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How to Start Windows 11 in Safe Mode

What is Safe Mode?

Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode in Windows 11 that starts your computer with only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows. When you start your PC in Safe Mode, most third-party drivers, software, and services are disabled. This allows you to troubleshoot problems and diagnose issues on your computer by isolating potential causes.

There are three versions of Safe Mode in Windows 11:

  • Safe Mode – Starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. No networking support.
  • Safe Mode with Networking – Starts Windows in Safe Mode and includes the networking drivers and services to connect to the internet or other PCs.
  • Safe Mode with Command Prompt – Starts Windows in Safe Mode and opens a Command Prompt window instead of the desktop. Intended for advanced troubleshooting.

When to Use Safe Mode

Here are some common situations when you’d want to boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11:

  • Troubleshoot startup and shutdown problems – If Windows gets stuck during startup or fails to boot properly into the desktop, Safe Mode can help diagnose issues.
  • Remove malware and viruses – Safe Mode starts your PC with only essential drivers, stopping malware from loading on startup. Run security scans to find and remove infections.
  • Resolve software conflicts – If a newly installed app is causing problems, use Safe Mode to uninstall it. Safe Mode won’t load other third-party software that could be conflicting.
  • Update device drivers – Safe Mode is a good environment to install updated drivers. Other running software won’t interfere with the installation.
  • Diagnose hardware problems – Safe Mode puts less demand on your hardware. If issues persist in Safe Mode, it likely indicates a hardware failure instead of a software issue.

Ways to Start in Safe Mode

There are a few different ways to boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11:

1. Through the Windows Start Menu

  1. Click the Start Menu and then click the Power button
  2. While holding the Shift key, click Restart.
  3. On the Choose an Option screen, select Troubleshoot.
  4. Go to Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  5. After your PC restarts, select the Safe Mode option you want.

2. Through the Windows Recovery Environment

  1. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
  2. Under Advanced Startup, click Restart Now.
  3. On the Choose an Option screen, select Troubleshoot.
  4. Go to Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  5. After the restart, select the desired Safe Mode option.

3. From the Sign-in Screen

  1. On the sign-in screen, hold Shift and click the Power button.
  2. Click Restart while continuing to hold Shift.
  3. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  4. Choose the Safe Mode option you want after your PC restarts.

4. Through MSConfig

  1. Type msconfig into the Windows search bar and open the app.
  2. Go to the Boot tab and check the box for Safe boot.
  3. Select the type of Safe Mode you want and click OK.
  4. Restart your computer.

Using Safe Mode to Troubleshoot

Once you’ve successfully booted into Safe Mode, here are some things you can do to diagnose problems:

  • Open Windows Security and run a full antivirus scan to check for malware. Safe Mode prevents malware from running at startup.
  • Use the Task Manager to view running processes and services. Stop any unnecessary processes.
  • Uninstall recently added drivers or software that could be causing conflicts.
  • Run hardware diagnostics to check components like your hard drive and memory for faults.
  • Undo recent system changes with System Restore if applicable.
  • Check for new updates for Windows and your hardware drivers.

After troubleshooting, restart your PC normally to see if the problems persist. Safe Mode temporarily reduces functionalities to make diagnosing issues easier.

Exiting Safe Mode

Once you’ve finished using Safe Mode, restarting your computer will boot Windows 11 back into its normal state.

If for some reason your PC continues restarting into Safe Mode, you can disable it through MSConfig:

  1. Open MSConfig.
  2. Go to the Boot tab.
  3. Uncheck the box next to Safe boot and click OK.
  4. Restart your computer.

Windows 11 should now start normally, with all drivers and services enabled as usual.

When Not to Use Safe Mode

While Safe Mode is very useful for troubleshooting, there are a couple situations where you’ll want to avoid using it:

  • Hardware testing – Since Safe Mode does not load most of your hardware drivers, you cannot thoroughly test components like graphics cards in Safe Mode.
  • Gaming/graphics performance – The limited drivers in Safe Mode means reduced graphics performance. Visual quality and frame rates will suffer in most games.
  • Audio/video editing – Multimedia editing software requires hardware acceleration and optimized drivers to work well, which Safe Mode does not provide.

For these situations, you’ll want Windows running normally with full access to your hardware and third-party software.

Conclusion

Safe Mode strips Windows 11 down to its essentials, providing an environment to diagnose problems caused by software conflicts or malware. It’s one of the best tools for troubleshooting a misbehaving PC.

There are a few different methods you can use to enter Safe Mode on Windows 11. Once you are in, run security scans, check system files, uninstall problematic apps, or roll back changes using System Restore.

Exiting Safe Mode is as simple as restarting your computer. It will then start normally, with full functionality enabled again.

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of how to leverage Safe Mode for troubleshooting Windows 11 issues! Let me know if you have any other questions.

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