Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system is just an example of instability. Any major update breaks it. And as if this were not enough, the developers removed the ability to boot in safe mode to solve problems using the F8 button. This is by no means viewed as a concern for users, but as something diametrically opposite. Now the entrance to this same mode is that quest. How to start safe mode in Windows 10? We will try to answer this question. But first, we will tell you more about this very mode and explain why it is needed.
What is Safe Mode in Windows?
Safe mode in "Windows 10" is designed to solve various issues in case of frequent failures in the operating system. Correcting errors in safe mode allows you to save the computer from completely reinstalling it. However, Microsoft apparently decided that users had nothing to do in safe mode, and removed the simple opportunity to get into it. Now you have to get out by all means in order to boot the computer in this very mode. And from the point of view of company representatives, everything is fine. The main thing is that the “top ten” promptly merge user data onto the company's servers. And everything else does not matter. Including user comfort. However, we were carried away. Now we turn to specific answers to the question of how to start safe mode in Windows 10.
Note
If the operating system refuses to boot, then it will not be possible to enter safe mode without a flash drive with the Windows 10 distribution recorded on it. It is better to protect yourself and make a bootable drive in advance. There are special instructions about this.
Option number 1. If the OS boots normally
If the operating system starts off in half, but its operation cannot be called stable, and therefore the user decided to enter safe mode to fix problems, then, in principle, there is nothing complicated. Run safe mode in "Windows 10" in this case will not work. It will be enough to follow the instructions. And then everything will work out.
- Open the Start menu and click on the Settings icon.
- In the window that opens, click on "Update and Security."
- Next, click on the "Recovery" item.
- Click on "Restart now" in the "Special boot options" block.
- A blue screen will appear with the ability to select boot options.
- Here we select the item "Diagnostics".
- Then click "Advanced Options."
- Click "Download Options".
- Click on the "Reload" button.
- A screen appears with a selection of boot options.
- Select a value from 1 to 9 (depending on the desired boot option) using the "F1-F10" keys.
- Safe mode will start after pressing the "F4" button.
Now the computer or laptop is in the very mode we need. You can begin to solve a variety of problems and change those parameters that cannot be changed in normal mode. This is one of the answers to the question about how to start safe mode in Windows 10.
Option number 2. If the OS is loaded exclusively to the password entry screen
This is a little more complicated, but here you can get out. Downloading "Windows 10" in safe mode in this case occurs in a slightly different scenario. In any case, the user will need to simply follow all the instructions correctly. And the algorithm will be as follows.
- Click the image of the power button on the Windows 10 start screen.
- Hold the "Shift" button and simultaneously click on the "Restart" item.
- The reboot options will start immediately.
- Everything further happens according to the previous algorithm in accordance with paragraphs 5-12.
This is another answer to the question of how to launch Windows 10 in safe mode if the operating system is loaded exclusively to the welcome screen. Now let's move on to more complex options.
Option number 3. If the OS generally refuses to boot
How to enter Windows 10 safe mode if the operating system is so damaged that it does not want to start at all? There will be no simple solutions. To do this, you need installation media with the Windows 10 distribution on board. It will not work without him.
- We insert the drive with the Windows 10 distribution into the USB port on the computer.
- Turn on the computer.
- Press the button to select the device to boot (they may differ depending on the device).
- Select the flash drive as the boot device.
- We are waiting for the main window of the installation wizard to load.
- In the lower left part of the window, click "System Restore".
- Click "Diagnostics".
- Go to the "Advanced Options".
- Click "Command Prompt."
- In the console, enter "bcdedit / set {default} safeboot minimal" and press "Enter". This action will start safe mode at the next boot. By the way, the restart will begin immediately.
- If you need access to the Internet, then in the console you need to enter "bcdedit / set {default} safeboot network" and press "Enter".
- After rebooting, we start work in safe mode.
Of course, this is a lot more complicated than just hitting “F8” while booting the operating system. It is unclear what guided the experts at Microsoft, when they made the login procedure so complicated. Nevertheless, this is one of the ways to boot Windows 10 in safe mode.
Option number 4. Starting mode with minimal use of the console
Often the command line throws users into shock. They panic and make a huge number of mistakes in teams. Fortunately, it is possible to start safe mode with a "dead" operating system with the possibility of minimal use of the console. What do I need to do? The process is actually simple.
- We insert the Windows 10 drive into the USB port.
- Turn on the car and press the start device select button.
- Launch the OS from a flash drive.
- As soon as the window with the "Install" button appears, press the key combination "Shift + F10". This action will immediately launch the command line.
- In the console, enter "bcdedit / set {globalsettings} advancedoptions true". This command will launch the operating system boot option with options for selecting options.
- We reboot the machine and at the next boot enable safe mode in accordance with the previous instructions.
This is how you can start safe mode in Windows 10 if the operating system does not want to start at all. Moreover, communication with the hated command line is minimized. This fact will inexpressibly please some users.
The most common user errors when entering safe mode
Most often, users in the old fashion try to press the "F8" button when the operating system starts. And when this does not work out, they begin to feverishly search for the answer to the question of how to enter the safe mode "Windows 10". Errors are also very common in cases where Windows does not load at all. Often users inattentively read commands and make silly mistakes in their writing. Naturally, after pressing "Enter" nothing happens. Here's a tip: if possible, it’s best to copy the commands and then just paste them into the console. If copying and pasting is not possible, then you should enter the commands very carefully, checking the original one by one.
Another common mistake is not knowing which mode is needed. Users launch the "stock" version of the mode and then they are surprised that there is no Internet access. If you need a network, then you should start the corresponding version of the mode. Same thing with command line support mode. If you load the standard mode, then there will be no possibility to use the console.
It was necessary to start in safe mode with command line support. Be that as it may, these errors are not serious. They will not affect stability or the integrity of the operating system.
Conclusion
So, we examined the question of how to enter the safe mode "Windows 10". There are several ways to solve this problem, even if the operating system completely refuses to start. And it is not necessary to communicate closely with the command line, you can even do without it.
In any case, if the system does not boot, then you need a recovery disk. Make it simple. There are special instructions for this.