How to Boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode?

If you want to start or boot Windows 10 in Safe mode and the “conventional F8 method isn’t working” then it’s not a big issue because during the induction of Windows 10 this feature was disabled by Microsoft. To resolve the issue, we have created this guide to help you out in booting the Windows 10 in Safe Mode.  There are many ways in which Windows 10 can be rebooted.

In this guide, we will try to cover all possible ways to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode. Before taking you to guide let me tell you what is Safe Mode in Windows 10.

What is Safe Mode in Windows 10?

In this mode, the Windows will load only with the minimum required drivers and files or you can say with limited sources or applications and keep the unrequired files and drivers at bay to prevent any problems from occurring.

The size of icons in Safe Mode will be larger. Your Windows version will be written at the center and Safe Mode will be displayed in all four corners of the screen.

Most of the drivers will not work in this mode however, you can access your keyboard and mouse. Safe Mode will use the standard VGA graphics mode. Many other changes will be noticed in Safe Mode.

Safe Mode has always been the most preferred way of troubleshooting. In Safe Mode, you can detect and will be able to troubleshoot your Windows 10 System issues.

If any application installed on your PC is creating some problem, then you can detect the service/app causing the error simply by booting your system into the Safe Mode.

Here are some of the best methods that allow you to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode, keep reading this article and choose a suitable method to boot your Windows 10 in Safe Mode.

Why can’t you access the Safe Mode using the F8 key?

You might have observed that in Windows 10 if you are pressing the F8 key while booting it is not working. Even if you tried many times but it is not going to work. Is it removed from Windows 10? Let’s see what is the issue?

Earlier on the previous versions of Windows such as Windows 7 if you press the F8 key while booting you could access the Advanced Boot Options menu from where you can enable Safe Mode. But on Windows 10 Micorosft has changed the options and the F8 key won’t work anymore to access the Advanced Boot Options by default. Microsoft has disabled this feature by default in order to have faster boot time.

Though the F8 key is not working anymore it doesn’t mean that it will not work. Actually, the F8 key is still available to access the Advanced Boot Options menu on Windows 10. However, still, if you want to use the F8 key option to access the Safe Mode in Windows 10, you have to enable this feature manually.

How to Enable the F8 boot menu feature in Windows 10?

As we all know, the F8 boot menu feature is disabled on Windows 10 by default. But you can enable it with the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) Edit command.

Actually, it is a tool to control how the operating system is started and you can use it to enable the F8 boot menu. Follow these steps to do so:

• Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type cmd and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open the command prompt as an administrator.

• Type the command bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy in the Command Prompt and press the Enter key.

• Reboot your PC. Make sure to press the F8 key before the Windows logo appears.

• Now you can access the Boot Options menu and then select Safe Mode.

Apart from this, there are some other ways to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode. Let’s have a look

How to Boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode?

Here I have listed several ways to start Windows 10 in Safe Mode. You can adopt the suitable one depending on the issue you are facing. Let’s start

Using F8+Shift key

Pressing the Shift+F8 keys on the keyboard has been the most widely used method to boot Windows in Safe Mode while the Windows load. Then it will come to recovery mode where you can select Safe Mode.

If you are performing a dual boot it is necessary to make sure that Windows 10 is set to default OS from the same Boot option.

Using System Configuration

The system configuration can be used to launch Windows in Safe Mode.

• Open Run box by pressing the Windows + R key and then enter msconfig in it.

• The System Configuration dialog will open. Here move to the “Boot” tab and select Windows 10.
• And in the “Boot options”, select “Safe boot” as Safe Mode type.

• Keep it to “Minimal” if you want to access the regular Safe Mode. Click “OK” to apply the changes you have made. Restart the computer when prompted by the system.

• Windows 10 will launch in Safe Mode.

Using Shift and Restart keys (While Booting from Start Menu)

There is an option to hold the Shift key and restart the computer to access the troubleshoot boot options. From there you can easily navigate and access the safe mode option.

• Click on the Start button and click the Power button.

• Press and hold the Shift key and click on the Restart button.

• This combination of keys will work best for Windows shut down dialog as well as a sign-in screen.
• This will restart your computer and open some basic boot options on the screen as shown. , Click on the ‘Troubleshoot’ option from the screen.

• In the Troubleshoot option, you will see an option to ‘Reset Windows 10’ and an option to access “Advanced options”. Click on it.

• Click on the ‘Startup Settings’. 

• And then click on ‘Restart’ to access the advanced boot options. Your computer will restart again and load advanced boot options.

• There will be many options including Safe Mode options where you need to use numerical keys to select the right option.

• After the last step Windows 10 will start in Safe Mode.

Add Safe Mode Option in the Boot Menu

You have the opportunity to add Safe Mode in the boot menu option. This is a very important step to restart the computer in Safe Mode. For adding Safe Mode you need to first and foremost create the entry in the boot menu.

• To create the entry in the boot menu, right-click on the start menu option. Select the Command Prompt (Admin). This opens an elevated Prompt Window.

• Enter the command ‘bcdedit /copy {current} /d “Launch Windows 10 Safe Mode”.

This will create an entry in the boot menu with the name “Launch Windows 10 Safe Mode”. Here “Launch Windows 10 Safe Mode” is the name of the entry. Now the entry is created. Assign the Safe Mode function to it.

• Go to System Configuration again by typing “msconfig” in the “Run” dialog.

• Go to the “Boot” tab and select the new entry you just created. And select “Safe boot” from the “Boot options” and select the Safe Mode type below it. Click on the “OK”, option.

Note: Make sure that the “Make all boot settings permanent” option is checked.

• You will be prompted to restart immediately or restart later.
• Then choose the desired option and the Safe Mode entry will be added in the boot menu.
• If you want to remove the entry from the boot menu, then just go to system configuration and select the entry.
• Click on the ‘Delete’ option.

Using Recovery Drive

If you have created a Windows 10 recovery USB drive or disk then you can make use of the safe mode.

• Attach the Recovery USB drive to your computer and boot it.

• When you see on the screen ‘Choose an option’ load the content from USB.

• Once the contents are loaded select a USB device to access the keyboard.

• Once the keyboard is selected you will be taken to the next screen. Select the Troubleshoot option.

• Now select the Advanced options and click on the ‘Startup Settings’.

• After that click on ‘Restart’ to access the advanced boot options. 

• There will be many options including Safe Mode options where you need to use numerical keys to select the right option.

• After this step Windows 10 will start in Safe Mode.

Using Windows 10 Installation Drive

• Turn On your system and insert Windows 10 Installation media to boot your PC.

• Press the Restart button on your system and a message will appear ‘Press any key to boot from the CD or DVD’. Now press any key on your keyboard and wait for the installation screen.

• Select the language and keyboard layout as per your preference and click on Next.

• Now click on the link Repair your Computer.

• You will see the preferences screen and choose Troubleshoot.

• Now the Advanced options screen will open and click Command Prompt (Use the Command Prompt for advanced troubleshooting).

• Type the command bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal and press Enter.

• Once you see the message ‘The operation completed successfully’, close the command prompt window and click on Continue.
• Your PC will reboot and start Windows 10 in Safe Mode. Now log in to Windows 10 Safe Mode using an administrator account and perform the required changes.

Using the Settings app to Access the Recovery option

If you are able to log in your Windows 10 then you can use this method to start your PC in Safe Mode. Follow these steps:

• Press Windows+I keys to open Settings and navigate to the Update and Security option.

• From the left pane of this Settings window click on the Recovery option.

• And in the right pane of this window go to the Advanced Startup section and click on the Restart now button.

• Once the Windows 10 starts, click on the Troubleshoot option.

• Now go to the Advanced options.

• From the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.

• You will see many options including Safe Mode options where you need to use numerical keys to select the right option such as:-

Standard Safe Mode – Press the 4 or the F4 key
Safe Mode with Networking – Press the 5 or F5 key
Safe Mode with Command Prompt – Press either 6 or F6 key

• Now you can log into the Windows 10 Safe Mode with an administrator account and perform the changes as per your requirement.

Using Automatic Repair Mode

This option is very useful if you need to access the Windows recovery drive or other methods are not working.

• Start the Windows 10 when you see the logo with dots encircling it. Press and hold the computer’s power button. This action will force shut down the computer after a short delay. Repeat the process three times and you see Windows screen showing ‘Loading Repairing option’.

• Do not shut down the computer and let the Windows automatically complete the process.
• Soon a new page will open with basic boot options. Select the ‘troubleshoot’ option.

• Now select the Advanced options.

• Click on the ‘Startup Settings’.

• Then click on ‘Restart’ to access the advanced boot options. 

• There will be many options including Safe Mode options where you need to use numerical keys to select the right option.

• After this step Windows 10 will start in Safe Mode.

How to exit the Safe Mode in Windows 10?

Once you have performed all the changes you required in your Windows 10 in Safe Mode you need to come out of the Safe Mode. Here is the process to do so:

• Press Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box. Type msconfig and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.

• Navigate to the Boot tab and uncheck the box in front of the Safe Boot option. Finally, click OK and it’s done.

• Next time when you start your computer it will start in the normal screen.

Conclusion:

These methods if carefully implemented step by step will enable you to access the Safe Mode whenever needed. One should always add Safe Mode in the boot menu to make sure that the Safe Mode option is available whenever the need arises. If you did not set up the Safe Mode, then a force shut down will help Windows 10 to access the Safe Mode option.

Microsoft offers its users a lot of interesting features and advanced boot options to troubleshoot the problems one may face in Windows 10. There are many ways to access the Safe Mode in Windows 10 and dual boot the system. If you are unable to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode, a recovery of installation drive will help. If you feel this article helpful please like, share, and follow our Facebook page and keep visiting our website for such tutorials.

That’s it..