How do I boot into Safe Mode?
How do I boot into Safe Mode?
Booting into Safe Mode is a useful troubleshooting step that loads your computer with minimal drivers and services. Here's how to do it on different operating systems:
For Windows 10 and 11:
- Using the Start Menu: Click on the Start button, hold the Shift key, and select Power > Restart. After the restart, on the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. Once your computer restarts, you'll see a list of options. Press 4 or F4 to start your PC in Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
-
Using System Configuration: Press Win R, type
msconfig
, and press Enter. In the System Configuration window, go to the Boot tab, check the box next to Safe boot, and choose Minimal. Click OK and restart your computer.
For Windows 8 and 8.1:
- Follow the same steps as Windows 10 and 11 by holding the Shift key and restarting from the Power options.
For Windows 7:
- Restart your computer. As it starts, press the F8 key repeatedly until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode and press Enter.
For macOS:
- Restart your Mac, and immediately hold down the Shift key. Release the key when you see the login window. You'll be in Safe Mode if you see "Safe Boot" in the top right corner of the login screen.
What are the steps to restart my computer in Safe Mode?
The steps to restart your computer in Safe Mode are essentially the same as booting into Safe Mode:
For Windows 10 and 11:
- Restart your computer by clicking the Start button, holding the Shift key, and selecting Power > Restart.
- On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After your computer restarts, press 4 or F4 to start in Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
For Windows 8 and 8.1:
- Follow the steps outlined above for Windows 10 and 11.
For Windows 7:
- Restart your computer and press F8 repeatedly until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears. Select Safe Mode and press Enter.
For macOS:
- Restart your Mac and hold down the Shift key immediately after you hear the startup sound. Release it when you see the login window, and "Safe Boot" should appear in the top right corner.
Can Safe Mode help diagnose computer problems, and how do I access it?
Yes, Safe Mode can be very helpful in diagnosing computer problems. By loading the operating system with only essential drivers and services, Safe Mode can help you determine if a problem is caused by a specific software, driver, or service. Here's how it helps:
- Isolating Issues: If your computer runs fine in Safe Mode but not in normal mode, it suggests that a non-essential driver or software is causing the problem.
- Malware Detection: Safe Mode can help in running antivirus scans to detect and remove malware that might be interfering with normal operations.
- Driver Troubleshooting: If you suspect a driver issue, booting in Safe Mode can help isolate the problematic driver.
To access Safe Mode, follow the steps mentioned above depending on your operating system. For Windows, you can use the Shift Restart method or System Configuration tool. For macOS, restart your Mac and hold the Shift key until the login screen appears.
What should I do if my computer won't boot into Safe Mode?
If your computer won't boot into Safe Mode, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Check for Hardware Issues: Ensure that all hardware components are properly connected. Try disconnecting external devices and booting again.
-
Use Automatic Repair: For Windows, you can use the Automatic Repair tool:
- Restart your computer and press F11 to enter the recovery environment.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Automatic Repair. Follow the on-screen instructions.
-
Boot from a Recovery Drive or Installation Media:
- Create a recovery drive or use a Windows installation media (USB or DVD).
- Boot from this media and select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair or System Restore.
-
Use Command Prompt:
- Boot from recovery media and select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- Use commands like
sfc /scannow
to check and repair system files, orbootrec /fixmbr
andbootrec /fixboot
to repair the boot sector.
- Try Safe Mode with Networking: If standard Safe Mode doesn't work, try booting into Safe Mode with Networking, which might help in accessing online resources or downloading necessary drivers.
- Check for Malware: If you can boot into a minimal environment, run a malware scan with an updated antivirus program.
If these steps don't resolve the issue, you may need to consider more advanced troubleshooting, such as a clean install of the operating system or professional technical support.
The above is the detailed content of How do I boot into Safe Mode?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

The Steam Cloud error can be caused by many reasons. To play a game smoothly, you need to take some measures to remove this error before you launch the game. php.cn Software introduces some best ways as well as more useful information in this post.

You may see the “A connection to the Windows Metadata and Internet Services (WMIS) could not be established.” error on Event Viewer. This post from php.cn introduces how to remove the Windows Metadata and Internet Services problem.

KB5035942 update issues - crashing system commonly happens to users. Inflicted people hope to find a way out of the kind of trouble, such as crashing system, installation, or sound issues. Targeting these situations, this post published by php.cn wil

OneDrive is an online cloud storage service from Microsoft. At times, you might find OneDrive fail to upload photos to the cloud. If you are on the same boat, keep reading this post from php.cn Software to get effective solutions now!

If you have a program called PC App Store on your computer and did not purposely install it, then your PC may be infected with the malware. This post from php.cn introduces how to remove PC App Store malware.

Is Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake not launching? Encountering Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake black screen? Here this post on php.cn offers you tested solutions to assist you in addressing this problem.

Chris Titus Tech has a tool called Windows Utility that can help you easily create a debloated Windows 11/10 ISO to install a clean system. php.cn offers a full guide on how to do this thing using the Chris Titus tool.

Are you questioned about an issue that MSConfig keeps reverting to selective startup on your Windows? How to switch to normal startup if you require it? Try the methods explained in this php.cn post to find one that works for you.
