How do I get my Android phone out of safe mode?

If you are stuck and don’t know what to do

Safe mode is a useful feature for troubleshooting issues with your device.

When your Android phone is in safe mode, it only runs the essential system apps, which can help identify whether a third-party app is causing problems. However, once you’ve resolved the issue or if you accidentally activated safe mode, you’ll want to know how to exit it.

Here’s a guide on how to get out of safe mode.

Restart your phone

The simplest way to exit safe mode is to restart your phone. Here’s how:

1. Hold down the power button on your phone until the power menu appears on the screen. You may also need to hold the volume up or down button, depending on the phone you have.
2. In the power menu, you’ll see an option to restart your device. Tap on it.
3. Your phone will turn off and then turn back on. It should boot up in normal mode.

Manual restart

If your phone does not have a restart option, you can turn it off and then turn it back on manually:

1. Press and hold the power button (and volume up/down if needed) until the power off menu appears, then tap ‘Power off’ or similar.
2. Ensure the phone is completely turned off by waiting a few seconds.
3. Press and hold the power button to turn on your phone.
4. When the manufacturer’s logo appears, release the power button and immediately press and hold the volume button down until the phone finishes restarting.

This method may vary slightly depending on your phone model. If holding the volume down button doesn’t work, try holding the volume up button instead.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Use notification centre

Some Android phones allow you to exit safe mode directly from the notification centre:

1. Swipe down from the top of your screen to pull down the notification centre.
2. Look for a notification that says ‘Safe mode is on’ or similar.
3. Tapping this notification should give you an option to restart your phone in normal mode.

Uninstall apps

If your phone repeatedly boots into safe mode, a problematic app might be causing the issue:

1. Open the settings menu and navigate to ‘Apps’ or ‘Applications’.
2. Look for apps you installed around the time the issue began.
3. Select the app and uninstall it. Repeat this for any other suspicious apps.
4. Use the methods above to restart your phone and see if it boots normally.

If you’re unsure how to do it, you can follow our guide on how to delete apps on Android.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Exiting safe mode on your Android phone can be straightforward with a simple restart, but sometimes you may need to use other methods, if your phone persistently re-enters safe mode.

By following the steps outlined above, you should be able to get your device back to normal.