Windows 8 safe mode starts. Select boot options
I’ll show you how to boot into safe mode on Windows 8. Safe mode in Windows 8 is needed so that if Windows doesn’t boot in normal mode, you can boot into safe mode and check your hard drive or go online and look for a solution to the problem or fix it the system does not start correctly or disable components that interfere with startup.
There are several ways to use Safe Mode in Windows 8.
Method 1 - Windows 8 Safe Mode using SHIFT key.
Move the cursor to the lower right corner of the screen, then raise the cursor and select parameters.
Now click on power off.
Now hold down SHIFT and press power off and
After a few seconds, the action selection menu appears.
Continue. Exiting and using Windows 8.1
Diagnostics. Restoring your computer, returning your computer to its original state, or using additional tools.
Turn off computer.
Select diagnostics.
Restore. If your computer is not working properly, you can restore it without losing any files.
Return to original state. Your files will be deleted.
Extra options.
Select additional options.
System Restore. Restoring Windows using a restore point.
Restoring the system image. Recovering Windows using a system image file.
Boot recovery. Troubleshoot problems that prevent Windows from loading.
Command line. The command line can be used for advanced troubleshooting.
Download options. Configuring Windows boot options.
Selecting download options.
Reboot your system to:
- enable low resolution video mode
- enable debug mode
- keep a download log
- enable safe mode
- disable mandatory driver signature verification
- disable early launch of anti-malware driver
- disable automatic reboot on system failure
Click reboot.
A menu of nine download options appears.
Download options. To select from the following options, press the appropriate key: use the number keys or F1-F9.
1) Enable debugging
Windows boots in advanced diagnostic mode, intended for system administrators.
2) Enable boot logging
Windows boots and creates a file, ntbtlog.txt, which records all drivers installed during startup.
3) Enable low resolution video mode
Windows boots using the video driver with low resolution and refresh rates. This mode can be used to reset your screen settings if you have set a resolution that your monitor does not support.
4) Enable safe mode
Windows starts with a minimal set of drivers and services.
5) Enable safe mode with loading network drivers
Windows boots in safe mode, loading network drivers and services necessary to access the Internet.
6) Enable safe mode with command line support
Windows starts in safe mode with a command prompt window instead of the normal Windows interface.
7) Disable mandatory driver signature verification
Allows installation of drivers containing incorrect signatures.
8) Disable early start of anti-malware protection
Disable early startup of the anti-malware driver, which allows you to install drivers that may contain malware.
9) Disable automatic restart after crash
Windows will not automatically restart if a fatal Windows error occurs.
I advise you to choose the fifth point.
Ready. Windows started in safe mode and we can go online to look for solutions to the problem or just for fun.
After rebooting, Windows will start in normal mode.
Method 2 - Windows 8 Safe Mode using msconfig.
Press the Win + R key combination to launch the Run utility.
Now we write msconfig and press OK or Enter.
The system configuration opens. Go to the download tab.
Now check the box for safe mode.
Click OK.
System Setup. You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. Before rebooting, save any open files and close all programs.
Now let's reboot. Done, now the system will always boot in safe mode.
To boot in normal mode, you need to re-enter the system configuration.
I'll show you how to enter it in another way. Move the cursor to the lower right or upper right part, then lower it (if you moved the cursor to the upper part) or raise it (if you moved the cursor to the lower part) and select search.
In Windows 8, Safe Mode has been noticeably changed, making it more functional and convenient. Now, if problems arise with the operation of the operating system, the user has access to several utilities that make it easier to diagnose and restore the operation of the OS.
Booting into Safe Mode is one of the most important steps in troubleshooting computer problems. This is what most users use when errors appear in the system. However, the standard way to load Safe Mode in all Windows operating systems up to version 8 is to restart the computer and press the F8 button repeatedly, after which a black screen appears with a list of OS boot modes, from which you can select Safe.
In Windows 8, the way Safe Mode loads has been slightly changed, so users who tried to get into Safe Mode in the usual way encountered some difficulties. The fact is that pressing the F8 key while Windows 8 is loading starts automatic recovery mode.
In order to open the modes and system recovery menu, you should press not F8, but the key combination Shift + F8. While the system is booting, you need to hold down the Shift button and press the F8 key several times.
However, due to some features of Windows 8, starting Safe Mode in this way can be difficult, so if the system on the computer is working, it will be much easier to use special utilities built into the system.
Opening Safe Mode from a running Windows 8 system using the msconfig utility
Safe Mode can also be launched from a running operating system. To do this, call up the program execution request window using the Win+R key combination. In the window that appears, type msconfig and press Enter. In the window that opens, go to the Boot tab and check the box next to Safe Boot.
In the list below, you can choose one of the types of Safe Mode. Minimal mode is a normal safe mode. Another shell (Alternate Shell) is Safe Mode, which supports the command line. Network is Safe Mode with network support.
Once you have selected the type of Safe Mode that suits you best, click OK and confirm that you need to reboot the system.
After this, the system will automatically boot into Safe Mode. Once you have set these settings, Windows 8 will always boot into Safe Mode when you turn on your computer. To stop this, open the msconfig utility window again and uncheck the box next to the words Safe Mode.
Opening the Diagnostics menu in Windows 8
There is another way to open Safe Mode in Windows 8, which also requires a running operating system. Press the Win+I key combination and in the blue window that appears, click on the Shutdown option while holding down the Shift key. A small menu will appear where you should select the Reboot option.
In the following windows, in order, select Diagnostics - Additional options - Boot options.
Reboot the system, after which a window will appear in front of you indicating several modes, you can select one of which using the F1-F9 keys.
Let's take a closer look at each of the available modes.
By pressing the F4 key, the most limited Safe Mode is available, in which, after the system starts, only the drivers necessary for Windows 8 work. Neither the Internet nor the local network will be available to you.
Using the F5 key, start Safe Mode with loading network drivers - the optimal solution for solving most problems. You can go online and continue searching for a solution to your problem or download the necessary patches and utilities. This mode is most often used to update the antivirus.
The F6 key launches Safe Mode with command line support. This mode does not support a graphical interface, so you will need to enter all the necessary commands into the command line.
To return to the start window from Safe Mode, press the Alt key.
Windows 8 Safe Mode boot keys
To return the Safe Modes menu boot option to the F8 key, you must make changes to the BCD boot configuration data file. To do this, open a command prompt as an administrator and enter the command bcdedit /deletevalue (current) bootmenupolicy.
After “Operation Complete” appears in the black window, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer. While loading, press F8 several times. A familiar window will appear where you can select Safe Mode.
To undo the changes you made, reopen the Command Prompt and enter the command bcdedit /set (current) bootmenupolicy standard.
Another way to make changes to the BCD boot configuration data file is to enter bcdedit /set (bootmgr) displaybootmenu yes at the command prompt.
You can return the system to standard boot with the command bcdedit /set (bootmgr) displaybootmenu no.
The latter method is most suitable for devices and PCs where the Windows 8 system boots so quickly that it does not have time to respond to either pressing F8 or the Shift+F8 key combination.
Why does the F8 key not work?
In some cases, it is not possible to open Safe Mode or automatic recovery after pressing either the F8 key or the Shift+F8 combination. After reading the message from the official Microsoft website, you can find out that this is due to Windows 8 loading too quickly, which does not even have time to detect pressing the F8 or F2 keys.
A fast modern computer equipped with a UEFI BIOS and an SSD where the operating system is installed may not allow you to use the function keys to open Safe Mode. However, loading the OS on older computers with a standard BIOS and an operating system installed on the HDD is not fast enough for Windows 8 to not detect keystrokes.
How to Avoid the Windows 8 Fast Boot Difficulty
To prevent problems with loading Safe Mode using the Shift+F8 key combinations, you should make changes to the BCD boot configuration data file using the bcdedit /set (bootmgr) displaybootmenu yes command described above, rather than rolling back the changes.
In this case, you will always be able to easily get into Safe Mode, even if Windows 8 does not boot in standard mode. This solution, of course, has the disadvantage that now every time you boot the system you will see a black screen and press the Enter key to start it. You will have to determine for yourself which solution is more convenient for you.
Some users prefer to intentionally crash the operating system by turning off their computer or laptop using the power button. In this case, the next time the system boots, a system recovery and diagnostic window will appear, where you can select Safe Mode.
However, this method is extremely dangerous not only for the installed system, but also for the data stored on the computer.
Entering Windows 8 Safe Mode using a recovery disc
If the system does not boot and the Shift+F8 key combination does not allow you to access the system recovery menu, the best solution is to use a Windows boot disk, which will help you open Safe Mode when other methods have failed.
Once you boot your computer from the recovery disc or Windows 8 installation disc, click Next.
A window will appear in front of you, at the bottom of which there is a link to System Restore. Let's click on it.
The familiar Select Action window opens.
We follow the path Diagnostics - Additional parameters.
There is no Boot Options icon in the window, so open the Command Prompt. In the black window that appears, enter the command bcdedit /set (globalsettings) advancedoptions true.
Close the command line. Select the Continue menu item.
Now Safe Mode will always start when the system boots. To fix this, enter the command bcdedit /deletevalue (globalsettings) advancedoptions into the command line.
Can't boot Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 in Safe Mode? Are you pressing F8 or Shift+F8 but it doesn't do anything? Loading the new operating system from Microsoft has become so fast that it is not always possible to interrupt it with keystrokes. Today we will tell you 5 ways in which you can boot any of the above-mentioned OS in safe mode.
Safe Mode in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
Safe Mode in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is practically no different from that in earlier versions of the OS.
The operating system still loads only the most basic drivers and services. The only noticeable difference is that the minimum screen resolution in Safe Mode has increased from 800x600 pixels to 1024x768 pixels.
1. Use the System Configuration tool (Msconfig.exe)
As with Windows 7, the easiest way to boot into Safe Mode is to use the System Configuration program, also known as msconfig.exe.
Launch it, go to the “Boot” tab and in the boot options activate the “Safe Mode” option. Then click on the "OK" button.
Next, you will see a message stating that you need to restart your computer. Click Restart or Quit Without Reboot, depending on whether you want the computer to restart now or later.
The next time you start Windows 8 (Windows 8.1), it will boot into Safe Mode.
2. Use the combination Shift + Restart
Click the power button on the Windows login screen or in the Settings Charm. Then press and hold the SHIFT button on your keyboard and click Restart.
Windows will prompt you to select an option. Select "Diagnostics".
On the Diagnostics screen, click the Advanced Options button.
On the More Options screen, click Boot Options.
When your computer restarts, a list of 9 options will appear on the screen, including three types of Safe Mode.
Press F4 on your keyboard to enable Safe Mode, F5 to enable Safe Mode with Network Driver Support, and F6 to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt Support. After this, Windows 8/Windows 8.1 will be downloaded according to your selection.
3. Boot into safe mode using CD/DVD to restore system (Windows 8 only)
In Windows 8, but not in Windows 8.1, you can create a system repair disc. So, if you have such a disk, you can boot from it.
After booting from the recovery disk, you will be prompted to select a keyboard layout. Select the one you want to use. You will then see the options screen. All further steps will be identical to those described in method 2.
4. Boot into USB Safe Mode to Restore System
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 allow you to create a system repair disc on a USB drive. Using such a disk you can also boot the OS in safe mode. To do this, boot from your System Recovery USB drive and follow the instructions from the previous method.
5. Use F8 or Shift + F8 (does not work when using UEFI BIOS and SSD)
In the case of Windows 7, just press F8 just before starting the operating system to get to a menu with additional boot options, from where you can boot the operating system in safe mode.
For Windows 8 and 8.1, some sites advise using the keyboard shortcut Shift + F8, which launches recovery mode, allowing you to boot into safe mode. However, the problem is that neither Shift + F8 nor just F8 often work.
In a post on its official blog, Microsoft explains that this behavior is due to the very fast boot process. Steve Sinofsky once said: “Windows 8 has a problem. It loads too quickly, so quickly that you actually don't have time to interrupt it when you turn on your PC. The operating system simply does not have time to detect pressing the F2 or F8 keys.”
In general, if you have a modern computer with a UEFI BIOS and an SSD, you are unlikely to be able to interrupt the boot process with keystrokes. On older PCs with a classic BIOS and no SSD, pressing these keys still works.
If for some reason the computer cannot boot the system, then you should use safe mode. This is the name for the option of launching a PC along with a set of debugging programs. In this case, it is possible to automatically correct a number of problems. In addition, OS rollback will be available in the future.
Entering Safe Mode
Now let’s figure out how you can switch to safe mode in Windows 8. There are five simple ways to do this, let’s look at each of them. Start with the first one, it will most likely work. If this is not the case, then move on in order; one of the presented methods will definitely launch the desired function.
Method 1: Options Panel
One of the innovations of the G8 was the appearance of the panel "Options". It provides a new option for how to enable safe mode on Windows 8. You can launch it by pressing the Win and I keys. When the window opens, hold down Shift on your keyboard and select the button "Shutdown", and then activate the reboot option.
It will take some time for the computer to launch the desired function, please wait. In the window that appears, select "Diagnostics". Then activate the item "Extra options". Click on the element with the gear-shaped icon. Now click on the button.
Wait for a new window to appear. It consists of 9 points - download options. 
Now press F5 on your keyboard (if that doesn’t work, try number 5, but not from the Num block). The computer will enter debug mode.
Method 2: System Configuration item
This method of how to enter safe mode in Windows 8 is one of the simplest, you should try it immediately after the first one. Element "System configuration" can be launched from the dialog box "Run"(it is called by pressing Win + R at the same time). Enter into the text line msconfig.exe, and then press the Enter button.
. Here you need to activate the checkbox of the item "Safe mode". Immediately after click on "Apply", and then - "OK".
All that remains is to restart the computer in any of the possible ways. The next start of the system will be in debugging mode.
Method 3: Boot disk
This method is more labor-intensive. Additionally, it requires a working PC. You need to burn a Windows 8 boot disk and then start the computer from it. An option to enter safe mode will be available in the recovery menu. Both a USB flash drive and a DVD will do. Read more about creating a boot disk in our article “Preparing a Windows 8 boot disk.”
Method 4: Hotkeys
Users of the "Seven" probably remember that when you start the computer, you can press F8 on the keyboard, then you will be able to open the boot type window. This is another method on how to start Safe Mode in Windows 8. If this key does not work, then try the combination Shift + F8, as well as repeating it many times when you turn on the PC. 
Unfortunately, this option does not always work for UEFI BIOS and systems installed on an SSD (solid-state drive). The fact is that in the cases described above, the OS loads too quickly, so the user does not always have any significant period of time to press the desired key. But it’s still worth a try, there’s a chance. And for other computers, this option remains very convenient, which was used back in Windows 7.
This option should be used only if using the previous four is not possible. The bottom line is that after restarting the PC multiple times, the error correction system will turn on, and at the same time a window will appear with a choice of boot options, exactly the same as in the previous case. But you should understand that repeated PC restarts can damage system data and user files. Therefore, this method is placed at the very end of the list.
Windows 8 was the first OS in the NT series in which Microsoft was able to significantly optimize and speed up the boot process. This feature has led to the need to change the way users are accustomed to entering safe mode. Even the former vice president of the company, Steve Sinovsky, who led its development and promotion, acknowledged the existence of this problem. If previously holding down the F8 key while restarting the operating system was guaranteed to enable safe mode, then other methods will be required here. In this article, we will tell you what you need to do to boot Windows 8 into Safe Mode.
Configuration menu
The easiest and most reliable way is to use the configuration menu. With its help, you can enter safe mode on Windows 8, having previously configured the necessary settings in the familiar graphical interface. To call it, you will need to use the key combination Win + R, and then type the command shown in the figure in the window that appears.
As a result of its execution, the following window will open in which you can configure options for starting safe mode. Moving to the “” tab, we see the item responsible for the Windows parameters we need. In most cases, simply checking the box to enable it is enough. Additional options will allow you to use network drivers or the minimum allowed screen resolution.
You can boot into safe mode immediately or the next time, during the first reboot, by agreeing to exit the configuration without immediately executing it.
In Windows 8, running Safe mode brings up a window containing nine additional options. Moving through items is done using the top row of control keys on the keyboard.
The standard screen resolution on Windows 8 has increased, and the monitor now runs in 1024x768 pixels mode. By F3 you can select video mode with a resolution of 640x480 pixels. During operation, there will be a corresponding information entry in the corners of the screen and at the top of it, reflecting the version of the “windows” and informing about working in Safe mode.
After completing the necessary steps, do not forget that you have set the system configuration to boot in safe mode. To disable it, reverse the procedure for calling msconfig and uncheck the checkbox installed there. The exit will occur the next time the computer restarts.
Power icon
Safe Mode in Windows 8 can be enabled in another way, using the enable button displayed on the operating system login window. Log off your current session to access the user selection menu. Call the context menu of the shutdown button by right-clicking and, while holding Shift on the keyboard, click "".
To speed up the procedure you can use Command line. In this case, you will need to type the following command without logging out.
When using any option after rebooting, you will receive the following window allowing you to select any action from the four available. As you can see, the first two steps involve returning the OS to normal operation and turning it off, and using an external device to boot at this stage is not required. Therefore, let's choose the item "".
Here we will go to the advanced options, since the rest are related to the execution of the System Restore function.
At this stage, you should open the “”.
The window that opens contains information about what will happen after clicking the only button located on it. As you can see, the fourth point indicates the ability to get Windows 8 safe mode after a reboot. We press the button and when the system starts, we see a window with nine parameters for Safe mode.
Both of these methods are convenient when the OS is loaded in this mode one-time. We will tell you how to enter Safe Mode in Windows 8 and force it into use in the next section.
Using the Command Line
In some cases, a serious computer malfunction may require you to enter Safe mode not once, but several times in a row. Therefore, in this section we will tell you how to enter Windows 8 safe mode using Command line. Let's use the shutdown command above to reboot. We carry out sequentially all the actions described in the previous paragraph until we reach the “” window. Instead of boot options, select use Command line.
We select the account with which we will work in the future.
Confirm login using a password. To see if you entered the information correctly, you can use the eye logo in the right corner of the input field.
You will have to wait until the operating system generates the necessary interface. Dots running in a circle will act as an indicator, showing that the computer has not frozen while performing a task.
As a result, you will be taken to a clean desktop with one single open Windows Command Shell window. You will need to enter the command shown in the figure.
If the input is completed correctly, you will receive a notification that the operation was successful.
That's it for work with Command line finished. You can close it like a regular window. As a result, you will return back to the action selection window. Select Continue and the computer will reboot again. Once booted, you will see a window for selecting Safe mode options and can start safe mode.
The special thing about this method is that Windows 8 will now use Safe Boot Mode by default. Every time you start, you will see a settings window. You should use this option if you are not confident that you will cope with the problems the first time.
Disabling Safe mode
You now know how to load Windows 8 safe mode, including forcing it. Let's now look at how to exit Safe Mode. These steps will only be required if the last forced activation method described was used.
Once you have finished troubleshooting the system, follow the entire startup procedure Command line again. After its interface loads, enter the command shown in the figure.
Once you have completed this step correctly, you will again receive a notification that the operation was successful. You can close the console and select the option to return to work. Now the OS will load normally.
Features of Safe mode
Using safe mode means that the operating system will use only the bare minimum of device drivers, while using them only from the pre-installed set. Thanks to this, it is always possible to manually remove an unsuccessful version of new software using it. In many cases, this can save the system from more drastic recovery methods, such as recovery functions, which may result in the loss of some recent data.
Now that you know how to boot Windows 8 into Safe Mode, you'll have an alternative when choosing a troubleshooting method. If you suspect malfunctioning software, you should first use it, without resorting to extreme measures for the time being.
Conclusion
In our material, we talked about existing ways to enter Safe mode in the eighth version of the Microsoft operating system, and how to launch it programmatically. If your computer does not use an SSD as a storage device, but an old type hard drive, you can try to log into it using the hardware method that was used in previous versions. To do this, at the initial boot stage, until the image with the Windows logo appears, press the F8 key or the combination Shift + F8. If they work, you can use them in the future, and if not, choose one of the methods described above and use it.
Of course, using protected mode is not a panacea and will not save your computer from all possible malfunctions. But it's always better to have several troubleshooting options than just one.
Video on the topic
