My Windows 10 PC isn’t starting correctly and keeps crashing before Windows fully loads. I think I need to start in Safe Mode to fix the problem, but I’m not sure how to do it while booting. Can anyone walk me through the steps to boot into Safe Mode from startup?
This happened to me last month. Absolute nightmare – blue screen, reboot, blue screen, repeat. Windows doing its best impression of a never-ending roller coaster. Forget trying to get to the login screen. What worked for me: forced it, and not in the gentle yoga way. When Windows fails to load three times in a row, it’s supposed to throw up the automatic repair screen. So basically, turn on the PC and as soon as you see the Windows logo, hold down the power button to kill it. Do that two or three times. Next reboot, you should get the “Preparing Automatic Repair” message (or something equally vague). Wait for troubleshooting options.
Once you see “Automatic Repair,” go:
Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart
After the reboot, pick “Enable Safe Mode” (usually 4 or F4). If you need Safe Mode with Networking, that’s 5 or F5.
If, by some random spark of cosmic cruelty, you still don’t see that repair menu, or the PC refuses to even try, you’ll need a Windows 10 install USB or DVD (can make one from Microsoft’s website using another PC). Boot from that (change boot order in BIOS if you have to), and after clicking your language, hit “Repair your computer,” not “Install.” Then same drill: Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings.
Side note: Sometimes wireless keyboards act possessed in these menus – so use a wired one if something’s not responding.
Safe Mode boots with the most basic drivers, so don’t expect fancy graphics or 21st-century Wi-Fi. But it should let you uninstall dodgy apps, drivers, or do a system restore, assuming you’ve got one to restore to. And back up your stuff if you ever get it running—they never warn you about this before disaster strikes…
Man, I totally get the “blue screen whack-a-mole” struggle. @espritlibre laid out the whole forced reboot method, which is legit—but sometimes Windows out-stubborns even that trick, and I’ve found recovery isn’t always as magical as MS says. If that route fails, here’s another option that people often miss: if you have any recovery drive/USB you created before the meltdown (I know, who actually remembers to do this…), you can plug it in, boot from USB, and hit the same ‘Repair your computer’ menu as with an install disk. It’s faster and less likely to bork your current partitions than a fresh install media.
But here’s a weirder one not many mention: if you can at all get into the BIOS/UEFI, check the boot order and see if Safe Boot/Legacy Boot/CSM modes are toggled weirdly (esp after Windows updates… theater of the absurd). Sometimes that alone keeps repair from showing up. Also, random, but unplugging peripherals (esp USB storage or old printers) during boot sometimes lets recovery start. Got it to work once after pulling my webcam—go figure.
One thing I disagree on vs @espritlibre: Safe Mode’s baseline network support isn’t as flaky as it used to be. Even Wi-Fi works on modern drivers, unless it’s some ancient dongle or laptop chipset. So try networking if you need to grab drivers or patches from another PC right there.
Not the easiest process, but Windows 10 gives you just enough ways to not lose your mind… and like, 12 ways to crash mid-repair, lol.
Back up everything if you make any progress. Next time, consider prepping a recovery drive before doom hits (but hey, who does that).
Let’s be real: the whole Safe Mode hustle is old-school Windows survival, and yet MS acts like we should have telepathy to trigger it when things go sideways. @espritlibre and @suenodelbosque already nailed the forced reboot and recovery drive/USB approaches, which are the classics—but there are some extra angles that might help you wrangle this beast if it’s fighting extra dirty.
First up, keyboard shortcuts. Sometimes, mashing the Shift key while clicking “Restart” from the login screen (if you can even get that far) drops you into advanced recovery. Of course, if you’re stuck before even that, you’re back to the ol’ power cycle method or plugging in external media.
If you’re the lucky soul with a dual-boot setup or grub loader, there’s usually a Safe Mode boot option you can add directly (not for the faint of heart… ask the Linux crowd). For the rest, jumping into BIOS/UEFI (delete/F2 on boot) lets you reset to defaults, which—oddly—fixes some weird boot loops after Win10 feature updates go south. Disagreeing with @espritlibre here: sometimes you DON’T want “Secure Boot” on, especially with older hardware. Worth flipping that switch.
Now, in terms of alternatives: there are third-party boot CDs like Hiren’s BootCD PE or even simple Ubuntu live USBs. Boot one up, yank your files to a safe place (since you should back up anyway!), and then nuke-and-pave if nothing else works. Competitors to the standard recovery path, yes, but lifesavers if you’re at the end of your rope.
Cons: Most of these recovery strategies are reactive, not proactive—you’re patching the tire after the blowout, not before.
Pros: They’ll usually get you somewhere functional without a full reinstall, and with modern hardware, Safe Mode is less barebones than people remember.
Ultimately, nothing here guarantees success on the first try—Windows 10’s recovery tools are more tantrum-prone than ever. If all else fails, grab another PC, download the ISO, and get that recovery USB ready. And yeah, get that recovery drive made before the next meltdown. You won’t regret it.