6 Ways to Boot into Recovery Mode in Windows 11

Ralph Adolphs

Updated: July 23, 2024

Windows 11/10 has a recovery mode (also known as Windows Recovery Environment or WinRE), which helps you troubleshoot, repair and restore the system. This page will show you how to get Windows 11 to boot into recovery mode.

• Way 1: Use Shift + Restart
• Way 2: Use the Settings
• Way 3: Use the command
• Way 4: Use a bootable USB
• Way 5: Use the Fn key
• Way 6: Use Hard Reboot

Way 1: Use Shift + Restart

If your Windows 11 can still boot, you can use Shift + Restart to boot into recovery mode. There are three options to use this method depending on whether you can log in to Windows 11.

Option1: Click the Win (Start) button, and in the Start menu, click the Power button, and then click Restart while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. Your computer will restart into Windows 11 recovery mode.

Option2: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to enter the Windows Security screen, click the Power button in the lower right corner, and then click Restart while holding Shift. This option helps if the Windows 11 Start menu stops working.

Option 3: Go to the Windows 11 login screen, click the Power button in the lower right corner, and then click Restart while holding Shift. This option helps if you can't log in to Windows 11.

Way 2: Use the Settings

Step 1 Sign in to Windows 11 and press Win + I to quickly open the Settings app.

Step 2 In Settings, choose System on the left, and then click the Recovery option on the right.

Step 3 On the Recovery page, click the Restart now button within the Advanced startup option.

Step 4 Click Restart now again in the popup dialog and your Windows 11 will restart into recovery mode.

Way 3: Use the command

Step 1 Right-click the Win icon and select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the menu.

Step 2 In the Terminal window, type shutdown /f /r /o /t 0 and press Enter. Windows 11 will restart and enter recovery mode.

Way 4: Use a bootable USB

If your computer cannot boot to Windows 11 normally, you can use a bootable USB drive to boot into recovery mode.

Step 1 Make a Windows 11 bootable USB on any working computer, if you don't have one.

Step 2 Insert the bootable USB drive into your Windows 11 computer and get your computer to boot from the USB drive.

Step 3 After your computer has finished booting from the Windows 11 USB, choose Next followed by Repair your computer and you will enter the Windows 11 recovery mode.

Way 5: Use the Fn key

Turn on your computer and once the first screen appears, immediately press and hold F11 ( F10 or F9 on some computers) to boot into Windows recovery mode. This helps if your Windows 11 can't start and you don't have a bootable USB. But don't expect this method to work on every PC.

Way 6: Use Hard Reboot

A hard reboot is to press and hold the physical Power button until the computer shuts down, and then turn it on again. Repeat the hard reboot three times consecutively and your computer will boot to the screen that says Preparing Automatic Repair.

When the Automatic Repair screen appears, click Advanced options and you will enter Windows 11 recovery mode.