How To Enter Safe Mode | Windows 10/11 Boot Methods

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Enter Safe Mode on Windows 10/11 by holding Shift while clicking Restart, then press 4 or F4 at the Startup Settings screen.

A single corrupted driver can freeze Windows at the login screen. Safe Mode strips away non-essential drivers and services, giving you a clean environment to diagnose and fix the problem. Here is exactly how to enter Safe Mode on a modern Windows PC, covering every method from Shift+Restart to recovery media.

What Is Safe Mode?

Safe Mode starts Windows with the absolute minimum set of drivers, services, and startup programs — just enough to run the OS. No third-party antivirus, no GPU acceleration, no auto-starting utilities. This bare-bones environment makes it possible to remove a bad driver, uninstall problematic software, run system file checks, or roll back a recent update that broke normal operation. When Windows won’t load properly, Safe Mode is often the only way back in.

How To Enter Safe Mode Via Shift + Restart

The Shift+Restart method is the fastest route into Safe Mode on any Windows 10 or 11 device that can reach the login screen or the Start menu. It works every time and requires no extra tools.

Click the Start button, then the Power icon. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click Restart. Keep holding Shift until the screen goes black and the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) loads. You will see a blue screen with a few options.

From here, navigate: Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart. Your PC will reboot and display a numbered list of startup modes. Press 4 or F4 for standard Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

The Windows loads with “Safe Mode” in each corner of the desktop and a black background. If you don’t see that text, repeat the steps and make sure you pressed the correct key before Windows finished rebooting.

Enter Safe Mode From Windows Settings

If you are already logged into Windows and prefer menu-driven navigation, the Settings app provides an official route that reaches the same WinRE screen.

Open Settings (Windows key + I) and go to System → Recovery. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now. Your PC will reboot into WinRE automatically. From the blue screen, follow the same path: Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart, then press 4/F4, 5/F5, or 6/F6 depending on the variant you need.

This method is identical to Shift+Restart in destination — it just enters WinRE through the Settings menu rather than the power icon. Use whichever is more convenient for your current screen state.

Booting Into Safe Mode With MSConfig

MSConfig (System Configuration) offers a different approach: instead of a one-time boot into Safe Mode, it sets the boot configuration to keep loading Safe Mode on every restart until you manually undo it. This is useful when you need to run multiple troubleshooting sessions across several reboots.

Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter. Select the Boot tab. Under Boot options, check Safe boot, then select Minimal for standard Safe Mode. Click OK and then Restart when prompted.

Your PC will reboot into Safe Mode. And it will keep rebooting into Safe Mode on every subsequent restart until you go back into msconfig, return to the Boot tab, and clear the Safe boot checkbox. Microsoft’s documentation emphasizes this step — forgetting to undo it is the most common reason people get stuck in Safe Mode for longer than intended. Once you clear the box and restart, Windows loads normally again.

Can You Enter Safe Mode When Windows Won’t Start?

Yes — when Windows is too damaged to boot at all, you can use a USB recovery drive or Windows installation media to force your way into Safe Mode. This method works even if the OS never reaches the login screen.

Insert a Windows USB installation drive and boot from it (press F12 at power-on on most Dell, Lenovo, and ASUS systems to open the Boot Menu, then select the USB drive). On the Windows Setup screen, choose your language, click Next, then select Repair your computer in the bottom-left corner.

Navigate: Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt. In the command window, type bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal and press Enter. Then type shutdown /r /t 0 to force an immediate restart into Safe Mode.

When you are finished troubleshooting and want to exit Safe Mode, boot from the USB drive again, open Command Prompt the same way, and run bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot. Then restart normally. Dell documents this command-line recovery path explicitly for Windows 10, and it works the same on Windows 11.

All Safe Mode Methods Compared

The table below shows every method to enter Safe Mode, which situation it fits best, and the core steps to remember.

Method Best When Key Steps
Shift + Restart Windows boots to login or Start menu Hold Shift → click Restart → WinRE → Troubleshoot → Startup Settings → 4/F4
Settings → Recovery You are logged into Windows Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → Startup Settings → 4/F4
MSConfig (System Configuration) You need Safe Mode across multiple reboots msconfig → Boot → Safe boot → Minimal → Restart. Undo by clearing Safe boot later
USB Recovery Media (bcdedit) Windows won’t boot at all Boot from USB → Repair → Troubleshoot → Command Prompt → bcdedit commands
Power Button Method (ASUS/Lenovo fallback) No keyboard or standard method fails Hold power button 15 seconds repeatedly until WinRE appears
Lock Screen Power Menu Stuck on login screen Click power icon on lock screen → hold Shift → Restart → same WinRE path
F8 Legacy Key (older PCs) Windows 7 habits or older hardware Press F8 repeatedly during BIOS startup — may not work on modern UEFI systems

The Safe Mode Variants And What Each Does

Once you reach the Startup Settings screen, you pick a variant based on what you need to do. All three load a minimal set of drivers, but each adds a different capability.

Variant Key Command Available Tools
Safe Mode 4 or F4 Basic display driver, standard system tools. No network, no audio. Best for removing a bad driver or uninstalling a conflicting app.
Safe Mode with Networking 5 or F5 Adds network drivers and Wi-Fi/ethernet support. Use this when you need to download a driver, access cloud storage, or run a web-based diagnostic tool.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt 6 or F6 Loads the command line instead of the standard desktop. Required for DISM and SFC repairs, bcdedit fixes, and advanced disk operations.

Microsoft’s startup settings page uses the same 4/F4, 5/F5, and 6/F6 mapping across all Windows 10 and 11 versions. If you select the wrong variant, just restart and pick the correct key at the Startup Settings screen.

The One Setting To Clear Before You Reboot

If you used MSConfig to enter Safe Mode, your PC will keep rebooting into Safe Mode until you undo the change. This catches many people off guard — they finish their troubleshooting, restart expecting normal Windows, and see Safe Mode again.

To exit, press Windows key + R, type msconfig, go to the Boot tab, and clear the Safe boot checkbox. Click OK and restart. Your PC will boot normally. If you used the USB recovery media method with bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal, run bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot from a Command Prompt to remove the persistent flag.

Quick Reference — Which Method Fits Your Situation

Windows is running but you need Safe Mode for one session — use Shift + Restart. You are already logged in and want a guided menu path — use Settings → Recovery. You plan to run multiple troubleshooting reboots — use MSConfig (and don’t forget to undo it). Windows won’t start at all — use USB recovery media with the bcdedit commands. Each method reaches the same Safe Mode environment; the right choice depends entirely on what state your PC is in when you need it.

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