Knowing how to boot into your system in safe mode is one of the most essential Windows skills. When in safe mode, your system will run only with the most essential services and resources. Any third party app would be disabled at startup, also the performance of the system increases as only the most essential applications would be running.
When there is an issue with your Windows, booting into your system in safe mode and then locating the issue is a highly recommended solution in most of the tech articles out on the Internet. If your system crashes, you will be left with no other choice but the safe mode boot up option, in order to even enter your machine. At the time of a malicious attack also, you can boot into your Windows in safe mode and then pinpoint the source of the attack easily.
In this article, we explain in detail the 4 different ways using which you can safe boot into your Windows 11.
How to Boot into Safe Mode from Start Menu
Step 1: Click on the Windows icon first. Then click on the Power icon. As next, hold down the SHIFT key and then click on the Restart option.
Your system will restart now.
Step 2: Once the system restarts, from the Choose an option window, click on Troubleshoot tab.
Step 3: In the Troubleshoot window, click on Advanced options.
Step 4: As next, click on the Startup Settings tab.
Step 5: In the lower right corner of the window, click on the Restart button.
Step 6: Press key 4 to boot in safe mode, key 5 for safe mode with networking or key 6 for safe mode with Command Prompt.
Wait while your system boots into safe mode with the advanced settings if you have chosen option 5 or 6 in the previous step.
How to Boot into Safe Mode from Windows Recovery
Step 1: Click on the Windows icon in the taskbar and then click on the Settings app icon.
Step 2: In the left pane of the Settings window, click on the System tab. In the right pane, click on the Recovery option.
Step 3: Now on the Recovery settings page, click on the button Restart now.
Step 4: The system would now restart and the following window would appear. Click on Troubleshoot tab first.
Step 5: Next, click on Advanced options.
Step 6: In the window that opens next for Advanced options, click on the tab Startup Settings.
Step 7: Click on the Restart button in the Startup Settings window.
Step 8: To boot your system in safe mode, press key 4. If you would like networking to be enabled with safe mode, press 5. Or if you would like command prompt to be enabled with safe mode, press key 6.
That’s it. Wait for your system to boot into safe mode.
How to Boot into Safe Mode through System Configuration
Step 1: Launch the Run window by pressing Win and R keys together. Type in msconfig and hit the OK button.
Step 2: In the System Configuration window, click on the tab Boot.
Under the Boot options section, enable the options Safe boot and Minimal as shown in the screenshot below.
Once you are all done, hit the Apply button and then the Ok button.
Step 3: If asked for Restart confirmation, click on the Restart button to boot in safe mode into your Windows 11.
Note: When the system restarts, it will be in safe mode. However, if the system keeps booting in safe mode only for further restarts as well, then follow the same steps in this method once again. But in step 2, uncheck the options Safe Boot and Minimal. Save your changes. Your next restart would be normal.
How to Boot into Safe Mode through Automatic Repair
Step 1: Completely power off your PC. Now, press the power button to turn it on. As soon as the Windows logo appears, turn off the PC by long-pressing the power button. Repeat this process 3 times. This will cause your system to enter the Automatic Repair screen.
Click on the Advanced options button once you are on the Automatic Repair screen.
Step 2: In the Choose an option window, click on the Troubleshoot tab.
Step 3: As next, click on the Advanced options tab.
Step 4: In the Advanced options window, click on Startup Settings tab.
Step 5: As next, click on the button Restart.
Step 6: Now to boot into safe mode, you can either press key 4, or key 5 or key 6.
Pressing key 4 would simply boot your system in safe mode, whereas pressing 5 and 6 would enable networking and command prompt respectively along with safe mode.
That’s it. You are now a pro at booting your Windows 11 in safe mode. Please tell us in the comments if you are stuck at any of the steps.