F8 Not Working In Windows 10? 5 Things To Try

If you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 from older versions like Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, you may have noticed that the F8 function key you pressed during startup để vào Chế độ an toàn công việc ngắn hạn.

The F8 key is still available on your keyboard, but it works with other key combinations to perform certain functions, especially when your touchpad or mouse isn’t working and you need to sử dụng phím tắt thay thế.

In this guide, we’re going to show you what to do when you find F8 not working in Windows 10, but first, let’s look at why this happens.

Why Is F8 Not Working In Windows 10?

Chế độ an toàn is a native Windows feature in all versions of the operating system, which is used to troubleshoot various problems such as driver installation issues, problems booting into Windows, and malware or virus-related issues among others.

The F8 boot menu was removed in order to improve system boot time. This is because Windows 10 boots much faster than previous versions, so you won’t have enough time to press the F8 key and enter Safe Mode during startup. Plus, it can’t recognize the key press during the boot process, which prevents access to the boot options screen from where you can select the Safe Mode option.

Instead, Microsoft provided a new Advanced Boot Options menu feature that lets you access troubleshooting options such as Safe Mode and others.

You can still access the Safe Mode feature by pressing the F8 key, but you have to re-enable it manually using a few simple steps, and there are other methods that can also get you into Safe Mode, but they’re not as straightforward.

Fix F8 Not Working In Windows 10

1. Manually Re-enable F8 Key

• Kiểu CMD trong thanh tìm kiếm và nhấp vào Run as Administrator.

• Type this command in the Command Prompt: bcdedit / set {} mặc định bootmenupolicy di sản và báo chí đăng ký hạng mục thi..

Chú thích: BCD or Boot Configuration Data Edit command is a native tool in Windows that controls how the operating system starts. It also helps you easily re-activate the F8 boot menu.

• Khởi động lại PC của bạn, and press the F8 key repeatedly on the keyboard while it starts up and you’ll see the Advanced Boot Options menu, from where you can select Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, hoặc là Safe Mode với Command Prompt.  

To disable the F8 key again, open the elevated Command Prompt and type this command: bcdedit / set {} bootmenupolicy mặc định tiêu chuẩn

2. Enter Safe Mode From Start Menu

• Nhấp chuột Bắt đầu và chọn Cài đặt.

• Tiếp theo, nhấp Cập nhật & Bảo mật trong menu Cài đặt.

• Trên ngăn bên trái, nhấp vào Phục hồi và sau đó nhấp vào Khởi động lại bây giờ.

• Windows will restart automatically and display the Chọn một sự lựa chọn screen. Click Khắc phục sự cố.

• Tiếp theo, nhấp Thiết lập khởi động.

• A screen will appear showing different startup options.

• On your keyboard, press the F4 key or number 4 key to enter Chế độ an toàn, or the corresponding key to enter Safe Mode with Networking or with Command Prompt tùy thuộc vào những gì bạn muốn làm.

Chú thích: Bạn cũng có thể nhấp Bắt đầu, nhấp chuột phải vào Power button, and hold down the sự thay đổi key when you click Khởi động lại. This automatically restarts Windows and brings up the Chọn một sự lựa chọn screen, after which you can continue with the steps to access Safe Mode.

3. Start Safe Mode By System Configuration

System Configuration also known as msconfig, is a system utility used when troubleshooting the Windows startup process. It can disable or re-enable device drivers and programs that run during the boot process to figure out why the problem you’re experiencing occurred. It saves time compared to other methods that require you to repeat several steps just to enter Safe Mode.

• Nhấn Windows logo key+R để mở chạy hộp thoại và gõ msconfig. Sau đó nhấn đăng ký hạng mục thi Hoặc nhấp chuột OK.

• Nhấp chuột Khởi động and mark the checkbox next to Khởi động an toàn. Chọn Tối thiểu và nhấp OK. There are other options available such as Alternate Shell (Safe Mode with Command Prompt), Active Directory Repairvà Network (Safe Mode with Networking support), so you can pick the one you need.

• Nhấp chuột Áp dụng> OK for the changes to take effect and Windows will restart in Safe Mode.

To exit Safe Mode from System Configuration, open the Boot options window again, uncheck the box next to Safe Boot, và bấm OK. Nhấp chuột Khởi động lại to apply the changes, and restart your computer normally.

4. Enter Safe Mode When Windows Can’t Boot Normally

Safe Mode loads with a minimum set of programs and drivers. If Windows can’t start normally, you won’t have a problem entering Safe Mode, because you can restart the PC twice and go to the Automatic Repair screen from where you can enter Safe Mode.

• Make sure your PC is off and then press and hold down the Power button until the computer goes off. Repeat this about two or three times (to trigger the boot recovery mechanism) until the Chuẩn bị sửa chữa tự động màn hình xuất hiện.

• If you see the Preparing Automatic Repair screen when you power on the computer the first time, skip to the next step, and the Diagnosing Your PC screen will appear. This will be followed by the Attempting repairs thông điệp.

• Windows will show the Sửa chữa tự động không thể sửa chữa PC của bạn message and give you the Đóng cửa và Tùy chọn cấp cao trong Startup Repair screen. Click Tùy chọn cấp cao.

• Nhấp chuột Khắc phục sự cố trong Chọn một sự lựa chọn màn hình.

• Tiếp theo, nhấp Tùy chọn nâng cao.

• Your PC will restart and show different startup options on the next screen.

• Press the F4 key or number 4 key on your keyboard to enter Chế độ an toàn. You can also press the corresponding key to enter Safe Mode với Command Prompt or với mạng tùy thuộc vào những gì bạn muốn làm.

Chú thích: If you have a Windows 10 bootable USB drive or setup disc, you can use that to start your PC in Safe Mode if Windows can’t load. Boot the PC using the bootable drive or setup disc, select Sửa chữa máy tính của bạn and you’ll get to the Choose an option screen from where you can take the steps above to enter Safe Mode.

5. Start In Safe Mode When You Can’t Login to Desktop

This is another method you can use if you find Windows 10 Safe Mode not working. If you can access your login screen (welcome or sign-in screen) but can’t access or login to Desktop, use these steps to restart your computer in Safe Mode.

• Nhấp vào Power at the bottom right side of the Windows 10 Login screen.

• Nhấn và giữ phím sự thay đổi key on your keyboard and select Khởi động lại. Bạn sẽ thấy Please Wait screen appear briefly, and the Chọn một sự lựa chọn screen. Click Khắc phục sự cố.

• Trong tạp chí Tùy chọn nâng cao màn hình, click Thiết lập khởi động.

• In the Startup Settings screen, press the key(s) corresponding to the Chế độ an toàn option you want to use.

More Ways To Boot To Safe Mode

We hope you found this guide useful in helping you boot into Safe Mode when you find F8 not working in Windows 10. If you know of other methods you can use to access Safe Mode, you’re welcome to share them with us.