If you've just started up your PC to find it's not working correctly, you can also reboot using Safe Mode when you arrive at the sign-in screen. To do this, hold down the Shift button on your keyboard, then select Power and Restart. When your computer reboots, it should open up the same Choose an option screen, as is the case when you restart your computer in Safe Mode via the settings menu.
Once again, select Restart from the Startup Settings menu that you'll find if you select Troubleshoot; then select Advanced Options and choose either option 4 or press F4 on your keyboard to boot up in Safe Mode, or option 5 F5 if you need to access the internet in Safe Mode. Once you're running Safe Mode, you can start to investigate the problems you're experiencing with your computer and try to fix them.
However, if you're not confident trying to fix the issue yourself, it's always best to call in professional help either from your IT department or a third-party company to make sure you don't damage your PC permanently. If you would rather launch Safe Mode using the command line rather than going through the rather time-consuming steps above, you can instead launch msconfig from the Start Screen by typing it in, then choosing Launch System Configuration from the list of options.
Next, select Boot. When the menu pops up, tick the Safe Boot box and choose which variation of Safe Mode you want to boot up in. Click OK and hey presto! Your Windows 10 machine will start up in Safe Mode.
If you're used to using older versions of Windows, you may want to use the older Advanced Boot Options that are no longer visible in Windows To do this, you'll need to create a bootable USB flash drive or DVD, which you'll need to do on another computer if your machine isn't working. It's a good idea to have one already made up though, just in case you experience problems in future. Now, type in the disk destination such as c: and press enter. Once you're in Safe Mode and, hopefully, have corrected the problem with your computer, you'll want to test it's worked.
To do this, you'll need to exit from Safe Mode. You can do this once again using msconfig. Head to the Start Menu and type in msconfig to bring up the System Configuration menu. Three articles that look forward into the changing state of Salesforce and the future of business. The mighty struggle to migrate SAP to the cloud may be over. A simplified and unified approach to delivering Enterprise Transformation in the cloud.
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What is Windows Safe Mode? Best Windows laptops Top Windows 10 and 11 laptops to consider. Open Recovery Settings. Under Recovery options , next to Advanced startup , select Restart now. You may be asked to enter your BitLocker recovery key. After your PC restarts, you'll see a list of options. Or if you'll need to use the internet, select 5 or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. Select 4 or F4 to start your PC in safe mode.
Or if you'll need to use the internet, select 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. To do this, you will repeatedly turn your device off, then on:. After your device restarts, you'll see a list of options. Select option 5 from the list or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. If you need more info on a black or blank screen error, see Troubleshoot black or blank screen errors. Notes: Restarting your device should be sufficient to exit you from Safe Mode back into normal mode.
However, if for some reason your machine is still booting into Safe Mode on its own after restarting, try this:. Type msconfig in the Open box and then select OK. Under Boot options , clear the Safe boot checkbox. Windows 11 Windows 10 More Select the Boot tab. Need more help? Join the discussion. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you!