Ways to Boot Window 8, 8.1 & 10 Into Safe Mode

Maximus Stone

There are several ways you can boot windows 8 or 10 into Safe Mode. Steps may differ as per the current state of your computer, some of them are mentioned below.

  1. Your system is able to turn on.
  2. Your system is not turning on at all.
    • It may stick on the welcome screen.
    • You may get a black screen after manufacturer logo.
    • It stuck on updates / automatic repair.
    • Much more…..

In earlier versions of Windows (i.e. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7) you can boot your system into safe mode by simply tapping F8 key while turning it on. But now in Windows 8, 8.1 & Windows 10, you need to perform a few more steps, in order to boot it into safe mode.

In this article, we will discuss 4 possible ways to boot your system into safe mode.

Way 1 :- System Configuration Utility ( msconfig )

When your system is able to turn on, or you are able to login into your account.

In this case, all you need to do is make some changes through the MSConfig utility, and the next boot will get the PC up and running in Safe Mode.

  • Press Win+R keys together on the keyboard to get the Run box.
  • In the Run box, Type “msconfig” (without the quotes) in the space next to open and click ok.
  • Now you will have System Configuration Utility.
  • In this utility click the Boot tab.
  • Now in boot tab, Check the box Safe boot.
  • Now highlight the option, by the type of Safe Mode that you want to achieve.
    • Minimal:- Starts the standard Safe Mode.
    • Alternate shell:- Starts Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
    • Active Directory Repair:- "LEAVE THIS OPTION FOR TECHNICIANS".
    • Network:- Starts Safe Mode with Networking.
  • Hit Apply

msconfig-safe-boot-windows-10

That’s it – Now when you reboot your machine afterward, it will automatically start up in Safe Mode.

A noteworthy mention at this point is the fact that with this setting, the system will ALWAYS boot up in Safe Mode. If you want to get back to the normal operation, just launch msconfig again, and uncheck the Safe boot option. The next restart will get you back into Normal Windows Mode.

Way 2 :- Using Shift + F8 on StartUp

This one is a little tricky because it takes trial and error (and patience) to launch the Windows 8, Windows 10 ‘Recovery Mode’ when startup sequence is ongoing.

What you need to do is, immediately after turning on your computer, press and hold down the Shift Key and while holding it repeatedly hit the F8 Key. Doing so should get you to the recovery mode, but it might take a few tries before you achieve that.

Once the Recovery screen is displayed, click the See Advanced Repair Options button. In the next screen, hit the Troubleshoot.

advance repair mode - choose and option

In the troubleshoot menu, click Advanced options

troubleshoot screen

In the Advanced Option, you need to select Windows Startup Settings. Choose that.

Advanced options screen

The next screen will ask you to restart your PC. Click Restart.

Startup Settings - restart

After Windows 10 reboots, you will see a new box with some options where you can choose which boot options you want to enable.

In order to get into Safe Mode, you have three different options.

  • To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key on your keyboard.
  • To enable “Safe Mode with Networking, press F5 key on your keyboard.
  • To enable “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” press F6 key on your keyboard.

Startup Settings - boot mode

Way 3 :- Use Combination “Shift + Restart”

One of the other ways of getting into Safe Mode in Windows 8, 8.1 & 10 is to use the Shift + Restart combination.

From the left bottom of the screen open the Start menu.

Sart Menu - Windows 10

Then click the Power button to bring up more options

sart menu - power options - windows 10

Then, Press and Hold the Shift Key on the keyboard, click or tap on Restart.

NOTE :- You can also use the Shift + Restart combination from the login screen: click or tap Power, Press and Hold Shift and then click Restart.

window 10 - login screen - power option

Then, Windows 10 reboots and asks you to select an option. Choose Troubleshoot.

advance repair mode - choose and option

Then continue further steps from Way 2.

  • Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.
  • On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.
  • Press Restart to restart your device.
  • Then choose which boot options you want to be enabled using Function Keys "F1-F9".

Way 4 :- Interrupt the normal boot process of your Windows PC

In this process, we need to trick your windows, what exactly we are trying do is we interrupt the normal boot process of windows. This force windows to assume that there is something wrong with the boot process.

If windows fail to boot normally, then on very next startup, it enters by default in an Automatic Repair mode. Using this method you can easily boot your windows in safe mode, by triggering the Automatic Repair mode.

You might need to interrupt the normal boot process consecutive three or four times.

You need to follow the steps in order:

  • Turn on your system.
  • As soon as windows start loading press and hold the power button till it shuts down properly. (You may need to press and hold it for 3 to 5 seconds).
  • As you your windows enter the Automatic Repair mode, the first screen you see “Preparing Automatic Repair”.

Preparing Automatic Repair

Now your Window tries to run an automatic diagnosis of your PC, let it go and wait till it finishes.

diagnosing your pc

Once it is done, then it will show you the result, on the result box you have two options. Select Advanced Option

Automatic Repair message

Then on next screen choose Troubleshoot.

advance repair mode - choose and option

Then continue further steps from Way 2.

  • Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.
  • On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.
  • Press Restart to restart your device.
  • Then choose which boot options you want to be enabled using Function Keys "F1-F9".

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *