How to Exit Safe Mode in Windows 11

To exit Safe Mode in Windows 11, restart the PC: select Power > Restart. If Windows comes back in Safe Mode again, press Windows key + R, type msconfig, select OK, open the Boot tab, and clear the Safe boot checkbox before restarting.

Applies to: Windows 11 (the same steps are documented for Windows 10). Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.

Before you start: why a PC stays in Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts Windows in a basic state with a limited set of files and drivers. It is a troubleshooting tool, not a place to work, so most people want to leave it as soon as the repair is done.

There are two ways a PC ends up in Safe Mode, and they explain why one restart is sometimes enough and sometimes is not:

• One-time Safe Mode. You chose a Safe Mode option on the Startup Settings screen. That choice applies to a single startup, so a normal restart returns you to regular Windows.
• Persistent Safe Mode. The Safe boot checkbox in System Configuration is selected, which stores a safeboot setting in the Windows boot configuration. Windows then starts in Safe Mode on every restart until that setting is removed.

You do not need to know which one applies. Try the restart first, and move to the System Configuration method only if Safe Mode returns. Before you leave, finish or write down whatever you were troubleshooting, because some tools behave differently once all drivers and services load again.

Method 1: Restart the PC

Microsoft’s guidance is that restarting your device should be sufficient to exit Safe Mode and return to normal mode.

1. Save any open work and close your apps.
2. Open the Start menu and select Power.
3. Select Restart. Microsoft’s instruction is specifically to restart, so choose that option.
4. Sign in when the sign-in screen appears. Your normal desktop, network connection, and apps should be available again.

If you are in Safe Mode with Command Prompt, you only have a command prompt window and no Start menu. Type shutdown /r /t 0 and press Enter. The /r switch restarts the computer and /t 0 sets the delay to zero seconds.

Method 2: Turn off Safe boot in System Configuration

Use this method when the PC keeps starting in Safe Mode after a restart. It is the fix Microsoft documents for a device that is still booting into Safe Mode. You need an administrator account, and Windows may ask you to confirm before the tool opens.

1. Press Windows key + R. A small window opens with a box labeled Open.
2. In the Open box, type msconfig and then select OK. The System Configuration window opens.
3. Select the Boot tab. Look for the Boot options area on this tab.
4. Under Boot options, clear the Safe boot checkbox.
5. Select OK to save the change.
6. Restart the PC when prompted. If you are not prompted, restart it yourself from Power > Restart. Windows should now load normally.

While System Configuration is open, look at the General tab as well. Normal startup is the Windows default and loads all programs, services, and device drivers. If Diagnostic startup or Selective startup is selected instead, Windows is not in Safe Mode, but it will still start with some items turned off, which can feel similar. Select Normal startup if you want everything back.

Method 3: Start normally from the Startup Settings screen

This route is useful when the desktop is too unstable to open System Configuration, or when you are already inside the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE), the built-in menu of recovery tools.

Important: If your device is encrypted, you will need your BitLocker recovery key to complete this task. Find the key before you begin. Microsoft lists the places to look, starting with your Microsoft account, on its Find your BitLocker recovery key page.

1. Open Settings and select System > Recovery.
2. Under Recovery options, next to Advanced startup, select Restart now. The PC restarts into Windows RE. As a shortcut, you can instead press and hold the Shift key while you select Power > Restart.
3. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
4. Select Restart. The device reboots and shows the Startup Settings screen with a numbered list.
5. Press Enter to start Windows normally. Do not press 4, 5, or 6, because those keys start Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, and Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

This method skips Safe Mode for one startup. If the Safe boot checkbox is still selected, the next restart goes back to Safe Mode, so follow up with Method 2 once you reach the desktop.

Method 4: Remove the safeboot setting with Command Prompt

Keep this for cases where System Configuration will not open or you only have a command prompt. BCDEdit is the command-line tool that edits the boot configuration data. Microsoft cautions that some BCDEdit changes can leave a computer unable to start and recommends System Configuration as the alternative, so type the command exactly and do not experiment with other options.

Two requirements apply. BCDEdit needs administrative privileges, so open Command Prompt as an administrator. Microsoft also notes that you might need to suspend BitLocker and Secure Boot before deleting BCDEdit options; if the command is refused on an encrypted PC, use Method 2 instead.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. In Safe Mode with Command Prompt, the window is already open.
2. Type bcdedit /enum and press Enter. This lists the boot entries. Under the Windows Boot Loader section, look for a line named safeboot with a value such as Minimal or Network. If there is no safeboot line, the PC is not set to start in Safe Mode and you can skip to step 4.
3. Type bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and press Enter. Run bcdedit /enum again to confirm the safeboot line is gone.
4. Type shutdown /r /t 0 and press Enter to restart. The change takes effect on this restart.

Which method should you use?

Your situation	Use
You entered Safe Mode once to fix something	Method 1, a normal restart
Every restart returns to Safe Mode	Method 2, clear Safe boot in System Configuration
You are in Windows RE or the desktop is unstable	Method 3, press Enter on the Startup Settings screen
You only have a command prompt, or System Configuration will not open	Method 4, remove safeboot with BCDEdit

How to confirm you are out of Safe Mode

• Open System Configuration again (Windows key + R, msconfig, OK) and check that Safe boot on the Boot tab is still cleared.
• Check that things Safe Mode leaves out are working again. Plain Safe Mode does not load the network drivers and services, so a working internet connection is a good sign.
• For a definite answer, run bcdedit /enum in an administrator Command Prompt. No safeboot line under Windows Boot Loader means Windows is set to start normally.

To undo the change later, for example to continue troubleshooting, go back into Safe Mode with our guide on how to boot in Safe Mode in Windows 11. Choosing Safe Mode from the Startup Settings screen is the better habit, because it does not leave the persistent Safe boot setting behind.

Troubleshooting

The PC still starts in Safe Mode after a restart

The Safe boot setting is almost certainly still on. Follow Method 2. If the checkbox is already clear, run bcdedit /enum as described in Method 4 to see whether a safeboot value is still stored, and remove it there.

You are asked for a BitLocker recovery key

This is expected on an encrypted device when you use the recovery environment. Enter the key to continue. If you saved it to your Microsoft account, Microsoft’s BitLocker page linked above explains where to sign in on another device to read it. On a work or school PC, the key may be held by your organization, so contact your IT help desk.

System Configuration will not open or you cannot change the setting

Changing boot settings requires administrator rights. Sign in with an administrator account, or ask the person who manages the PC. On a work or school device, your organization may limit these tools; ask IT before trying the command-line method.

Windows does not start normally after you leave Safe Mode

Leaving Safe Mode does not repair the problem that sent you there. If normal startup fails, Windows RE opens automatically after two consecutive failed attempts to start. From Troubleshoot > Advanced options you can run Startup Repair, which diagnoses and repairs common issues that prevent Windows from starting, or Uninstall Updates to remove a recently installed update. Microsoft describes each tool on its Windows Recovery Environment page, and our walkthrough on entering recovery mode in Windows 11 covers the ways to get there.

Windows starts, but apps or services are missing

Check the General tab in System Configuration. If Selective startup is selected because of an earlier clean boot, select Normal startup, then on the Services tab select Enable all and restart. Microsoft’s article on how to perform a clean boot in Windows has the full reset steps.

Frequently asked questions

Will exiting Safe Mode delete my files?

No. Safe Mode only changes how Windows starts, using a limited set of files and drivers. Restarting or clearing the Safe boot checkbox does not remove documents, photos, or installed apps.

Why does my PC keep booting into Safe Mode?

The usual reason is that Safe Mode was turned on with the Safe boot checkbox in System Configuration. That setting stays in place across restarts until you clear it, which is why Microsoft’s fix for this exact problem is the msconfig steps in Method 2.

Which key starts Windows normally on the Startup Settings screen?

Press Enter. The numbered choices change how Windows starts: 4 is Safe Mode, 5 is Safe Mode with Networking, and 6 is Safe Mode with Command Prompt. You can use the number keys or the matching function keys.

How do I exit Safe Mode with Command Prompt?

Type shutdown /r /t 0 in the command prompt window and press Enter. If the PC returns to the same screen, run bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot first, then restart again.

Is the BCDEdit command safe to use?

The single command in Method 4 only deletes the safeboot value from the current boot entry, and Microsoft’s own troubleshooting documentation uses it to return Windows to normal mode. BCDEdit as a whole is an advanced tool that needs administrative privileges, so prefer System Configuration when it is available.

Do these steps work in Windows 10?

Microsoft’s startup settings article applies to both Windows 11 and Windows 10, and the msconfig steps are the same. The one difference in this guide is the Settings path to recovery, which in Windows 10 is Update & Security > Recovery.

Once Windows is starting normally again, deal with whatever led you to Safe Mode in the first place. Microsoft’s Windows startup settings article is the reference for every option on the Startup Settings screen if you need to go back in.

Related: boot into Safe Mode without signing in.