How to Safely Perform a Clean Boot on Windows 11

An easy way to identify & fix software conflicts

Windows 11 » How To

3 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

by Srishti Sisodia

updated on October 4, 2023

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Key notes

Clean boot can help you troubleshoot performance issues, including slow boot time and CPU usage.
To perform it on Windows 11, you can use the Run window or search bar to open the System Configuration window and disable third-party services and startup items.
Continue reading to know the entire process.

A clean boot is a method in which your Windows boots up with a minimal set of drivers and essential startup programs to help you identify if a background program is interfering with your app.

In this guide, we will discuss step-by-step instructions to restart your Windows 11 computer in a clean boot environment.

Some of the benefits of performing a clean boot on Windows 11 are:

Determine & troubleshoot software conflicts.
Fixes performance issues like slow boot, high CPU usage, and frequent crashes.
Identifies and fixes startup problems
Stops unnecessary programs from running in the background and consuming system resources.
Helps improve security & stability.

How can I do a clean boot on Windows 11?

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type msconfig and click OK to open System Configuration.
On the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab, place a checkmark next to Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all. This will ensure only non-Microsoft services are disabled.
Switch to the Startup tab and click the Open Task Manager link.
On the Task Manager window, for each Enabled item, select them and click Disable. Remember all the startup items you have disabled; it will help you later.
Close Task Manager.
On the System Configuration window, click Apply, then OK.
Click Restart to reboot your computer.

What is the difference between clean boot and Safe Mode?

When comparing Safe mode vs Clean boot, they both are diagnostic modes used in Windows to troubleshoot issues and are similar but used for different purposes.

Safe Mode shuts down everything except the things necessary for a Windows to start, including the core services, processes, and essential drivers, and is used for hardware, drivers, and software-related issues.

Whereas Clean boot assumes that Windows is not the problem and, therefore, doesn’t disable anything related to Windows but disables third-party services and startup programs to help you identify the root cause of the app-related errors.

You can enter safe mode using System Configuration, Boot menu, and Command Prompt; however, you can access a clean boot environment only through System Configuration.

How do I disable clean boot in Windows 11?

To return to normal boot and turn off the clean boot, reverse engineer the above steps and restart your computer.

Remember that you should only boot your PC into this mode when you want to troubleshoot performance issues or software conflicts and for a short period.

Also, don’t forget to boot your system back to normal startup to enjoy the full functionality of your Windows computer.

If you discover the problem is not related to third-party software but a Windows issue, you must enter the Recovery mode to troubleshoot further.

Do you know any other method to go into a clean boot environment? Feel free to mention it in the comments section below. We will add it to the guide.