How do you boot Win 11 in Safe Mode?

[Pete]

Anyone who has a Windows 11 and has booted it in safe mode, would you post the procedure? I have 10 but my wife has an 11.

I'll comment more latter, but I have to rush out.

Thanks,

Pete

[Jack]

Pete
I would try the following

To enter Safe Mode in Windows 11, go to the power menu, hold the Shift key, and click Restart. Your PC will boot into the Windows Recovery Environment, where you can select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. After the next restart, you'll see a list of options; press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

[a740g]

If you are able to boot to the desktop then: Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup.

[Kernelpanic]

Anyone who has a Windows 11 and has booted it in safe mode, would you post the procedure? I have 10 but my wife has an 11.
I'll comment more latter, but I have to rush out.

The procedure is the same for Windows 10 & 11: Restart, and during the restart:

1. Press F4 for Safe Mode

2. Press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

[Pete]

Back.

She has the computer shut off, because it did a hard shut down while she was on it. Flickered and then black screen powered off.

She wants to boot it straight into safe mode.

Oh, and tell that stupid guy Pete later is spelled with one t, not too ( )

Pete

[bert22306]

Pete,

She has the computer shut off, because it did a hard shut down while she was on it. Flickered and then black screen powered off.

Not sure if this is a Windows problem, then?

I use this way to go to safe mode. (Didn't try Kernelpanic's method.)

1) Click on Start, type msconfig.exe and press Enter

2) Click on the "Boot" tab and check "Safe boot" and "Minimal"

3) Restart your computer (it should start in safe mode).

At this point, the PC will always boot in safe mode. Unless you go back and deliberately tell it to reboot in normal mode.

4) After you've finished doing whatever you're doing in safe mode, 

5) Go back to msconfig.exe and uncheck "Safe boot" to restart in normal mode.

Does the computer show any signs of life, like BIOS starting? If yes, then Kernelpanic's idea seems the right one to try. If no, then I doubt it's a Windows issue.

[Pete]

Hi @bert22306,

I do love msconfig, but in this case my wife wants to take the computer, which is now off, and directly start it in safe mode. She wants to completely bypass booting to the desktop. I recall doing the same thing in Windows 95 or 7 a long time ago. Back then you just started your computer and kept hammering away, I think at the F8 key. It would then go straight into safe mode. Newer versions, I have no clue. I've never needed safe mode since my Win 7.

Pete

[SMcNeill]

I would suggest sturdy steel-toed combat boots.  Sit the Win 11 PC down on the floor, open the lid or have your wife hold it by one edge like Lucy holds the football for Charlie Brown.  Then step back ten paces, get a running start, and BOOT it as far as you can....

and hope your wife doesn't yank it away at the last second so you don't end up on your back with her sighing at you like Lucy always does to poor Charlie Brown.

[SMcNeill]

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/windows-11-safe-mode/

^Write up there detailing the process.

Basically though, when powereing up, just hammer the shit out of F4 for safe mode.

Safe Mode - press 4 or F4 on your keyboard to start Windows 11 in the standard Safe Mode.
Safe Mode with Networking - press 5 or F5 to enter Safe Mode and load networking drivers and services.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt - press 6 or F6 to get into Safe Mode and automatically load Command Prompt.