Instructions to boot in safe mode in Windows

Windows 10
o

If Windows is loading
Method 1 - Use The System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
Method 2 - Use the Shift + Restart combination
If Windows is not loading
Method 3 - Boot from a recovery media
Method 4 - Press F8 key at startup (Applicable only if the user has recovery media or boot
media)

Windows 8
o

If Windows is loading
Method 1 - Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
Method 2 - Use the Shift + Restart combination
If Windows is not loading
Method 3 - Boot using Windows Recovery Environment (This option can be used with or
without recovery media)

Windows 7
o
o

If Windows is loading
Method 1 - Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
If Windows is not loading
Method 2 - Press F8 key at startup

Windows Vista
o If Windows is loading
Method 1 - Use System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
o If Windows is not loading
Method 2 - Press F8 key at startup

A) Instructions to boot in safe mode in Windows 10

If Windows is loading on the users computer, you can follow the steps below to enter safe mode:
Method 1: Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
a) Press Windows key + R keys to open run window.
b) In the run window, type msconfig.
c) Hit Enter key or click OK.
d) Another way of opening the System Configuration Tool is to use Cortana. In Cortana's search field,
enter the words system configuration. Then click or tap on the System Configuration Tool app.

e) Switch to the Boot tab and, in the Boot options section, select the Safe boot option.

f)

Click or tap OK.

g)

Windows 10 will tell that you need to reboot your device in order for the new setting to take effect.
If the user still has work to do, you can select to Exit without restart. If not, you can restart now and
the device will automatically boot into Safe Mode.

Method 2: Use the Shift + Restart combination

a) Open the Start menu and click or tap on the Power button.

b)

Then, while keeping the Shift key pressed, click or tap on Restart.

c)

You can also use the Shift + Restart combination from the Sign In screen.

d)

Then, Windows 10 will reboot and ask you to select an option. Choose Troubleshoot.

e)

Then, on the Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.

f)

On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.

g)

Windows 10 notifies you that you can restart the device in order to change advanced boot options,
including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.

h)

After Windows 10 reboots, you can choose which boot options you want enabled. To get into Safe
Mode, you have three different options. To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key on the keyboard, to
enable Safe Mode with Networking press F5 and to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt
press F6.

If Windows is not loading on the users computer, you can follow the steps below to enter safe mode:
Important: To execute the methods given below, the user must have created a recovery media. If he has
one, go directly to Method 3 . If he does not have one, you can help him create the same provided he
has access to another working computer with Windows 10. To create a recovery media, follow the steps
below:
a) Attach a USB drive to the computer. The recovery files will be copied on this USB drive.
b) In Start menu search box, type create a recovery drive and click Create a recovery drive application
from the search list.
c) The Recovery Media Creator opens on the desktop. If the computer came with a recovery partition,
you can copy it to the recovery drive.

d) Click the Next option and youll be prompted to select a connected USB drive. Click the Create
button and the files will be copied to the USB drive.

Method 3: Boot from a recovery media (this option can be used if the user has a recovery media)
a) Insert the recovery drive and start the computer.
b)

When you are asked to load its content, do so.

c)

The first screen will ask to select keyboard layout. Select the one the user wants to use, or if you
don't see it listed, press on See more keyboard layouts to get the complete list of available layouts.

d) Once you chose a keyboard layout, on the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

e) Then, on the Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.

f)

On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.

g) Windows 10 notifies you that you can restart the device in order to change advanced boot options,
including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.

h)

After Windows 10 reboots, you can choose which boot options you want enabled. To get into Safe
Mode, you have three different options. To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key the keyboard, to
enable Safe Mode with Networking press F5 and to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt
press F6.

Method 4: Press F8 key at startup (this option can be useful if the user has recovery media)
Note: In case user does not have a recovery media, create one by following instructions listed here (will
only work if user has access to another working computer with Windows 10) and then proceed with the
steps below.
a)

Power on the computer.

b) Use the appropriate key(s) to enter into the BIOS setup. The keys can vary depending upon the
computer manufacturer. Consult your TL or SME for the same.
- To enter BIOS utility in Dell computer, follow the steps below:
1) Restart the computer.
2) At the first text on the screen or when the Dell logo appears, tap F2 until the message
Entering Setup appears.
- To enter BIOS utility in HP computer, follow the steps below:
1) Turn off the computer and wait five seconds.
2) Turn on the computer and immediately press the F10 key repeatedly until a BIOS Setup
screen opens. If nothing happens, press the F1 key repeatedly.
c) Configure PCs BIOS to use USB drive as the first boot device. Consult your TL or SME for the same.
d) Insert the Windows 10 recovery media, save the BIOS settings, and restart the computer with the
Windows 10 recovery media.
e) On the first Screen, Select Language and click Next, and then click Repair your computer from the
next box.

f)

From the Choose an option window, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.

g) In the opened command-line interface, type C: and press Enter.

h) Once the first command executes successfully, type BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY
LEGACY command and press Enter.
Note: The above command enables the legacy Advanced Boot Options menu that you can access by
pressing the F8 key during the computer startup. To disable this, you can follow the above steps,
and use the BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY STANDARD command instead and press
Enter.

i)

In the command line-interface itself, this time type EXIT and press Enter.

j)

Eject the inserted Windows 10 bootable disc.

k) Back on the Choose an option window, click Continue.

l)

Optionally, revert the BIOS settings back to default or set the hard disk drive as the first bootable
device, and restart the computer.

m) Once the computer shuts down and begins to restart, start pressing the F8 key repeatedly until you
see the Advanced Boot Options menu.
n)

When displayed, use the arrow keys to go to (highlight) the Safe Mode option and press Enter to
start Windows 10 in safe mode.

B) Instructions to boot in safe mode in Windows 8

If Windows is loading on the users computer, you can follow the steps below to enter safe mode:
Method 1: Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
a) Press Windows key + R keys to open run window.
b) In the run window, type msconfig.
c) Hit Enter key or click OK.
d) Switch to the Boot tab and, in the Boot options section, select the Safe boot option.

h) Click or tap OK.

i)

Windows 8 will tell that you need to reboot your device in order for the new setting to take effect. If
the user still has work to do, you can select to Exit without restart. If not, you can restart now and
the device will automatically boot into Safe Mode.

Method 2: Use the Shift + Restart combination

a) Open the Start menu and click or tap on the Power button.

b)

Then, while keeping the Shift key pressed, click or tap on Restart.

c) Then, Windows 8 will reboot and ask you to select an option. Choose Troubleshoot.

d)

Then, on the Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.

e) On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.

f)

Windows 8 notifies you that you can restart the device in order to change advanced boot options,
including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.

g)

After Windows 8 reboots, you can choose which boot options you want enabled. To get into Safe
Mode, you have three different options. To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key on the keyboard, to
enable Safe Mode with Networking press F5 and to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt
press F6.

If Windows is not loading on the users computer, you can follow the steps below to enter safe mode:
Important: To execute the methods given below, the user must have created a recovery media already.
If he has one already, go directly to Method 1 below. If he does not have one, you can help him create
the same provided he has access to another working computer. To create a recovery media, follow the
steps below and then proceed to Method 1:
a) Attach a USB drive to the computer. The recovery files will be copied on this USB drive.
b) In Start menu search box, type create a recovery drive and click Create a recovery drive application
from the search list.
c) The Recovery Media Creator opens on the desktop. If the computer came with a recovery partition,
you can copy it to the recovery drive.
d) Click the Next option and youll be prompted to select a connected USB drive. Click the Create
button and the files will be copied to the USB drive.

Method 1: Boot Using Windows Recovery Environment (this option can be used if the user has a
recovery media or not)
a) I f the user does not have installation media, use the power button to restart the computer three
times. This will start the Windows Recovery Environment.
b) Alternatively, insert the recovery drive and start the computer. When you are asked to load its
content, do so.
a. The first screen will ask to select keyboard layout. Select the one the user wants to use,
or if you don't see it listed, press on See more keyboard layouts to get the complete list
of available layouts.

b. Once you chose a keyboard layout, on the Choose an option screen

c) In the Windows Recovery Environment, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click Troubleshoot.

d) Then, on the Troubleshoot screen, select Advanced options.

e) On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.

f)

Windows 8 notifies you that you can restart the device in order to change advanced boot options,
including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.

g)

After Windows 8 reboots, you can choose which boot options you want enabled. To get into Safe
Mode, you have three different options. To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key the keyboard, to
enable Safe Mode with Networking press F5 and to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt
press F6.

NOTE: If the user is using BitLocker, you'll need to suspend it before you can get to Windows Startup
Settings.

C) Instructions to boot in safe mode in Windows 7

Method 1: Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
a) Press Windows key + R keys to open run window.
b) In the run window, type msconfig.
c) Hit Enter key or click OK.
d) Switch to the Boot tab and, in the Boot options section, select the Safe boot option.

e) Click or tap OK.

f)

Windows 7 will tell that you need to reboot your device in order for the new setting to take effect.
You can restart now and the device will automatically boot into Safe Mode.

Method 2: Press F8 key at startup

a) Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from the computer, and then restart the computer.
b) Click the Start button
Restart.

, click the arrow next to the Shut Down button

, and then click

c) If the computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as the computer
restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you'll
need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and
restarting the computer.
d) If the computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight Windows 7
operating system and then press F8.

e) On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the safe mode option you
want, and then press Enter.

D) Instructions to boot in safe mode in Windows Vista

Method 1: Use the System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)
a) Press Windows key + R keys to open run window.
b) In the run window, type msconfig.
c) Hit Enter key or click OK.
d) Switch to the Boot tab and, in the Boot options section, select the Safe boot option.

g) Click or tap OK.

h) Windows Vista will tell that you need to reboot your device in order for the new setting to take
effect. You can restart now and the device will automatically boot into Safe Mode.

Method 2: Press F8 key at startup

a) Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from the computer, and then restart the computer.
b) Click the Start button, click the arrow next to the Lock button, and then click Restart.
c) If the computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as the computer
restarts. You need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears. If the Windows logo appears, you'll
need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and
restarting the computer.

d) If the computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys to highlight Windows 7
operating system and then press F8.
e) On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the safe mode option you
want, and then press Enter.