Power button.
2. Hold Shift and select Restart.
3. Keep holding Shift until the recovery screen appears.
4. Select Troubleshoot.
5. Select Advanced options.
6. Select Startup Settings.
7. Select Restart.
8. Press 4 or F4, 5 or F5, or 6 or F6 for the required mode.

Using Shift + Restart from Windows

If Windows is running but you do not want to open Settings, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart from the Start menu, the sign-in screen, or the Windows security screen opened with Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and choose the required key.

If Startup Settings does not appear, return to Advanced options and try a recovery tool such as System Restore or Uninstall Updates. Do not choose reset or reinstall as the first diagnostic step.

How to boot Safe Mode when Windows will not start

When Windows cannot reach the desktop or sign-in screen, it can often open Windows Recovery Environment automatically after failed starts. Do not repeatedly interrupt the computer while it is installing an update or repairing a drive; let each recovery attempt finish.

Let Windows Recovery Environment appear

1. Turn on the PC and wait for Windows to begin loading.
2. If startup fails and Windows shows recovery options, select Advanced options or See advanced repair options.
3. Select Troubleshoot.
4. Select Advanced options.
5. Select Startup Settings.
6. Select Restart.
7. Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

If Windows does not show recovery options, it may enter Windows Recovery Environment after multiple unsuccessful starts. If it still does not, use installation media rather than forcing more interruptions.

Use Windows 11 installation media

You need a bootable Windows 11 USB drive created on another working PC, and the affected PC must be able to boot from USB. Startup-menu keys vary by manufacturer, so check the computer maker's instructions if the USB does not appear.

Booting from installation media changes the startup device, but selecting the wrong installation or formatting options can cause data loss. Do not select Install now or delete partitions just to reach recovery tools.

1. Insert the Windows 11 installation USB.
2. Turn on or restart the PC and open its one-time boot menu.
3. Choose the USB drive.
4. At Windows Setup, select your language and keyboard options if asked.
5. Select Next.
6. Select Repair your computer, not Install now.
7. Select Troubleshoot.
8. Select Advanced options.
9. Select Startup Settings.
10. Select Restart.
11. Press 4 or F4, 5 or F5, or 6 or F6 for the desired mode.

Windows Setup > Next > Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart

If Startup Settings is unavailable, return to Advanced options and use System Restore, Uninstall Updates, Startup Repair, or Command Prompt as appropriate. Recovery tools may ask you to select the Windows installation and enter an account password. BitLocker-protected drives may require the recovery key before files or repair commands can be accessed.

Use Command Prompt to request Safe Mode

From Windows Recovery Environment, open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. This requires an administrator account and may require BitLocker authentication. First identify the Windows drive because recovery environments can assign it a letter other than C:.

A direct way to tell the current Windows boot configuration to start Safe Mode is:

bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal

Restart the PC. Windows should start in ordinary Safe Mode. For networking, use this instead:

bcdedit /set {default} safeboot network

If {default} does not identify the Windows loader, use the identifier shown by bcdedit in its place. This method changes the boot configuration, so remove the setting as soon as troubleshooting is finished:

bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot

If the command reports that the element was not found, Safe boot may not be set on that boot entry. If the PC keeps entering Safe Mode, check msconfig in the next section.

How to leave Safe Mode and troubleshoot the original problem

In most cases, open Start, select the Power button, and choose Restart. Do not hold Shift unless you want to return to recovery options. Windows should boot normally on the next start.

If it keeps entering Safe Mode, a forced boot setting may be enabled. This often happens after using System Configuration (msconfig) with Safe boot selected.

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Enter msconfig and select OK.
3. Open the Boot tab.
4. Clear Safe boot if it is selected.
5. Select Apply, then OK.
6. Select Restart.

Windows key + R > msconfig > Boot > clear Safe boot > Apply > OK > Restart

Do not leave Safe boot selected in msconfig after testing. It can force every restart into Safe Mode and prevent normal startup.

If you used bcdedit to force Safe Mode, open an administrator Command Prompt in Safe Mode and run:

bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot

After normal startup returns, work backward from when the failure began. Check recently installed display, storage, chipset, or other device drivers; applications; Windows updates; startup programs; and security software. Roll back or uninstall one recent change at a time so you know which change affected the result. Run a trusted malware scan, check Windows system files if corruption is suspected, and consider System Restore if a restore point predates the problem.

Record what you changed and whether the failure returns after each normal restart. If the PC crashes in Safe Mode too, focus on hardware checks, storage health, Windows recovery tools, and backups instead of repeatedly reinstalling drivers. A BitLocker prompt after a firmware, boot-configuration, or recovery change can be expected; use the correct recovery key rather than guessing or disabling encryption.

Conclusion

Use Settings or `Shift + Restart` when Windows is still accessible. If it cannot boot, open Windows Recovery Environment or select `Repair your computer` from Windows 11 installation media, then choose Startup Settings. After identifying the cause, undo that change, clear any forced Safe boot setting, and restart normally. If the problem also occurs in Safe Mode, protect your files and investigate storage, hardware, or deeper Windows corruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking?

Ordinary Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers and services and usually has no network access. Safe Mode with Networking adds network drivers and services, which can help you download a driver or reach a network resource, but it exposes the unstable system to the network and may still fail if networking is part of the problem.

Which key starts Safe Mode in Windows 11?

At Startup Settings, press `4` or `F4` for Safe Mode, `5` or `F5` for Safe Mode with Networking, and `6` or `F6` for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. If function keys do not work, use the number keys.

Why does Windows keep booting into Safe Mode?

A forced `Safe boot` setting may be enabled in `msconfig`, or the boot configuration may contain a `safeboot` value. Clear `Safe boot` under the `Boot` tab in `msconfig`, or run `bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot` from an administrator Command Prompt.

Will Safe Mode delete my files?

Entering Safe Mode does not normally delete personal files. Later recovery actions such as resetting Windows, formatting a drive, or deleting partitions can cause data loss, so back up accessible files before using those options.