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BitLocker note: If your device is encrypted, Windows RE may ask for its BitLocker recovery key before you can complete recovery tasks. Make sure you can access the key before proceeding. See Microsoft’s Windows recovery environment guidance.
What Safe Mode does—and which option to choose
Safe Mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers to help troubleshoot problems. If an issue does not occur in Safe Mode, that can help narrow down possible causes, but it does not prove the cause or rule out every hardware problem. Microsoft describes this diagnostic startup in its Windows startup settings guidance.
| Option | What it starts | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Safe Mode (4 or F4) | Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. | Start here for basic troubleshooting. |
| Safe Mode with Networking (5 or F5) | Safe Mode plus the network drivers and services needed for internet or local network access. | Use it only if your troubleshooting task needs network access. |
| Safe Mode with Command Prompt (6 or F6) | Safe Mode with Command Prompt in place of the usual Windows interface. | Choose it when you need or want the command-line interface. |
The numbers or function keys are selected on the Startup Settings screen. The available choices and screen wording can vary by device or configuration.
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Enter Safe Mode when Windows still starts
- Save your work. Then open Windows RE using either route:
- Hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart.
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now.
- In Windows RE, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the PC restarts to Startup Settings, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or 6 or F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
For Microsoft’s full description of these options, see Windows startup settings.
Enter Safe Mode when Windows will not start normally
If Windows cannot reach the desktop, you can use Windows RE from Automatic Repair or recovery media. Microsoft’s forced-shutdown route is intended for a PC that will not start normally—not for a working desktop.
- Turn on the PC. When the Windows or manufacturer logo appears, hold the power button until the device shuts down.
- Repeat that interruption once more: turn the PC on, wait for the logo, then hold the power button to shut it down.
- Turn it on a third time. Windows should display Automatic Repair.
- Select Advanced options to enter Windows RE, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- When Startup Settings appears, press 4 or F4, 5 or F5, or 6 or F6 for the option you need.
If Windows RE asks for a BitLocker recovery key, you need the key associated with the encrypted device to continue through the relevant recovery task. Other ways to reach Windows RE include using a recovery drive, repair disc, or Windows installation media that you already have. Microsoft’s Windows recovery environment instructions cover these routes.
Exit Safe Mode and stop a repeated Safe Mode boot
Return to normal startup
Restart the PC. Microsoft says restarting should be sufficient to exit Safe Mode and return to normal mode.
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If Windows keeps starting in Safe Mode
A persistent Safe boot setting in System Configuration can make Windows continue to start in Safe Mode. Clear that setting:
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
msconfig, then select OK. - Open the Boot tab.
- Under Boot options, clear Safe boot.
- Select Apply, then restart the computer.
This is the fallback for a PC that continues to boot into Safe Mode after a normal restart; repeatedly interrupting startup is not an exit procedure. See Microsoft’s section on repeated Safe Mode boots in Windows startup settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Windows 10 support status
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Safe Mode remains a built-in startup troubleshooting option, but it does not change the operating system’s support status. See Microsoft’s Windows startup settings and Windows recovery environment pages.
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