7 Easiest Ways to Boot into Safe Mode in Windows 10

Facing problem with safe mode in windows 10? It can happen as booting into safe mode is a little bit advanced topic. But nope! You just have to know the booting stuff clearly to find this booting system easily. Moreover, In windows 10, booting into safe mode is different from the process in earlier windows versions. In this article, I will show you how to boot in safe mode windows 10 in all possible ways. Keep in touch.

What Is Safe Mode and Why You Need This?

Are you familiar with safe mode in windows 10? Don’t you? Okay then, I am telling you. Windows 10 isn’t a light OS. There are many software and drivers are running in the background when you are running windows in your system. But when are using safe mode in windows, then OS loads only the necessary applications, services, and drivers and a minimal user interface.
There are many reasons one needs to use a safe mode. In safe mode, only the most important equipment of OS is running. If you are facing any trouble in normal mode, then you can try to enter into safe mode and if in safe mode, there exists no problem, then it proves the problem lies in any of your applications or drivers. It’s often been seen users cannot enter into their normal windows mode like blue screen problem. Sometimes they face resource protection errors. In these types of situations, the user can try to get into safe mode and then do a troubleshooting process.
There are two types of safe mode → Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking. Safe mode with Networking includes the network drivers and services and helpful for troubleshooting networking problems.
Microsoft has brought a little change in safe mode in windows 10. In earlier versions like Windows 7,8, we use the F8 button to boot up into safe mode. But in windows 10, this F8 process is not working anymore. Microsoft has disabled this option to make this boot process faster than before. If you want to boot into safe mode using F8, you have to enable the feature manually. There are other ways to boot into safe mode in Windows 10 except the F8 button. I will show them in detail.

How to Boot into Safe Mode in Windows 10

Now I will show you some easiest ways to boot into safe mode. You can try any of them. But in case you are facing problems in normal mode and trying to boot into safe mode, you have to follow a distinct method likewise. I have described all possible scenarios, go find your convenient one.

Method-1: Using the F8 key

You have already known the F8 key isn’t working anymore in the booting process in windows 10. Now we will enable this feature manually. But one thing is if you cannot access your normal windows mode, then you cannot follow this method. If you are in normal mode, then it’s okay. Let’s go to work.

1. At first, you have to open the command prompt in admin mode. You can do this in two ways. Just follow any of the following two. Open the Power users menu (Press Windows+X). Now choose Command Prompt(Admin)’ option. Or, Press (windows+R) button to open the run prompt and type cmd. Now press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open the administrative command prompt. See, you have to press Ctrl, Shift, Enter button exactly at the same time otherwise it will fail.
2.  Now type the below command in your command prompt and hit enter. bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy.
3. Now reboot your computer. Before the Windows logo appears, press F8 from your keyboard.

1. This time F8 will work and you can see the Boot menu options. Now select Safe Mode or Safe Mode with networking depending on your requirement. You are done.

Method-2: Boot into Safe Mode When You Cannot Start Windows Normally

If you cannot start windows normally, then follow this method to enter into safe mode. This is helpful as when you will enter into safe mode, then you can troubleshoot your problem there. Let’s go to work. If you can access your windows normally, then this method isn’t for you.

1. At first, you have to make sure your computer is off. Now press your power button and turn on your computer. Press your power button again until your computer shuts down. Repeat this process until a window marked ‘ Preparing Automatic Repair’ isn’t coming. See the picture below to be clear. The target is to bring the  Preparing Automatic Repair window. If you see this window on the first try, then just stop turning off/on your computer again and again.
2. Then wait a while until you don’t see a window marked ‘Diagnosing your PC’.
3. Now you will see a window named Startup Repair. Click on the option named ‘Advanced Options’.

Now click on ‘Troubleshoot’.

Now click on ‘Advanced Options’.

Now click on startup Settings’.

Now click on restart.

After restarting your computer, now you will see options to enter into safe mode and safe mode with networking. Just press 4 from your keyboard if you want to enter into safe mode and press 5 if you want to enter into safe mode with networking. You are done now.

Method-3: Using System Configuration

When you can access windows normal mode on your computer, you can boot into safe mode easily using the system configuration tool. This is a simple method. Let’s go to work. Before approaching, close all your running applications and files. If you don’t close, you will lose your data after this process as your system will be rebooted.

If you want to enter into safe mode with networking, then skip this method and follow my other described methods to get your things done.

1. At first, you have to open the System Configuration tool. Press (windows+R) button to open the run prompt and then type MSConfig,

Click Ok. Or, You can search ‘System Configuration’ in your computer’s search bar and then click on the first result to open the System Configuration tool

Now you can see the System Configuration window.  Click on the boot tab

→ Now check the option Safe boot and click OK.

 Now you will see a window telling you to close all your apps and files as it is about to restart and enter into safe mode. So, if you have not closed all your files and running apps, click Exit without restart. If everything is okay and you are ready to enter into safe mode, then click Restart.

After restarting your system, you can see the system has entered into safe mode automatically. You are done now.

→ Microsoft Edge browser won’t work in safe mode. You can access Internet explorer but if you try to access Microsoft edge, then you will see an error message.

Method-4: Using the Shift key

As there is no default option to enter into safe mode, we can customize the windows restarting system using the shift key from the keyboard and then enter into safe mode. Now I will show you how you can enter into safe mode using the Shift key.

1. Click on the windows start menu icon and then click on the power icon. Press the Shift key and click on restart (Shift+Restart) Or, You can do this from the Sign-in screen. Click on the power icon from the right lower corner.  Press the Shift key and click on restart (Shift+Restart).
2. Now you will see the windows reboot menu and click on the ‘Troubleshoot’ option.

Now click on ‘Advanced Options’.

Now click on start up Settings’.

Now click on restart.

Now you can see the boot menu and you will find the option to enter into safe mode or safe mode with networking. If you want to enter into safe mode, press 4 from your keyboard, and for safe mode with networking, press 5 from your keyboard. You are done now.

Method-5: Using Recovery from Settings Menu

You can boot into safe mode or safe mode with networking from the windows 10 recovery option. This is pretty much simple and almost the same as my described method 4 in this article. Let’s go.

1. Press the windows+I button to open the settings app. Now click on ‘Update and Security’.

Now click on the Recovery option from the left panel.

Now click on ‘Restart Now’ under the Advanced startup option.

Now go to Troubleshoot →  Advanced options →  Startup Settings →  Restart.

Now you will see the boot menu options. If you want to enter into safe mode, simply press 4 from your keyboard, and if you want to enter into safe mode with networking, press 5 from your keyboard. You are done now!

Method-6: Using a Recovery Drive

Another way to enter into safe mode in Windows 10 is to use a recovery drive. Though this is not a straightforward process, if you are familiar with bootable drive stuff, then you can follow this method to get your things done. Let’s go to work.
You need to use at least a 4GB space drive for the Windows 32-bit version and an 8GB space drive for the Windows 32-bit version. If your USB drive contains any file, copy it somewhere else as after the process, the USB drive will be overwritten and you will lose your data.

Plug your USB drive into your computer.

1. At first, you have to create a recovery drive. Windows 10 has its own application named the recovery media creator tool to create a recovery drive. At first, you have to open the recovery media creator tool. Follow the below instructions to open it.
2. Search ‘recovery drive’ in your computer’s search bar and click on the result ‘create a recovery drive’ to open the recovery media creator tool. Or, You can go to Control panel→ Recovery and click on ‘Create a recovery drive’ to open the recovery media creator tool. Or,  You can press the (windows+I) button to open the Settings app and then search ‘recovery drive’ there. Now click on the option ‘Create a recovery drive’ to open the recovery media creator tool.
3. Now you will see a window asking your permission to make changes to your computer. Click Yes.
4. Now you will see the recovery media creator window saying something that it is gonna do for you. Check the option ‘Backup system files to the recovery drive’ and click Next.
5. Now select the USB drive you want to use for containing system files and then click Next.
6. Now you will be warned all your data in the selected drive will be lost. If any important data remains in your USB drive, click cancel and empty it first. Now restart the process from the top. If everything is okay, click Create.
7. Now you will see a window preparing your recovery drive. It will take up to 10 minutes and depending on your system, it can take more than 10 minutes.
8. Now you will see a window telling your recovery drive has been created successfully and ready to use. Click Finish now.
9. After creating your recovery drive, boot your Windows 10 computer with this drive. Now you will see a window asking you to select your desired keyboard layout. Select your desired keyboard layout.
10. Now go to Troubleshoot →  Advanced options →  Startup Settings →  Restart.
11. Now you will see the boot menu options. If you want to enter into safe mode, simply press 4 or F4 from your keyboard, and if you want to enter into safe mode with networking, press 5 or F5 from your keyboard. You are done now!

Method-7: From Windows 10 Bootable Drive and Command Prompt

You can use a bootable drive containing a Windows 10 ISO file and enter into safe mode. If you are facing trouble with other methods and you cannot get into safe mode by any means, try this method and hope this time you will be successful. If you don’t know how to create a bootable drive with windows 10 ISO file, then click here ( Internal linking here). After getting your bootable drive ready, follow the below instructions.

1.  Use your bootable drive to boot your Windows 10 computer and then you will window asking for language, time and currency format, and input method. Choose your preferred option and click Next.
2. Now click on the option ‘Repair your computer’ in the left lower corner.
3. Now click on ‘Troubleshoot’.
4. Now click on ‘Command Prompt’.
5. Now type the below command in your command prompt and hit enter. bcdedit /set {default} safe boot minimal.
6. Now you will see a window saying the command executed successfully.
7. Now close the command prompt and click on ‘Continue’.
8. Now your computer will be rebooted and then you will automatically be taken to safe mode. You are done.

Conclusion:

If you have gone through my full article, you should have done it already. I have shown all possible ways to boot into safe mode in windows 10. If you face trouble with any specific method, simply try another one and follow the instructions carefully. Some methods are supposed to be used for only some specific situations, check this and follow likewise. Go get into safe mode now.