Windows Troubleshooting

Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11

Boot minimal Windows to uninstall bad drivers, updates, or malware when normal boot fails.

9 min read Beginner Updated 9 Jun 2026

Step-by-step guide

Work through each section in order. Stop when your issue is resolved — you do not need every step for every situation.

Warning

Use an administrator account for these steps, and keep a recent backup before making repair or security changes.

What you will achieve

Boot minimal Windows to uninstall bad drivers, updates, or malware when normal boot fails.

1) Enter recovery startup

  1. Press Win + ISystem → Recovery.
  2. Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.

2) Choose Safe Mode option

  1. Go to Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
  2. Press 4 for Safe Mode or 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

3) Return to normal boot

Restart normally after troubleshooting or malware removal.

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safe mode troubleshooting windows 11