Troubleshoot Startup Apps and Drivers in Safe Mode
What to do first
Reboot while holding down Shift and select Safe Mode from WinRE's startup settings.
This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.
Affected products and symptoms
- Product
- Windows
- Versions and conditions
- Windows 11 / Windows 10
Symptoms
- Sign-in or application operation fails during normal startup
- I want to check the effects of additional drivers and resident software.
Causes and conditions
If the symptoms disappear in Safe Mode, additional factors other than the basic driver and default settings may be involved.
Before you start
- Check your account password
- Enable to check BitLocker recovery key from another device
Precautions
- Back up important files in advance
- Check the impact before deleting, initializing, or resetting the network.
Tools and official pages used in this guide
Review the official requirements, screen names, and limitations for this procedure.
Step-by-step instructions
If Windows can start, open [Start] > [Power], hold down the Shift key, and select [Restart]. If you cannot sign in, perform the same operation from [Power] at the bottom right of the sign-in screen. Keep holding Shift until you see the blue "Choose an option" screen. When prompted for the BitLocker recovery key, enter the 48-digit key you prepared to continue.
Select [Troubleshoot] > [Advanced options] > [Startup settings] > [Restart]. If you cannot find Startup Settings, open Show more recovery options. After restarting, if a numbered list of startup methods is displayed, proceed to the next step. [Reset this PC] is not necessary for diagnosis, so do not select it.
For normal diagnosis to isolate resident software and basic drivers, press number 4 or F4. Select 5 or F5 only if checking web browsing or network shares is essential. On the sign-in screen, use the account password from [Sign-in options] instead of the PIN. Make sure that [Safe Mode] is displayed in the four corners of the desktop.
Official links for this step
- Troubleshoot problems signing in to Windows
Review the official requirements, screen names, and limitations for this procedure.
- Troubleshoot problems signing in to Windows
Reproduce the operation that failed during normal startup only once using the same file and the same peripheral device, and record the success/failure and time. If the operation succeeds only in Safe Mode, disable the most recently added drivers, startup apps, and services one by one and start normally to compare. After diagnosis, return to normal mode by selecting [Start] > [Power] > [Restart] and confirm that the Safe Mode labels in the screen corners have disappeared. If it does not return, open msconfig with Win+R, clear [Safe boot] on the [Boot] tab, and restart.
Check the result
- [Safe Mode] is displayed in the four corners of the screen
- Try the same operation for the symptoms that occur during normal startup, and record whether they occur or not.
- Safe mode display usually disappears after reboot
If the problem continues
- If the problem is resolved in safe mode, review recently added drivers, resident apps, and services one by one.
- If the problem persists in safe mode, check the basic Windows configuration, user profile, and hardware.
- If the system does not return to normal startup, the administrator should check whether [Safe Boot] is set in [Boot] in msconfig.
Scope of this guide
Troubleshooting guide — General diagnostic procedures. It does not describe a specific current incident.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign in with my PIN?
PIN and biometric authentication may not work in safe mode. Have your Microsoft or local account password ready.
Is it safe to use network?
Select F5 only when communication is required for diagnosis. If unnecessary, reduce the additional driver with F4.
Official sources and dates
Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.