In some situations, you may run into an issue where a program may be causing an odd crash due to a bad driver or a program not uninstalling due to files being in use. For these situations, Safe Mode is an option that allows you to load your PC into a minimum operating state to help troubleshoot these issues.
What is Safe Mode?
Safe Mode is a special boot mode for Windows which disables all but the most necessary functions on startup. This includes loading only basic drivers and minimal startup programs in order to troubleshoot or resolve an issue.
How do I boot into Safe Mode?
There are two primary ways to boot into Safe Mode with Windows:
Method 1 - Reboot into Safe Mode from Windows
At your Desktop, click the Windows icon to open your Start Menu. From the Start Menu, hold Shift and click the Power icon, then click Restart while still holding the Shift key. After clicking Restart, release the Shift key.
After a moment you should be presented with a blue Choose an option screen. Select Troubleshoot followed by Advanced Options. In Advanced Options, select Startup Settings and finally click Reboot.
Your PC will restart to another blue screen with a few options available. It is recommended in most casts to use Safe Mode with Networking, however other modes are available for advanced users.
Method 2 - Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
The steps to enter Safe Mode from the Windows Recovery Environment are largely the same as above, however they can be done without loading into Windows. For more information on the Windows Recovery Environment, please see the guide linked below:
How to open Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
What can I do in Safe Mode?
Once you are in Safe Mode, there are a number of tools that can be used to help troubleshoot your PC. A few examples can be found below:
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