TL;DR: To boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11, open the Windows Recovery Environment (hold Shift and click Restart, or go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now). Then pick Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and press 4 (or F4) for Safe Mode, 5 for Safe Mode with Networking or 6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. If Windows won’t load at all, interrupting startup twice sends it to Automatic Repair, which gets you to the same menu. To leave Safe Mode, just restart; if it keeps coming back, untick Safe boot in msconfig.
Knowing how to boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11 is one of the most useful troubleshooting skills you can have. Safe Mode starts Windows with only the essential drivers and services, so it’s the go-to place to remove a bad driver, uninstall an app that crashes at startup, or check whether a problem is caused by Windows itself or something you installed. Windows 11 dropped the old “press F8 at boot” trick on most PCs, so here are the methods that actually work in 2026, based on Microsoft’s own support documentation.
What Safe Mode does (and why it helps)
According to Microsoft Support, Safe Mode “starts Windows in a basic state, using a limited set of files and drivers.” The logic is simple: if a problem doesn’t happen in Safe Mode, then the default settings and basic device drivers aren’t causing it. That points you toward a third-party app, a startup program or a newer driver instead.
There are three versions you can choose from on the Startup Settings screen:
| Key | Option | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 / F4 | Enable Safe Mode | Most troubleshooting: removing apps, rolling back drivers, running a malware scan you already have installed |
| 5 / F5 | Safe Mode with Networking | When you need the internet, for example to download a driver or run an online scanner |
| 6 / F6 | Safe Mode with Command Prompt | Advanced fixes when the normal desktop won’t load; you get a command prompt window instead |
Before you start: Microsoft notes that if your device is encrypted, you’ll need your BitLocker recovery key to get through Startup Settings. Make sure you can find it (it’s often saved to your Microsoft account) before you restart.
Method 1: Shift + Restart (fastest)
This works from the desktop and even from the sign-in screen, which is handy if you can’t get past your login.
- Click Start and then the Power icon (or use the power icon at the bottom-right of the sign-in screen).
- Press and hold the Shift key and click Restart.
- Your PC restarts into the blue Choose an option screen (the Windows Recovery Environment, or WinRE).
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the reboot, press 4, 5 or 6 to pick the Safe Mode version you want.
Method 2: From the Settings app
Microsoft’s Windows Recovery Environment guide lists this as the standard route when Windows is working normally:
- Open Settings (Windows key + I).
- Go to System > Recovery.
- Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now and confirm.
- In WinRE, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 4, 5 or 6.
Method 3: Use a command
If you’re comfortable with the command line, the built-in shutdown command can send you straight to the advanced boot menu. Microsoft documents the /o switch as “Goes to the Advanced boot options menu and restarts the device,” and it has to be combined with /r.
- Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type
shutdown /r /o /f /t 0and press Enter. The/fpart force-closes open apps and/t 0removes the default 30-second wait, so save your work first. - Follow the same Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings path.
Optional: force Safe Mode with msconfig
You can also tick Safe boot on the Boot tab of System Configuration (press Windows key + R, type msconfig, press Enter). Windows will then start in Safe Mode every time until you untick it again. That’s useful when you need several Safe Mode restarts in a row, but remember to switch it off afterwards or you’ll be stuck in Safe Mode.
Method 4: When Windows 11 won’t start at all
If your PC can’t reach the desktop or the sign-in screen, Microsoft says Windows automatically enters the Recovery Environment after it fails to start correctly several times. You can trigger that yourself:
- Turn on the PC and wait for the Windows (or manufacturer) logo.
- As soon as the logo appears, press and hold the power button until the PC shuts down.
- Repeat this a second time.
- On the third start, Windows should show the Automatic Repair screen. Select Advanced options.
- Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart and choose your Safe Mode option.
If even that fails, PC makers such as Dell recommend booting from Windows installation or recovery media to reach the same recovery tools.
What to do once you’re in Safe Mode
You’ll know it worked because the words “Safe Mode” appear in the corners of a plain desktop with a lower resolution. Common fixes to try there:
- Uninstall a recent app or update that started the trouble, through Settings > Apps.
- Roll back or remove a driver in Device Manager, especially graphics, audio or network drivers.
- Disable startup programs in Task Manager’s Startup apps tab, then restart normally to see what changes.
- Run a security scan with the antivirus you already have installed.
- Free up disk space if a nearly full drive is slowing everything down; our guide on fixing Windows 11 freezing randomly covers more causes.
Safe Mode is also a good place to test hardware-related issues such as no sound on Windows 11 or Bluetooth not working: if the problem disappears in Safe Mode, a driver or add-on app is the likely culprit. For network problems, use Safe Mode with Networking and try our Wi-Fi disconnecting fixes.
How to get out of Safe Mode
Usually you just restart: click Start > Power > Restart and Windows boots normally. If your PC keeps returning to Safe Mode, Microsoft’s fix is:
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
msconfigand select OK. - Open the Boot tab.
- Under Boot options, clear the Safe boot checkbox, then restart.
Quick troubleshooting tips
- F8 does nothing: that’s normal on most Windows 11 PCs, which start too quickly for the old key. Use one of the methods above instead.
- Asked for a BitLocker key: you’ll need the recovery key linked to your device before you can continue.
- Keyboard doesn’t respond on the Startup Settings screen: try the number keys along the top row, the F-keys, or a wired USB keyboard.
- Stuck at the login screen: use Shift + Restart from the power icon on the sign-in screen. If you’re stuck before that, see our guide to Windows 11 stuck on the welcome screen.
The bottom line
The quickest way to boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11 is Shift + Restart, followed by Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings and the 4 key. Settings and the shutdown /r /o command lead to the same place, and Automatic Repair is your fallback when Windows won’t load. Once you’ve found and fixed the problem, a normal restart brings you back to the full desktop.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Windows startup settings
- Microsoft Support: Windows Recovery Environment
- Microsoft Learn: shutdown command
- Dell: How to access the Windows Recovery Environment
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