Easily access Windows 10's Safe Mode

Easily access Windows 10's Safe Mode

Windows Secrets

LANGALIST PLUS: Fred Langa

Safe Mode boots a minimal version of Windows that might let you diagnose and repair serious problems. Here's how to easily access Win10's Safe Mode, even when your PC won't boot.

Plus: Why Windows refuses to back up a reader's Documents folder, and how Win10's new and frequent cumulative updates affect the Windows.old folder.

Trouble accessing Win10's Safe Mode

Reader Bob Levy is frustrated.

"I am fed up with researching how to boot Win10 into Safe Mode. It seems that 99.9 percent of the techniques require adjusting a setting while Windows is running!

"I was finally able to get into Safe Mode by creating a CD with third-party software that I had to buy. There must be an easier way!"

There is, Bob. You enable Safe Mode via the Startup Settings menu, which can be accessed by a variety of means — some work even when Windows is otherwise inoperable. No third-party tools are needed.

For example, to access Safe Mode from within Win10 proper, see the Sept. 17, 2015, Field Notes column, "Lost and found: Windows 10's safe mode." To access it from bootable recovery medium or from an installation/setup disc or drive, use any of the techniques described in the June 23, 2016, Top Story, "Using Windows' powerful Recovery Environment." Note, however, that once you get to the Troubleshoot/Advanced menu, select Startup Settings/Restart instead of Command Prompt (which is how you access the DOS-like Recovery Environment).

If your PC is at least minimally bootable, enough to get you to the Windows sign-in screen (even if Windows won't load properly after that), hold the Shift key down while clicking Power/Restart on the sign-in screen. When your PC restarts and the Choose an option screen appears, select Troubleshoot/Advanced options/Startup Settings/Restart.

Whatever method you use, once the PC restarts, you'll see the list of options (see Figure 1). To start your system in basic Safe Mode, press either the number 4 or the F4 key (they have the same effect in this menu). Pressing 5 or F5 brings up Safe Mode with basic networking enabled, giving access a LAN or the Internet. Pressing 6 or F6 launches a bare-bones Safe Mode in the command-line environment.