How to Start/Boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode? (7 Ways)

Windows 11 is a new operating system from Microsoft and it is currently available to Insider Preview users. If you have installed Windows 11 via Windows Insider Program in Windows 10 and use it for some time, you may have known about almost all the changes in this new system.

Because of the change of Windows settings, the ways to access the PC are different, including Safe Mode. Sometimes you may run into some problems that are not easy to identify or solve. Then, you can boot to Safe Mode for troubleshooting. In Safe Mode, Windows doesn’t load any third-party apps but only loads the required drivers.

Today, we will show you how to boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode. In the following part, 7 ways are listed.

Clean Boot VS. Safe Mode: What’s the Difference and When to Use

Clean Boot vs. Safe Mode: what’s the difference, when and how to use? After reading this post, you can clearly know all the answers to these questions.

Read More

How to Boot/Start Windows 11 in Safe Mode

Enter Windows 11 Safe Mode via Settings

1. Click the Start button from the Taskbar and then click Settings.

What to Do When Windows 10/11 Settings App Is Not Opening?

Is the Settings app not opening in Windows 10/11? What to do if you can’t access Settings? This post gives you some solutions to fix this issue.

Read More

2. In the System interface, go to the right pane, scroll down to find, and click Recovery.

3. In the new window, you can see some recovery options. Just click the Restart now button next to Advanced startup.

4. Click Restart now again and Windows will enter the recovery environment.

5. Then, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

6. You can see three options to enter Safe Mode. Just press F4, F5, or F6 based on your needs.

Boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode via Shift + Restart

1. Click the Windows icon and then click the Power button.
2. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard, then choose Restart.
3. After a while, Windows 11 enters the recovery environment. Access Safe Mode in WinRE by following the step 5 and 6 in method 1.

Start Windows 11 in Safe Mode from the Sign-in Screen

When you start your PC to enter the sign-in screen, don’t log in and follow these steps to enter Safe Mode.

1. Click the Power button, press and hold the Shift key and then choose Restart.

2. Windows 11 will reboot and enter WinRE. Then, enter Safe Mode from the recovery environment.

Boot PC to Windows 11 Safe Mode from Command Prompt

Some users like using Command Prompt to perform some tasks in Windows. If you also like it, follow the steps below to boot to Safe Mode:

1. Click the search button, type cmd, and then choose Run as administrator.
2. In the CMD window, type the shutdown.exe /r /o command and press Enter.
3. Wait for Windows 11 to enter the recovery environment and then go to Safe Mode in WinRE.

Boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode by Interrupting the Boot Sequence

This way can interfere with the computer’s boot process and the machine can automatically enter Windows Recovery Environment. You should choose this way only when your PC doesn’t boot normally.

1. Shut down your computer.
2. Power it on and turn it off when the Windows logo appears.
3. Repeat this three times and the PC will enter the Automatic Repair screen.
4. Click Advanced options to enter WinRE.
5. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. Then, press a key to enter Safe Mode.

Enter Safe Mode in Windows 11 via a Windows Installation Disc or Bootable USB Drive

If you have a Windows installation disc or USB flash drive, you can boot the PC from it and then access Safe Mode.

1. Plug your drive into the PC.

2. Change the boot order in BIOS to run PC from it.

3. Select the time, language, and keyboard layout.

4. Click Repair your computer to go to WinRE.

5. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt, type bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal and press Enter.

6. Close Command Prompt and click Continue.

7. Press a key to enter Safe Mode.

Windows 11 will enter Safe Mode every time you boot the PC unless you change the setting in System Configuration.

How to Create Windows 11 Installation Media on PC, Mac, or Linux

How to create Windows 11 installation media on a PC, Mac, or Linux for installing the new operating system? Follow the guide here now.

Read More

Start PC to Windows 11 Safe Mode by Changing System Configuration

If you want to boot your computer to Safe Mode each time you restart the system, you can configure it in the System Configuration window. This won’t load the recovery environment but directly open Windows 11 in Safe Mode.

1. Press Win + R to get the Run window, type msconfig, and click OK.
2. In the System Configuration interface, go to the Boot tab, and check the box of Safe boot.
3. Click OK > Restart. Then, Windows 11 will enter Safe Mode every time you restart the PC.

Final Words

How to boot Windows 11 in Safe Mode? Now, you know 7 ways to start your PC to Safe Mode. Just try one of them if you need. Hope this article is helpful to you.