To get into Safe Mode in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery, select Restart now next to Advanced startup, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. When the list of startup options appears, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What Safe Mode does and which version to pick
Microsoft describes Safe Mode as starting Windows in a basic state, using a limited set of files and drivers. If a problem disappears in Safe Mode, the default Windows settings and basic drivers are probably not the cause, which points you toward a recently installed driver, app or update instead.
The Startup Settings screen offers three Safe Mode choices:
| Key | Option | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or F4 | Safe Mode | The standard choice. Start here for most driver, app and startup problems. |
| 5 or F5 | Safe Mode with Networking | Adds the network drivers and services needed to reach the internet and other computers on your network. Pick it when you need to download a driver or look something up. |
| 6 or F6 | Safe Mode with Command Prompt | Opens a Command Prompt window instead of the usual Windows interface. It is meant for people who are comfortable typing commands. |
Before you start
- Save your work. Every method below restarts the PC, so close open files first.
- Have your BitLocker recovery key ready if the drive is encrypted. Microsoft notes that you need the key to complete this task on an encrypted device. The key is a 48-digit number. If it was saved to your Microsoft account, sign in at aka.ms/myrecoverykey from another device to look it up. On a work or school PC, the key may be stored with your organization’s account instead, so ask your IT department. Microsoft’s guide to finding your BitLocker recovery key lists the other places it can be kept, and warns that Microsoft Support cannot retrieve or recreate a lost key.
- Use a keyboard. You choose the Safe Mode option by pressing a number key or a function key.
How to get into Safe Mode from Settings
Use this method when Windows still starts and you can sign in.
- Open Settings and select System > Recovery. The Recovery options list appears.
- Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now. The PC restarts into the Windows Recovery Environment, a menu of repair choices that loads before Windows.
- Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings, then Restart. The PC restarts again and shows a numbered list of startup options. If the drive is encrypted, you may be asked for the BitLocker recovery key along the way.
- Press 4 or F4 to start in Safe Mode. Press 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. If you change your mind, press Enter to start Windows normally.
- Sign in when the sign-in screen appears. Windows is now running in Safe Mode.
Microsoft documents this route on its Windows Startup Settings page, which also explains the other options in the numbered list.
This is the quickest route, and it also works when you cannot sign in, because the Power button is available on the sign-in screen.
- Open the Start menu, or stay on the sign-in screen, and select Power.
- Press and hold the Shift key while you select Restart. The PC restarts into the recovery screen.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the PC restarts, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
How to get into Safe Mode when Windows 11 won’t start
If the PC cannot reach the desktop or the sign-in screen, you need another way into the Windows Recovery Environment. Windows opens it by itself after it fails to start twice in a row, so wait and see whether a recovery screen appears before you do anything else. If it does not, you can trigger it with the power button.
Warning: the steps below cut power while Windows is loading. Use them only when the PC will not start normally and the other methods are not available.
- Start the PC and wait for the Windows logo or the manufacturer’s logo to appear.
- As soon as the logo appears, press and hold the power button until the PC shuts down.
- Do the same thing a second time: start the PC, wait for the logo, and hold the power button until it shuts down.
- Start the PC a third time and let it load. Windows should show the Automatic Repair screen.
- Select Advanced options.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
Microsoft’s Windows Recovery Environment page lists two more ways in. Some PCs have a dedicated recovery button or button combination, which is described in the manufacturer’s manual. You can also start the PC from a USB recovery drive, or from Windows installation media made with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool, and choose the repair option on the first setup screen instead of installing Windows.
How to restart into the recovery screen with a command
If you prefer the keyboard, the built-in shutdown command can take you to the same recovery screen.
- In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt and open Command Prompt.
- Type shutdown /r /o and press Enter. The /r switch restarts the PC and /o sends it to the advanced boot options menu. Microsoft states that /o must be used together with /r.
- Wait for the restart. By default the command waits 30 seconds before it shuts Windows down.
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 4 or F4.
The switches are explained in Microsoft’s shutdown command reference. To cancel during the waiting period, open a new Command Prompt window and run shutdown /a.
How to leave Safe Mode
Restart the PC. A Safe Mode start chosen from the Startup Settings screen applies to that one startup, so Windows should load normally the next time.
If the PC keeps starting in Safe Mode, the Safe boot setting is turned on in System Configuration. Microsoft’s fix is:
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run box.
- Type msconfig and select OK. System Configuration opens.
- Select the Boot tab.
- Under Boot options, clear the Safe boot checkbox.
- Confirm the change and restart the PC.
That same Safe boot checkbox is how some people force Safe Mode on every restart. It works, but it stays on until you clear it, which is why the Startup Settings route above is the safer choice for a one-time visit. We cover this in more detail in our guide on how to exit Safe Mode in Windows 11.
What to do once you are in Safe Mode
Safe Mode does not fix anything by itself. It gives you a stable place to undo the change that caused the trouble. Common next steps are:
- Roll back a driver. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand the device category, right-click the device and select Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver. Choose a reason, then select Yes.
- Uninstall a device driver. In Device Manager, right-click the device, select Uninstall device, confirm with Uninstall, and restart.
- Check Windows system files. Search for command prompt, right-click Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, then type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
- Go back to an earlier restore point. If the problem began after an app, driver or update was installed, follow our guide on restoring Windows 11 to a previous date.
Troubleshooting
Pressing F8 during startup does nothing
That is expected. Microsoft’s boot documentation explains that under the Standard boot menu policy, the default since Windows 8, the F8 key is ignored during startup. The advanced menu appears only in certain situations, such as after a startup failure, when you start from repair or installation media, or when you ask for Advanced startup yourself. Use one of the methods above instead.
Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key
The drive is encrypted, and Windows needs the 48-digit key before it continues. Look it up at aka.ms/myrecoverykey with the Microsoft account used on the PC. For a work or school device, contact your organization, because the key may be held there. Microsoft Support cannot retrieve or recreate a lost key.
The Automatic Repair screen never appears
Timing matters. The power button has to be held as soon as the logo appears, on two starts in a row. If Windows gets as far as the sign-in screen, you do not need this method: hold Shift and select Restart from the Power button on that screen instead.
The number keys do nothing on the Startup Settings screen
Try the matching function key instead: F4, F5 or F6. Microsoft lists both the number keys and the function keys F1 to F9 as valid on this screen.
Windows will not start even in Safe Mode
Return to the recovery screen and select Troubleshoot > Advanced options. Microsoft lists Startup Repair, which diagnoses and repairs common problems that stop Windows from starting, and Uninstall Updates, which removes recently installed updates. If neither helps, our guide on how to reset Windows 11 covers the next option.
You found a guide that uses BCDEdit commands
Microsoft cautions that changing boot entries with BCDEdit can leave a computer unable to start, and recommends Startup Settings or System Configuration as the alternative. For a home PC, stick with the methods in this article.
Frequently asked questions
Does Safe Mode delete my files?
No. Safe Mode only changes which files and drivers Windows loads for that session. Your documents, apps and settings stay where they are.
What is the difference between Safe Mode and a clean boot?
Safe Mode starts Windows in a basic state with a limited set of files and drivers. A clean boot starts Windows with only essential drivers and startup programs, and Microsoft says it gives you more control for isolating a background program that conflicts with an app or game. Microsoft’s clean boot instructions walk through that process.
Can I use the internet in Safe Mode?
Only if you choose option 5, Safe Mode with Networking. Standard Safe Mode leaves out the network drivers and services.
Which key do I press for Safe Mode?
Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, and 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt. The screen shows the full numbered list, so you can check before pressing anything.
How long can I stay in Safe Mode?
There is no time limit, but Safe Mode is a troubleshooting tool, not a way to use the PC day to day. Many drivers and features are not loaded. Restart when you have finished.
Is Safe Mode the same as the Windows Recovery Environment?
No. The Windows Recovery Environment is the menu of repair tools that loads before Windows. Safe Mode is Windows itself, started with fewer drivers. You pass through the recovery menu to reach the Startup Settings screen where Safe Mode is chosen.
If the problem goes away in Safe Mode, undo the most recent driver, app or update change, then restart normally to confirm the fix.
Related: How to factory reset Windows 11 from Command Prompt.
Related: make a bootable USB for Windows 11.
Related: fix corrupted files in Windows 11.
Related: enter recovery mode in Windows 11.
Related: how to fix a grey screen on Windows 11.
Related: how to uninstall programs that won’t uninstall in Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.