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Applicable for: Android
Start your Android device in Safe Mode
Safe Mode for Android temporarily disables any third-party applications and starts your device with default system apps. If you experience frequent app crashes, or if your device is slow or restarts unexpectedly, you can use Safe Mode to remove the applications that cause these problems. You may also use Safe Mode to manually remove malware or any unwanted apps from your device.
The following steps are provided for your reference and may vary depending on your device manufacturer. For detailed instructions, refer to the help on the device manufacturer's support website or contact your device manufacturer's support.
Select one of the following:
Android devices with Android 8.0 or later (newer devices)
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Press and hold the Power button until the power off option appears on the screen.
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Tap and hold Power off option until you see Reboot to Safe mode message.
Your device restarts in Safe Mode and does not load any third-party apps. You can uninstall the applications causing problems. Go to Settings > Applications to uninstall an application.
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To restart the device into Normal Mode, turn off and turn on the device.
Android devices with Android 8.0 or later (older devices)
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Turn off your Android device.
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Press and hold the Power button to start your device.
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As soon as you see the start-up screen, press and hold the Volume down key until the device starts into Safe Mode.
Your device restarts in Safe Mode and does not load any third-party apps. You can uninstall the applications causing problems. Go to Settings > Applications to uninstall an application.
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To restart the device into Normal Mode, turn off and turn on the device.
Last modified: 04/24/2025
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