How to Start Windows in Safe Mode

Windows 8 and 10

Start the computer. Press the power button. If the computer is operating but has problems, first you need to hold down the power button to turn off the computer.

If you're already logged in and just want to restart in Safe Mode, open the Start menu by pressing the key ⊞ Winor clicking the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Click on the start screen. After your computer boots up (or turns it back on), you will see a screen with an image and time in the lower left corner. When clicking on the screen, the user menu will appear.

Click on the source icon with a circle with a line cut vertically from top to bottom located in the lower right corner of the screen. A menu will pop up.

Hold down ⇧ Shiftand then click Restart . The Restart option is near the top of the pop-up menu, and the key ⇧ Shiftis on the left side of the keyboard. This process will restart your computer and open the Advanced Options page.

You may need to click Restart anyway after clicking Restart . Hold down the key ⇧ Shiftthroughout the process.

Click the Troubleshoot option in the middle of the Advanced Options page with a blue background and white text interface.

Click the Advanced options option at the bottom of the page.

Click Startup Settings on the right side of the page, just below the Command Prompt option .

Click Restart in the lower right corner of the screen. The computer will reboot to the Startup Settings menu.

Tap the number key 4. After Windows restarts to the Startup Settings page, press the number key 4to select Safe Mode as the current startup option.

Wait for the computer to finish booting. The computer will be in safe mode after restarting.

To exit Safe Mode, you just need to restart your computer as usual.

Windows 7

Find the key F8. This key is at the top of the keyboard. To access the Safe Mode option on Windows 7, you need to press it F8while the computer restarts.

Start the computer. Press the power button. If the computer is operating but has problems, first you need to hold down the power button to turn off the computer.

You can also restart your computer by clicking the Windows icon in the lower left corner of the screen, clicking on the power icon and then selecting Restart .

Press F8multiple times. Proceed as soon as the computer starts turning on. This will open the boot menu with a black background and white text interface.

You must press F8before the "Starting Windows" screen appears.

If nothing happens when you press F8, you may need to hold down the key Fnat the same time as F8.

Press the key ↓until "Safe Mode" is selected. This key is usually located on the right side of the keyboard. When the white bar moves to "Safe Mode", it means you have chosen correctly.

Press ↵ Enter. Safe Mode will then be identified as the reboot option and the process will continue.

Wait for the computer to finish booting. The computer will be in Safe Mode after restarting.

To exit Safe Mode, you just need to restart your computer as usual.

Marvin Fry

Update 21 June 2024