Safe mode starts Windows in a basic state, using a limited set of files and drivers. If a problem doesn't happen in safe mode, this means that default settings and basic device drivers aren't causing the issue.

Summary Resetting your PC in Windows is a powerful feature that allows you to restore your device to its original state, which can be useful whether you're experiencing performance issues, software problems, or simply want a fresh start. This feature is designed to be user-friendly and provides several options to suit different needs. Before you reset your PC Resetting your PC reinstalls ...

Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) is a set of built‑in Windows tools designed to help troubleshoot and fix common system problems. If your PC has trouble starting, Windows RE can automatically launch and attempt to repair the issue. It also serves as a central starting point for advanced tools used in manual system recovery. Access to Windows Recovery Environment There are different ...

Unlike starting Windows in Safe Mode, it provides greater control to isolate the source of a problem Note: If your issue prevents you from booting into Windows, you won't be able to follow the steps in this article. After the device tries to restart a few times, it should automatically enter the Windows Recovery Environment.

Learn about the recovery options in Windows. Find out how to reset your PC, go back to a previous version of Windows, or use media to reinstall Windows.

See how to work with Office safe modes to safely use a Office program that has encountered certain problems.

Windows 10 in S mode is designed for security and performance, exclusively running apps from the Microsoft Store. If you want to install an app that isn't available in the Microsoft Store, you'll need to switch out of S mode.

Type Outlook.exe /safe, and click OK. Tip: If Windows can't find Outlook.exe /safe, try using the full path to Outlook (for example C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX, where XX is your version number).

Starting around March 12, 2026, classic Outlook might crash and then prompt to start in Safe Mode. This issue is happening when older builds of classic Outlook are using the newest version of the Teams Meeting Add-In build 1.26.02603.

Windows 10 in S mode is a version of Windows 10 that's streamlined for security and performance, while providing a familiar Windows experience. To increase security, it allows installing apps only from Microsoft Store and requires Microsoft Edge for safe browsing.