Bring back the F8 Advanced Boot Options menu — via Microsoft Learn

Commandmedium riskNeeds adminWindows 11Windows 10

Since Windows 8 the old text-mode F8 menu is off by default. Setting the boot menu policy to Legacy makes F8 work during startup again, giving a quick route to Safe Mode — at the cost of slightly slower boots.

Restart the computer

Command

Run in an administrator Command Prompt / Terminal window.

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Legacy

Undo

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Standard

Standard is the default on Windows 8 and later. For a one-time trip to the menu instead, use bcdedit /set {current} onetimeadvancedoptions on, which only affects the next boot. Microsoft recommends Startup Settings or msconfig over BCDEdit where possible, and BitLocker may need suspending first.

Sources

BCDEdit /set — bootmenupolicy and onetimeadvancedoptions — by Microsoft Learn

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.

f8boot menubcdeditsafe modelegacy boot menu

Sign in automatically with Microsoft's Autologon tool — via Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Sysinternals

Trickhigh riskAdmin

For a kiosk, media PC or test machine that should boot straight to the desktop, Sysinternals Autologon sets up Windows' built-in automatic sign-in and stores the password encrypted, rather than in plain text in the registry as old guides do.

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

Commandmedium riskAdmin

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.

Show the sign-in background sharp instead of blurred — via Microsoft Learn

Group Policylow riskAdminPro / Enterprise / Education

Windows blurs ("acrylic") the lock-screen picture behind the sign-in box. This policy shows it clear instead.

Bring back the F8 Advanced Boot Options menu — via Microsoft Learn

Command

Undo

Sources

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