Boot Windows 10 safe mode can be used to fix any problems with Windows, such as a broken Windows configuration or virus that is preventing you from using it.
Windows will start in safe mode with the minimum drivers and services required. No third-party applications are loaded. This prevents the installation of problematic programs so you can solve the problem on your own.
Accessing safe mode can be a problem if an error occurs. It’s much easier to access safe mode directly from Windows 10 settings. But what if you don’t have access?
Or worse, you can’t even start Windows?
There are many methods to put Windows 10 into safe mode. Each method works depending on what problem is being solved. This article will demonstrate 6 methods to access Windows 10 safe mode.
1. Access safe mode from Windows 10 Settings
This is the most popular way to access safe mode if you have the ability to operate the system and change the settings. Here are the steps:
Click on Security or Windows Settings in the Start Menu.
Click on the Recovery option link in the left panel. Next, click on Start now under the Advanced start section.
Windows will reboot and open the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
The computer will reboot and display a page that offers a variety of commands. To launch Safe Mode, press the 4 or f4 keys.
2. Use a Command prompt command
If you are unable to access the Command prompt you can use the command below to restart your computer into Windows Recovery Environment. From there, you can access safe mode.
To open the Command prompt in Windows 10, press Windows+R key to open the run dialog. Type cmd to open this Command prompt.
Enter the shutdown.exe command /r/o, and then press the Enter key.
After a brief delay, Windows will reboot into Windows Recovery Environment. You can then follow the instructions in the above method for safe mode.
3. Access safe mode from the sign-in screen
If you are unable to sign in, you can boot into safe mode by going to the sign-in screen. Simply click on the power button in the bottom-right corner, hold the shiftkey and then click on the restart button.
This will reboot the computer and will open the Windows Recovery Environment. To access safe mode, you can use the second method.
Note: This method can also be used inside Windows. Hold the Shift key while you restart your computer from the Start menu.
4. Enable Safe mode in System Configuration
Although this is not a permanent way to access the safe mode, it can be used to restart the computer often and ensure that you are always in the safe mode. You can set the system to force the computer to launch in safe mode every time it restarts. After you have fixed the problem, you can turn off this option to return to normal Windows. Here’s how it works:
To launch the System Configuration window, press Windows+R key.
Now, move to the tab. Check the box next to Safe Boot,, and then click OK.
When prompted, click Yes to continue. Your computer will now boot into safe mode.
You can undo any changes by following the steps above in safe mode. Uncheck the box next to Safe Boot.
Read More: 8 Ways Windows 11 is Better Than Windows 10
5. Force Windows to enter WinRE
You can also force Windows into the Windows Recovery Environment, from which you can access safe mode. This should not be used if Windows cannot boot. This could cause serious damage to your Windows.
Windows will automatically start WinRE if it crashes three times consecutively. If you have trouble starting Windows, you may also fake crash it to open WinRE.
Start the computer and hold the power button down for 10 seconds until Windows loads. This can be repeated up to twice more and Windows will automatically start the Windows Recovery Environment next time. You can then follow the instructions in the first method to access safemode.
6. Use a Windows 10 bootable USB or disc
You can use your Windows 10 CD or bootable Windows 10 flash drives to enter safe mode. This method can only be used if Windows is corrupted beyond the point that it cannot load.
You can create a bootable USB drive for free with Windows 10 media creator. You will need a second PC and a USB stick with at least 8GB. Follow the instructions on the Microsoft support page to create a Windows 10 bootable USB.
After you have obtained the bootable drive, insert it into your computer and then restart the computer. You will first need to choose the keyboard layout and preferred languages. To open the Windows Recovery Environment, click on the Repair Your Computer button in the lower-left corner.
All changes made in Windows Recovery Environment will be applied to your original Windows. You can access safe mode by clicking here (see Method 1), and then your corrupted Windows will start in safe mode.
Methode Bonus
This method won’t work with the latest computers that have UEFI storage and run . It should work if your PC has a legacy BIOS and HDD storage.
Windows 7 users could switch to safe mode by pressing the F8 and Shift+F8 keys repeatedly before Windows started. This method is not compatible with Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, because of the new hardware and short boot times. Windows doesn’t have enough time to register keystrokes and launch safe mode.
Even though it is possible, if your PC has a legacy BIOS or HDD, it may not be able to register keystrokes and launch Safe Mode on Windows 10. To boot into safe mode, you will need to repeatedly press the key when your computer starts to boot. If this doesn’t work, hold the Shift keyboard key and press the F8 key repeatedly.
This is a faster way to access safe mode because you don’t need Windows or go through any menus.
Wrapping up
These methods for accessing safe mode in Windows 10 will work regardless of the problem. These methods work regardless of whether you have Windows access. The fastest way to open safe mode is the third, but that’s only if you want it. Safe mode doesn’t require you to sign in. It works even if you are already signed in.