If your laptop keeps crashing, freezing, or will not start up right, you need to find a way to get around the problem. That is exactly what Safe Mode does. Safe Mode eliminates software conflicts, gets rid of stubborn malware, and uninstalls updates that are not working right by loading only the bare minimum of drivers and files needed to run Windows. This guide will show you four different ways to start your laptop in Safe Mode, even if Windows will not load normally.
What Is Safe Mode on a Laptop and When Should You Use It?
Safe Mode is a diagnostic startup state that comes with Windows. Windows loads a lot of background programs, third-party drivers, and startup programs when you turn on your computer normally. Infected with malware or broken, one of these files can cause the whole system to crash before you even get to your desktop.
HP’s technical guide on Safe Mode says that when you boot into this diagnostic state, all software that is not needed is removed. Because it loads a basic video driver, your screen will look stretched and low-resolution. It also turns off most network connections unless you choose “Safe Mode with Networking.” When you get the “Blue Screen of Death,” when a new program crashes right away, or when you need to run a full antivirus scan without any interruptions, you should use Safe Mode.
How to Start a Laptop in Safe Mode From Windows Settings
The safest way to get to Safe Mode is through the Windows Settings menu if your laptop still starts up to the desktop and you can click around.
Step 1: Open the Recovery Settings
Click the Start button and select the gear icon to open Settings. If you use Windows 10, click on Update & Security, then select Recovery from the left-hand menu. If you use Windows 11, click on System, scroll down the right-hand pane, and click on Recovery.
Step 2: Trigger Advanced Startup
Locate the area marked “Advanced startup.” There is a button saying “Restart now” under this heading. When you close all your programs and click this button, it will save any work that is still open. Right away, your laptop will restart and show a blue screen with a number of options.
Step 3: Navigate the Troubleshooting Menu
On the blue screen that says “Choose an option,” click on Troubleshoot. After that, click on Advanced options. Scroll down and choose Startup Settings from the list of advanced tools. It will show you a list of changes that will take effect when you restart. In the bottom right corner, click the “Restart” button.
Step 4: Select Your Safe Mode Version
You will see the Startup Settings menu after the laptop restarts. Microsoft’s official startup documentation tells you that you need to press a number key or function key to make your choice. To get into normal Safe Mode, press 4 or F4. Press 5 or F5 to start in Safe Mode with Networking if you need to connect to the internet to get drivers or antivirus updates.
How to Boot Into Safe Mode Using Shift + Restart
You can use a short keyboard shortcut to get to the Advanced Startup menu if you can get to the Windows login screen but not the Settings menu.
To log in to Windows, click the power icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Wait until you hear the Shift key before you click anything else. Press and hold the Shift key and then click Restart. Hold down the Shift key until the blue “Choose an option” screen shows up. From here, take the same route as before: To get into Safe Mode, click Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then Startup Settings, and finally Restart. Then press 4 or F4.
How to Start a Laptop in Safe Mode When Windows Will Not Boot
Windows will sometimes not even load the login screen because of a serious error. This means you need to use a hard reset to get the laptop into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
- It will turn off completely if you hold down the power button on your laptop for 10 seconds.
- To turn it back on, press the power button.
- Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds when you see the Windows loading circle or the logo of the computer’s maker, such as Dell, HP, or Lenovo. This will turn it off again.
- Turn it on again, wait for the logo, and then force it off a second time.
- Turn the laptop on a third time. This time, do not interrupt it. Windows will notice that the boot fails are happening more than once and will show the “Preparing Automatic Repair” screen.
- Let the diagnostic run. When it finishes, click the Advanced options button. You are now in the WinRE menu. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and press 4 or F4.
How to Start Safe Mode Using System Configuration (msconfig)
Because you are running a long diagnostic process, you may need your laptop to always start up in Safe Mode when you restart it. You can use the System Configuration tool to make this happen.
To get to the Run box, press the Windows Key + R. Enter msconfig. After opening System Configuration, click the Boot tab at the top of the window. Put a check mark next to Safe boot in the “Boot options” panel. If you only need to use Safe Mode, leave the radio button below it set to “Minimal.” If you need to connect to the internet, choose “Network.” After clicking OK, click Apply. Microsoft Windows will tell you to restart.
Warning: If you use this method, your laptop will continue booting into Safe Mode forever until you open msconfig again and uncheck the “Safe boot” box.
What to Do Once Your Laptop Starts in Safe Mode
As soon as you get into Safe Mode, you will notice that the screen resolution is low and that the words “Safe Mode” show up in every corner of your desktop. You can now start to fix the issue.
Troubleshooting Actions to Take
First, get rid of any drivers or software that you installed right before the computer started to crash. Find the questionable programs in the Control Panel and get rid of them. Next, use your antivirus software to do a full system scan. Most of the time, malware hides behind running Windows processes. Safe Mode stops those processes from starting, which makes them easy to get rid of. For more information on how to keep your system safe, read our full guide to protecting your computer from viruses. Lastly, if the problem was caused by a recent Windows Update, go to Settings > Update & Security > View update history > Uninstall updates and get rid of the most recent patch.
Signs the Issue Is Software Related vs Hardware Related
When it comes to tests, Safe Mode is the best. It is likely that you have a software problem if your laptop keeps crashing in normal mode but works fine in Safe Mode. This could be a bad driver, an app that conflicts with the background, or malware. But if your laptop still crashes, freezes, or shows graphical errors even when it is in Safe Mode, it is probably because of a broken piece of hardware, like a hard drive that is dying, RAM that is not working right, or a processor that is getting too hot.
How to Exit Safe Mode and Return to Normal Startup
It is very easy to get out of Safe Mode if you got there through the Settings menu, the Shift + Restart shortcut, or a hard reset. To restart, all you have to do is press the Start button, click the power icon, and choose Restart. When you start Windows again, it will start up normally on its own.
If you used the msconfig method, you must reverse your changes. Press Windows Key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter. Go to the Boot tab, uncheck the Safe boot box, click Apply, click OK, and restart your laptop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hold down the Shift key and click Restart from the Start menu or the login screen to get to the Windows Recovery Environment. You can also force the laptop to turn off three times in a row during the boot sequence to start Automatic Repair.
To get to Safe Mode on older Windows 7 computers, you had to quickly press F8 during startup. This will not work, though, because Windows 10 and 11 start up too quickly. There is an Advanced Startup menu that you need to use today. If you want to use Safe Mode without networking, press F4, and if you want to use Safe Mode with networking, press F5.
Dell’s Safe Mode documentation says that you need to hold down the power button for 10 seconds during the boot logo to restart the laptop forcibly if you can not get into Windows at all. When you do this three times in a row, Windows goes into the diagnostic recovery menu. From there, you can choose Safe Mode.
You can start Windows with just the core drivers and services it needs to work when you boot in Safe Mode. It turns off startup programs, third-party apps, and advanced graphics drivers so you can fix software conflicts without them getting in the way.
Fix Laptop Startup Problems Faster With Safe Mode Troubleshooting
If you know how to start your laptop in Safe Mode, you can fix a system that is about to crash without having to pay for expensive tech support. Safe Mode clears out the system so you can find and get rid of bad drivers, malware, and outdated software. You can use the Windows Settings menu, the Shift + Restart shortcut, or the hard reset method. Do not forget that if your laptop keeps crashing even in Safe Mode, it is most likely a hardware issue and not a software one.If your computer keeps having hardware problems like failing hard drives or an old motherboard, no amount of software troubleshooting will fix it for good. Check out the high-end GEEKOM laptops when it is time to replace a system that is not working anymore. As a result of using modern, reliable parts and strict quality control, a new GEEKOM laptop lets you focus on working and creating instead of fixing blue screens.
