How to Enter Safe Mode Windows 10

Windows 10 crashed. Or you need to change the boot order. Or some driver broke everything. You need Safe Mode or BIOS access. Here’s how to get there.

Below I cover how to enter safe mode in Windows 10 and how to enter BIOS in Windows 10—several ways for each so you have options if one doesn’t work.

What’s Safe Mode For?

Safe Mode loads Windows with bare minimum drivers. No fancy graphics driver, no third-party services, and no startup programs. Just enough to boot.

Use it when:

• The new driver caused blue screen
• Malware won’t let you run antivirus normally
• Windows stuck in boot loop
• Need to uninstall something that won’t uninstall

You get three flavors: plain Safe Mode cuts off internet completely, Safe Mode with Networking lets you go online, and there’s a Command Prompt version if you know your way around terminal commands.

How to Enter Safe Mode Windows 10

Method 1: Through Settings

Works when Windows boots fine and you can reach the desktop.

1. Press Windows + I
2. Click Update & Security
3. Click Recovery on left side
4. Under “Advanced startup,” hit Restart now
5. A blue screen appears. Troubleshoot. Advanced options. Startup Settings. Restart.
6. F4 gets you Safe Mode. F5 adds internet. F6 opens Command Prompt.

Method 2: Shift + Restart

Faster. Works from the Start menu or login screen.

1. Click Power button (Start menu or login screen)
2. Hold Shift, click Restart
3. The same blue screen shows up. Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings, Restart
4. F4, F5, or F6

Takes 30 seconds total.

Method 3: msconfig

Makes Windows boot into Safe Mode every time until you turn it off. Good if you need to restart multiple times while troubleshooting.

1. Windows + R, type msconfig, Enter
2. Click Boot tab
3. Check Safe Boot; pick Minimal or Network
4. OK, restart

To go back to normal: same steps, uncheck Safe boot.

Method 4: Force It (When Windows Won’t Start)

PC won’t boot? Black screen? Use this.

1. Power on
2. When the Windows logo shows, hold the power button for 10 seconds. The PC shuts off.
3. Do this 3 times total
4. The fourth time, let it boot. Windows goes to Automatic Repair
5. Advanced options. Troubleshoot. Advanced options again. Startup Settings. Restart.
6. F4/F5/F6

Three failed boots in a row trigger Windows recovery. That’s how you force your way in when nothing else works.

Method 5: Command Prompt

For those who like typing commands.

1. Command Prompt with admin rights
2. bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
3. Restart your PC

When you’re done troubleshooting, run bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot to boot normally again.

Want networking? Swap “minimal” for “network” in that first command.

How to Enter BIOS Windows 10

BIOS controls your hardware before Windows loads. Newer machines use UEFI, which does the same thing with a nicer interface. Either way, you access it the same.

Method 1: Through Settings

Same path as Safe Mode, different destination.

1. Settings, Update & Security, Recovery
2. Click Restart now
3. Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings
4. Click Restart

The PC restarts straight into BIOS. No timing required.

Method 2: Shift + Restart

1. Hold Shift, click Restart
2. Troubleshoot, Advanced options, UEFI Firmware Settings, Restart

Method 3: BIOS Key at Startup

Old school method. Press the right key right after power-on, before Windows loads.

Brand	BIOS Key	Boot Menu
Dell	F2	F12
HP	F10 or Esc	F9
Lenovo	F1 or F2	F12
ASUS	F2 or Del	Esc
Acer	F2 or Del	F12
MSI	Del	F11
Surface	Volume Up + Power	Volume Down + Power

Spam the key repeatedly as soon as you hit power. Modern PCs boot fast—you have maybe 2 seconds.

Method 4: Command Line

1. Windows + R
2. Run: shutdown /r /o /f /t 0
3. PC restarts to blue menu
4. UEFI Firmware Settings, Restart

Common Problems

BIOS key doesn’t work

Fast Boot is probably on. Windows loads too quickly for key presses to register.

Here’s how to disable it: Control Panel. Power Options. Click “Choose what power buttons do” on the left. Then “Change settings currently unavailable” at the top. Scroll down, and uncheck “Turn on fast startup.” Save.

Now the BIOS key will work.

“UEFI Firmware Settings” option missing

Older machines run legacy BIOS, not UEFI. You can check which one you have: Press Windows+R, type msinfo32, and hit Enter. Look for “BIOS Mode”—if it says Legacy, the Windows method won’t work and you’ll need to use keyboard keys at startup.

Stuck in Safe Mode loop

Forgot to uncheck Safe Boot in msconfig. Or the command wasn’t reversed.

Go back into msconfig. Boot tab. Uncheck Safe Boot. OK. Restart. It should boot normally now.

If you can’t get to msconfig, open admin Command Prompt and run bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot

FAQ

Why doesn’t F8 work for Safe Mode in Windows 10?

Microsoft disabled it. Windows 10 boots too fast for F8 to register. Shift + Restart replaced it.

If you miss F8, here’s how to bring it back: admin Command Prompt, run bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

Honestly though, Shift+Restart works better and you don’t have to mess with system settings.

BIOS vs. UEFI?

UEFI showed up around 2012 as a replacement for BIOS. What’s different? UEFI loads faster, handles hard drives bigger than 2TB, lets you use a mouse in the setup menu, and comes with Secure Boot protection.

Any PC made in the last decade probably has UEFI. Doesn’t really matter though—you access both the same way.

How to boot from USB to install Windows?

Enter BIOS using any method above. Find “Boot Order” or “Boot Priority.” Move the USB to the first position. F10 saves your changes on most systems.

Even easier: tap F12 right when your PC powers on. Most machines show a one-time boot menu where you can pick your USB without touching BIOS settings at all.

Does Safe Mode delete my files?

No. Your files, programs, and everything stay. Safe Mode only changes which drivers load at startup.

But if you delete or uninstall something while in Safe Mode, that action is permanent.

The PC keeps booting into Safe Mode. How to stop it?

You enabled Safe Boot in msconfig and forgot. Or ran the bcdedit command.

msconfig. Boot tab. Uncheck Safe Boot. OK. Restart.

Or if you prefer the command line: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and restart after.

How to enable virtualization for virtual machines?

Need this for VMware, VirtualBox, WSL2, and Android emulators.

The setting has different names depending on your motherboard: Intel calls it VT-x or Virtualization Technology. AMD calls it AMD-V or SVM Mode. Look around in Advanced or CPU settings until you spot one of these.

Location varies by motherboard. Might be under Security on some systems.

Safe Mode didn’t fix it. Now what?

System Restore might help—it’s in that same Advanced Options menu. Scroll through the available restore points and pick one from when your PC was still working fine.

Or Startup Repair from the same menu.

If nothing works, you’re looking at resetting Windows (there’s an option to keep your personal files) or wiping everything and installing fresh from a USB drive.

TL;DR

Safe Mode: Shift + Restart. Troubleshoot. Advanced options. Startup Settings. Restart. Hit F4.

BIOS: Shift + Restart. Troubleshoot. Advanced options. UEFI Firmware Settings. Restart.

Dead PC: Power on, force off when logo appears. Repeat 3 times. Recovery loads on attempt #4.

Now you know how to enter safe mode in Windows 10 and how to enter BIOS in Windows 10.