Add or Remove Safe Mode in the Boot Manager

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

You can add a Safe Mode option to the Windows boot manager when you want a reliable way to start Windows with a limited set of drivers and services, or remove that option when it is no longer needed. Use Windows recovery settings for a one-time Safe Mode start; use an additional boot entry only if you need a repeatable choice at startup, and remove only the entry you created.

What Safe Mode and the boot manager do

Safe Mode starts Windows with a reduced set of drivers and services so you can troubleshoot problems such as a faulty driver, a startup application, or a display issue. It is not a separate copy of Windows. The Windows boot manager presents available startup choices and passes the selected configuration to Windows.

There are two different ways people mean “add Safe Mode to the boot manager”:

Start Safe Mode once: use the Windows Recovery Environment or System Configuration. This is usually the best choice for troubleshooting a single problem.
Create a persistent boot choice: duplicate the current Windows boot entry and configure the duplicate to start in Safe Mode. This is useful if you expect to use it repeatedly.

These approaches are not interchangeable. A persistent entry changes the boot configuration database (BCD), which determines startup choices. A mistake can make startup confusing or prevent Windows from booting normally. Do not edit BCD entries unless you understand which entry is the normal Windows installation.

Use the built-in recovery route for a one-time start

For most users, Windows recovery is safer than changing the boot menu. In Windows 10 or 11, open Settings > System > Recovery and select Restart now beside Advanced startup. (In some Windows 10 layouts, Recovery is under Settings > Update & Security.) You can also hold Shift while choosing Power > Restart from the sign-in screen or Start menu.

After the restart, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
When the Startup Settings list appears, choose the Safe Mode option. The numbered choices can differ; read the descriptions on screen. Common choices include Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, and Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
Sign in if prompted. Restart normally when you finish troubleshooting.

If Windows cannot reach its desktop, Windows Recovery Environment may appear after interrupted startups, or you may reach it from Windows installation or recovery media. Avoid deliberately interrupting power repeatedly as a routine method; unexpected shutdowns can cause data loss. If device encryption is enabled, recovery may require the recovery key.

Add a separate Safe Mode boot entry

To create a selectable entry, use an elevated Command Prompt and the built-in bcdedit utility. First open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, and approve the prompt. The following example copies the current boot entry and labels the copy “Windows Safe Mode.”

Run bcdedit /copy {current} /d "Windows Safe Mode".
Copy the identifier printed in the response. It is usually a GUID enclosed in braces. Do not substitute a guessed identifier.
Run bcdedit /set {GUID} safeboot minimal, replacing {GUID} with the identifier returned by the copy command.
Optionally, set a visible menu timeout with bcdedit /timeout 10. The value is seconds. This setting affects the boot menu generally, not only the new entry.
Restart and select the new entry to verify it starts in Safe Mode. Keep the original Windows entry available.

The minimal setting requests ordinary Safe Mode. To request networking, use safeboot network on the copied entry instead. Network Safe Mode loads additional networking components, but network access and available functions may still be limited. Do not set both values on the same entry.

Remove the entry or undo a Safe Mode setting

Removing an extra entry is different from removing Safe Mode from Windows: Safe Mode is a Windows startup mode, not an app or feature to uninstall. To delete the duplicate entry, identify its exact identifier first. In an elevated Command Prompt, run bcdedit /enum and locate the description you added. Check the identifier and description carefully, then run bcdedit /delete {GUID} using the duplicate entry’s identifier.

Never delete the normal Windows boot entry just because its description looks unfamiliar. If you accidentally configured the normal entry to start in Safe Mode, remove its Safe Mode setting with bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot from an elevated Command Prompt. If you are booted through a different entry, confirm the target before running a command: {current} refers to the currently loaded Windows boot entry, and it may not be the entry you intend to change.

When uncertain, use System Configuration’s Boot tab to review entries, or use Windows Recovery options rather than deleting BCD records. Create a backup before making boot configuration changes; for example, bcdedit /export C:\bcd-backup saves a BCD backup file. Store it somewhere you can access if Windows fails to start.

Choose the method that fits your situation

One troubleshooting session: choose Advanced startup and Startup Settings. It avoids leaving an extra entry behind.
Frequent troubleshooting: create a clearly named duplicate entry and verify both it and the normal entry work.
Safe Mode starts every time: check whether the selected entry has a safeboot setting. Remove that setting from the correct entry, or use System Configuration to clear a persistent Safe boot selection.
Windows will not start: use Windows Recovery Environment or recovery media. Do not experiment with BCD deletion commands without a way to recover.

A common misconception is that selecting Safe Mode once permanently changes Windows. Startup Settings normally applies to that startup; a persistent Safe boot setting, such as one enabled through System Configuration or BCD, can make later starts continue in Safe Mode until it is cleared.

Common problems and precautions

If the boot menu does not appear, its timeout may be zero or too short. You can set a short timeout using bcdedit /timeout 10, but remember that this affects the menu globally. If the new entry appears but starts normally, check that safeboot was set on the duplicate’s GUID, not the original entry. If networking is unavailable in Safe Mode, that may be expected; use the standard mode unless networking is specifically needed.

Boot configuration edits require administrator access. Record the original entry and the new GUID before changing anything, and do not run commands copied from another PC without checking what each one targets. If a change leaves Windows unable to start, enter Windows Recovery Environment and use its repair or startup options. For work-managed devices, follow the administrator’s support process, since configuration may be managed centrally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add Safe Mode to the boot menu without Command Prompt?
For a one-time start, yes: use Advanced startup and Startup Settings. Windows does not provide a simple standard Settings switch that permanently adds a separate Safe Mode boot entry; a persistent entry generally requires changing boot configuration.

How do I stop Windows from booting into Safe Mode?
If Safe Mode was selected through Startup Settings, restart normally. If it keeps returning, clear the persistent Safe boot option in System Configuration or remove the safeboot value from the correct BCD entry.

Is Safe Mode with Networking better?
Not by default. It loads networking components in addition to the limited Safe Mode setup. Use it when troubleshooting requires network access; otherwise ordinary Safe Mode keeps the startup environment more limited.

Will deleting the Safe Mode entry delete Windows?
Deleting a correctly identified duplicate boot entry removes that menu choice, not the Windows installation. Deleting the normal Windows entry can make startup difficult, so verify the description and identifier before using bcdedit /delete.

Can I use the same steps on every computer?
The general Windows recovery route and BCD concepts apply broadly, but menu wording and recovery access can vary by Windows version, device configuration, and management policy. Follow the choices shown on your screen and avoid changing entries you cannot identify.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.