Booting Windows 10 in Safe Mode is a way to open a limited version of Microsoft's operating system.Doing so allows you to circumvent bugs or viruses while troubleshooting certain types of problems, making it more reliable and not affecting the core of your computer.On older systems, you can boot into Safe Mode by starting your computer and pressing F8 when Windows first loads.However, the latest version of Microsoft's operating system does not follow this rule.So how do you activate safe mode?This guide explains everything you need to know.In Windows 10, there are a few different types of Safe Mode that you can choose from, so it's important to know what they do and which one you need.If you're still at the login screen, this is an effective way to quickly boot into Safe Mode, and it can also work if Windows suddenly freezes or programs like Outlook aren't responding.Step 1 – From the login screen, hold down the Shift key and then click the power button on the screen (not the physical power button on the computer).A little box should appear with a few different shutdown options.Choose the Restart option.Step 2: Windows should return to a window that says Choose an option (it may take a bit of time, so don't try anything until you see this).From here, you'll need to go through a few different menus to find the correct reset option.First select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, followed by Startup Settings, and finally Restart.Step 3 – Windows should now open a new window that says Startup Settings and includes a list of the different Safe Mode options.The first Safe Mode option is 4, immediately followed by two others below.Press the number key for the Safe Mode you want.There is a slightly more roundabout way to boot into safe mode from Windows 10. This method will come in handy if you want to safely shut down and restart Windows while keeping as much data as possible, without the need for complex command lines.Step 1 – Go to your Start menu and then choose or search for Settings.Step 2 – In Settings, find Update & security and select it.This will open a new window with a sidebar on the left side.In this sidebar, find Recovery and select it.Step 3 – Under the Advanced Startup option, you should see a Restart Now button, select it and this will take you to the same selection screen as the first method to enter Safe Mode.Step 4 – Navigate through these menus by selecting Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options followed by Startup Settings and Restart.Step 5 – Give Windows time to load your selection of startup settings.Safe Mode options start at number 4. Press the number key for the Safe Mode you want.Sometimes your computer will shut down before you can get to a login screen, or refuse to display anything but a blank screen.If you can only get a blank or black screen, your steps to enter Safe Mode are a bit different.This is what you should try:Step 1 – Press the power button once to turn on your computer.Now, as soon as your computer gives any sign that it's turned on (something like a manufacturer's logo on the screen or the fans are spinning), press and hold the power button again for 10 seconds.You're giving Windows 10 a distress signal with these steps.Step 3 – For the third time, press the power button once to turn on the computer, and at the first sign that Windows has started, press and hold the power button once more for 10 seconds until your device turns off.Step 4 – Now press the power button one last time.Windows should have received the signal and will boot into recovery mode.From here, as before, select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.Then press the 4 key or similar option for the desired Safe Mode.Once you fix your Windows problem, restoring your device to its original settings will require a few more steps.Follow the steps below to get back to your standard Windows 10 experience.Note: You can also boot into Safe Mode from Windows by reversing the second part of Step 2.Step 1 – Start by clicking the Start button.In the search box on your screen, type MSConfig and click Enter.The computer will automatically go to the System Setup function.Step 2 – Go to Boot option.Under Boot Options and at the bottom left of the screen, you should see several options for secure boot.Select one of those.Make sure Secure Boot is not checked.Step 3 – Now that Secure Boot is not selected, choose OK and opt to restart Windows 10. You can restart your computer as you normally would.From there, it should reboot with all of its normal Windows capabilities.Enhance your lifestyle Product review, technology news, tools to navigate the digital world.