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Force the next boots into Safe Mode (and back) — via Microsoft Learn

Commandmedium riskNeeds adminWindows 11Windows 10

When a bad driver or app makes Windows unusable, Safe Mode starts with only basic drivers. You can make Windows keep booting into Safe Mode until you switch it back — the same thing msconfig's Safe boot box does.

Restart the computer

The easy way

  1. The easy way: press Win+R, run msconfig → Boot tab → tick Safe boot (Minimal, or Network for internet) → OK → Restart. Untick it later to go back.
  2. One-off alternative: Advanced startup → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → press 4 or 5.

Command

Run in an administrator Command Prompt / Terminal window.

bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal

Undo

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
Use safeboot network instead of minimal if you need networking. Write the undo command down first: the PC keeps starting in Safe Mode until you run it (if Windows won't start at all, run it from Advanced startup → Command Prompt, where {default} may be needed instead of {current}). Microsoft notes BitLocker may need suspending before changing boot settings.

Sources

Source reviewed
2026-11-02
Link checked
2026-11-02
Tested hands-on
Not by Oddbyte.Me

Oddbyte.Me hasn't tried this on every Windows build, so keep the undo handy.

safe modebcdeditmsconfigsafeboottroubleshoot

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