What is safe mode in Windows 10?
Safe mode is a boot option in Windows 10 which is used to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with your operating system. When you boot into safe mode, your computer or device boots with a minimal set of drivers and services. This can be especially useful if you encounter problems with a particular driver or program that is preventing your system from working properly.
Additionally, Safe Mode can also be used to stop and prevent harmful software by limiting its ability to start and infect your system. In general, if you are trying to fix a bug on your device, you will most likely want to use Safe Mode.
Method 1: Enter Safe Mode via System Settings
La System settings in Windows 10 contains several useful options to control how your PC starts up. Here I explain how to use it to boot into Safe Mode.
- First, open System Settings by searching for it in your device's search bar.
- Then, go to the “Boot” tab. In this section, you will find several startup options.
- Check the “Secure Boot” box and select the “Minimal” option. This will get your device booting with minimal services and drivers.
Click "Apply" and then "OK." Your device will reboot and boot into Safe Mode.
Method 2: Using the login screen
Another option to enter safe mode is by using the login screen.
- First, you need to get to the login screen. You can do this by restarting your PC or signing out if you are already on your desktop.
- At the login screen, hold down the Shift key while selecting “Restart” from the power menu located at the bottom right of the screen.
- This will open a menu of startup options. Select “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup settings”.
After this, your PC will reboot and present you with a list of startup options. Choose "4" or "F4" to start the PC in safe mode. If you need to access the Internet while in safe mode, you can select "5" or "F5" to enter "Safe Mode with Networking."
Method 3: Using the command line
The command line is a powerful tool that allows you to control your PC on a more granular level. To enter Safe Mode using the command line, follow these steps:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator. You can do this by typing "cmd" in the search and selecting "Run as administrator."
- Once the Command Prompt is open, type “bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal” and press Enter.
- Restart your computer.
Exit safe mode
Once you're done in Safe Mode, you'll want to boot your device back to its normal state. This is also simple:
- Go to System Settings as I explained above.
- Go to the “Boot” tab and uncheck the “Secure Boot” box.
- Click "Apply" and then "OK."
- Restart your PC.
If you entered Safe Mode via the command line, simply open the Command Prompt again as administrator, type "bcdedit /deletevalue {default} safeboot" and press Enter. Then, restart your computer.
In short, Safe Mode is a key tool for diagnosing and fixing problems on your computer. With this knowledge, you have a new tool in your PC troubleshooting skill box.
