# How to Enter Safe Mode in Windows 11

URL: https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/how-to-enter-safe-mode-windows-11/
Published: 2026-04-10 | Updated: 2026-08-10 | Author: Ankit Kumar
Tags: Windows 11, Troubleshooting, Tips
Summary: Need to remove malware or uninstall a stubborn driver on Windows 11? Boot into Safe Mode the easy way — from Settings, sign-in, or a black-screen PC.
Recommended app: PC-Troubleshooter — https://www.mytechnician.tech/apps/windows-troubleshooter/ (Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9N7RWKW8SP24?hl=en-us&cid=mytechnician-web). Optional; every step below uses built-in Windows tools.

## What Is Safe Mode?
**Safe Mode** boots Windows with a minimal driver set: basic display, no third-party services, no startup programs. If a crash, freeze, or malware infection stops happening in Safe Mode, the cause is something Windows *chose not to load*—a third-party driver, a startup item, or a background service. That single fact is why Safe Mode is the first move for a technician before pulling hardware out or reinstalling Windows.

Windows 11 offers three variants at the boot menu:

* **Safe Mode** (option 4) — the minimal set, no networking. Use this for driver removal.
* **Safe Mode with Networking** (option 5) — adds network drivers so you can download a tool or a driver. Note that malware can also reach the internet here.
* **Safe Mode with Command Prompt** (option 6) — no desktop shell, just a command window. Useful when Explorer itself is the thing that crashes.

## Method 1: From the Sign-In Screen (Easiest)
Use this when the PC reaches the login screen but crashes or freezes after you sign in.

1. At the sign-in screen, click the **Power** icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. **Hold `Shift`** while clicking **Restart**.
3. The PC reboots into the Advanced Startup (blue) menu.
4. Choose **Troubleshoot** → **Advanced options** → **Startup Settings** → **Restart**.
5. After the reboot you get a numbered list. Press **4** (or `F4`) for Safe Mode, or **5** (`F5`) for Safe Mode with Networking.

## Method 2: From Inside Windows
Use this when the PC is usable but misbehaving.

1. Open **Settings** with `Win + I`.
2. Go to **System** → **Recovery**.
3. Under **Advanced startup**, click **Restart now**.
4. Continue from step 4 of Method 1.

## Method 3: When Windows Will Not Start at All
If the PC never reaches the sign-in screen, you can force Windows into the recovery environment.

1. Press the power button to start the PC.
2. As soon as you see the Windows logo or the manufacturer's logo, **hold the power button for five seconds** to force it off.
3. Repeat this twice more. On the third boot, Windows starts **Automatic Repair** and takes you to the recovery menu.
4. From there: **Advanced options** → **Startup Settings** → **Restart** → press **4**.

This deliberately interrupts boot three times, which Windows treats as a signal that startup is failing. It is safe, but do not use it repeatedly on a PC that is mid-update.

A cleaner alternative if you have one: boot from a Windows 11 USB installer, choose **Repair your computer**, then **Troubleshoot** → **Advanced options**. See [how to do a clean install of Windows 11](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/how-to-clean-install-windows-11/) for creating that USB.

## Method 4: Msconfig (Boots to Safe Mode Every Time)
Use this when you need several Safe Mode sessions in a row—for example, running successive malware scans.

1. Press `Win + R`, type `msconfig`, press Enter.
2. Open the **Boot** tab.
3. Tick **Safe boot** and leave it on **Minimal** (or pick **Network** if you need internet).
4. Click **Apply** → **OK** → **Restart**.

> **Important:** the PC will now boot to Safe Mode **every time**. To get back to normal, open `msconfig` again *while in Safe Mode*, untick **Safe boot**, and restart. If you forget and can no longer reach msconfig, use Method 3 to reach the recovery menu and run `bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot` from **Command Prompt**.

## What to Actually Do in Safe Mode
Safe Mode is a diagnostic environment, not a destination. The useful jobs are:

* **Uninstall a bad driver** — Device Manager → right-click → Uninstall device. Especially graphics drivers; for a thorough job see [clean install GPU drivers with DDU](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/clean-install-gpu-drivers-ddu-windows-11/).
* **Remove malware** that blocks scanners when Windows is running normally—see [remove a virus or malware](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/remove-virus-malware-windows-11/).
* **Uninstall a program** that crashes the desktop the moment it loads.
* **Run a system restore** — search for `rstrui` and roll back to a point before the problem started.
* **Disable startup items** — Task Manager → Startup apps. Details: [disable startup programs](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/disable-startup-programs-speed-up-boot/).

## Reading the Result
* **Problem gone in Safe Mode** → a third-party driver, service, or startup app is responsible. Re-enable items in batches to find it, or use a clean boot: `msconfig` → Services → tick **Hide all Microsoft services** → **Disable all**.
* **Problem still happens in Safe Mode** → the cause is hardware, Windows system files, or the disk itself. Run `sfc /scannow` and `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth` ([SFC and DISM guide](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/how-to-run-sfc-dism-repair-windows-11/)), then test the drive and RAM.

## What Not to Do
* **Don't leave Safe boot ticked in msconfig** and then run Windows Update—updates can fail badly in Safe Mode.
* **Don't panic at the low resolution and large icons.** That is the basic display driver, not damage.
* **Don't expect BitLocker-protected drives to unlock silently.** Have your recovery key ready before you start—see [fix the BitLocker recovery key loop](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/fix-bitlocker-recovery-key-loop-windows-11/).

Related: [fix the Automatic Repair loop](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/fix-automatic-repair-loop-windows-11/) and [fix a black screen on boot](https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/fix-black-screen-on-boot-windows-11/).

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Source: https://www.mytechnician.tech/tips/how-to-enter-safe-mode-windows-11/ — My Technician, free Windows 10/11 troubleshooting guides.
Related tool: PC-Troubleshooter (PC-Troubleshooter is a system diagnostic and repair tool for Windows 10 and Windows 11—hardware, drivers, network, and common fixes in one app.) — https://www.mytechnician.tech/apps/windows-troubleshooter/
More guides: https://www.mytechnician.tech/llms.txt