To enter Safe Mode in Windows 10, open Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE), then select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. After the PC restarts, press 4 or F4 for basic Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. To exit, restart Windows; if it keeps returning to Safe Mode, turn off Safe boot in msconfig.
What Safe Mode does
Safe Mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers so you can troubleshoot problems. If an issue does not happen in Safe Mode, that can help narrow down possible software or configuration causes, but it does not prove the cause or rule out every hardware problem.
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Before opening recovery options on an encrypted PC, make sure you can access its BitLocker recovery key. Windows RE may require the key to complete recovery tasks. Microsoft explains the recovery environment in its Windows recovery environment guidance.
Enter Safe Mode when Windows still starts
- Open Windows RE. Save your work. Either hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart, or open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now.
- Open Startup Settings. In Windows RE, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- Choose a startup option. When the Startup Settings screen appears, press the number or function key for the mode you need.
Microsoft’s Windows startup settings page documents these options. The labels or screens can vary somewhat by device configuration.
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Choose the Safe Mode variant
| Option | Key | What it provides | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable Safe Mode | 4 or F4 | A limited set of Windows files and drivers. | Start here for basic troubleshooting. |
| Enable Safe Mode with Networking | 5 or F5 | Safe Mode plus the network drivers and services needed for internet or local network access. | Use only when the troubleshooting task needs network access. |
| Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt | 6 or F6 | Command Prompt in place of the usual Windows interface. | Choose it when you need or prefer a command-line interface. |
Enter Safe Mode if Windows will not start normally
If Windows cannot start normally, it may open Windows RE after repeated startup failures. Microsoft also documents a forced recovery route. Use it only when the PC will not start—not as the normal way to reach Safe Mode from a working desktop.
- Turn on the PC. As soon as the Windows or manufacturer logo appears, hold the power button until the PC shuts down.
- Repeat that interruption once: turn the PC on and hold the power button to shut it down when the logo appears.
- Turn the PC on a third time. Windows should display Automatic Repair.
- Select Advanced options to enter Windows RE, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the restart, select the Safe Mode variant you need using the keys above.
You can also reach Windows RE using a recovery drive, repair disc, or Windows installation media if you already have one. These are alternate access routes, not ordinary prerequisites for using Safe Mode. If Windows RE requests a BitLocker recovery key, you need the key for that encrypted device to continue.
Exit Safe Mode or fix a repeated Safe Mode start
Restart the PC to return to normal mode. If it starts in Safe Mode again, Safe boot may be set to persist across restarts. Clear that setting:
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- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
msconfig, then select OK. - Open the Boot tab.
- Under Boot options, clear Safe boot.
- Select Apply, then restart the PC.
Microsoft says that restarting should normally be sufficient to leave Safe Mode; its startup settings guidance describes clearing Safe boot if Windows keeps booting that way.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Windows 10 support status
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says it no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10 after that date. Safe Mode remains a built-in troubleshooting startup option, but it does not change the operating system’s support status. See Microsoft’s Windows startup settings page for its current notice.
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