Booting into Safe Mode for Android Devices

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Booting into Safe Mode for Android Devices

Booting into Safe Mode for Android Devices

Have you ever heard of Safe Mode? Safe Mode has been in PCs for a long time now. It is a state where your computer force loads only the core applications that came with the operating system while disabling access to any 3rd party applications and drivers.

What Good Does it Do?

PC Safe ModeSafe Mode is very useful on PCs since it can help you diagnose if there is a problem with the OS or the hardware itself or if the problem is from a 3rd party application. Imagine that you are having frequent crashes that lead to your PC having a Blue Screen or simply hanging up. You don’t know the real cause, but you suspect your PC may be broken. Before you go and reinstall your OS or anything like that, your best bet is to launch safe mode.

During safe mode, since you can use your PC’s basic functionality without interference from 3rd party or user installed applications, you can diagnose your PC if it is really broken at its core or if it is messing up due to an application you recently installed or updated. If everything works fine in Safe Mode, then you need to uninstall an app or undo a change you recently made.

Safe Mode for Android

Our Android devices are basically portable computers. They have the same power that PCs had years ago, and can even compete with tasks that modern PCs can do. One of the core functions of these modern day mobile devices is the ability to install apps which broadens the functionality and usefulness of the Android device.

Of course, as with applications on a PC, apps on an Android are not always perfect. There may be problematic or even malware ridden applications out there that may get installed on our devices. When Androids freeze or crash for no reason and you are not sure if you messed something up in the OS after rooting or doing root specific things or maybe even just crashes after a new installation, you better check in with your safe mode.

Safe Mode on Android is pretty much the same as on a PC. It loads the basic OS and all the apps that were installed in the device when you initially got it. No user installed apps will run, including live wallpapers. If you experience no crashes in this state, you can be sure that something new you did is causing the problem. You need to backtrack and uninstall, rather than reflash the whole OS.

Accessing Safe Mode on Android

You would think that since all devices running Android use Android, it would at least have the same method to access their built in Safe Mode feature. Unfortunately, Device OEMs have their own way of letting you get into Safe Mode, which usually requires the use of one of their hardware keys.

How to get to Safe Mode on Nexus devices

Since Nexus devices run on Google’s pure Android, the method for accessing Safe Mode on a Nexus is exactly how Google Advertises it in their development blogs and user guides. To access Safe Mode in a Nexus Device, you must follow these few easy steps:

  1. Press and hold the Power Key until the power options pop up.
  2. Press and Hold the option that says “Power Off”
  3. A popup menu should show prompting you if you want Safe Mode On
  4. Touch OK and your Phone will reboot into Safe Mode
  5. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Nexus Safe Mode

How to get to Safe Mode on HTC devices

HTC has two methods of accessing Safe Mode on their devices. Why they didn’t stick to one is a wonder to me as well, but they made the device so it’s their call. The process involves the use of either your volume up or volume down key. If they are busted, then you have no luck.

  1. Completely power off your device
  2. Power on your device
  3. When you get to the screen that displays the HTC logo, (the first splash screen) press one of these buttons depending on your device:
    1. Press and hold the volume up key
    2. Press and hold the volume down key
    3. Press and hold the volume down key + optical joystick
    4. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

HTC Safe Mode

How to get to Safe Mode on Sony Xperia devices

Xperia devices also employ multiple methods in accessing safe mode, but the most common method involves the use of the menu key.

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Press and hold the power button and menu key together while the phone boots up.
  3. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Alternative Methods:

  1. Using the combination of Power and Volume Down Key
  2. Same Method as Nexus devices.

The menu key method has proven to be a burden for some users since after a long time use of the device, the hardware key tends to get stuck. This means that the user ends up booting into safe mode every single time they start the phone. To fix this problem, unstick the menu key through a local repair store (or by yourself if you are confident).

Xperia Safe Mode

How to get to Safe Mode on LG devices

Many LG devices have adapted the full on screen navigation without hardware keys. While their latest flagship revisits the home key (somewhat in a Galaxy Note like fashion), it mostly sticks to two basic ways to enter Safe Mode:

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Hold the Power Key until the LG logo appears.
  3. At this stage, depending on your device, you press and hold either the:
    1. Menu Key
    2. Volume Down Key
    3. Keep holding it down until it boots into safe mode. LG warns that it may take up to 45 seconds.
    4. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

LG Safe Mode

How to get to Safe Mode on Motorola Devices

Motorola devices are mostly the same as the other devices. However, for their devices with QWERTY keyboards and for the Motorola Xoom, there are new ways to enter Safe Mode.

General Motorola Devices:

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Hold the Power key and wait for the Motorola Logo to appear
  3. When the logo is up, press and hold the volume down key until Safe Mode appears
  4. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Motorola Xoom

  1. Completely power off your Xoom
  2. Press and hold both the volume up and the volume down key
  3. While still holding the volume buttons, press and hold the power key
  4. Release all keys when the Motorola logo appears
  5. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Motorola with QWERTY

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Slide out the Keyboard
  3. Press and hold the “OK” key on the keyboard
  4. Press and hold the power button until it turns on
  5. Do not let go of the “OK” key until safe mode appears
  6. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Note that some Motorola devices have two ways to enable Safe Mode. One method involves the use of the volume down key while the other method is the same as stock Nexus devices.

Motorola Safe Mode

How to get to Safe Mode on Samsung Devices

Samsung employs very similar methods to access Safe Mode. Sometimes, more than one method may exist in a certain model depending on the region. If one method does not work, try the other. Most Samsung devices that employ the hardware menu key would be able to use the menu key, while the rest relies on the volume down buttons.

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Press and Hold the power key until device starts
  3. When the Samsung logo appears, press and hold either the:
    1. Menu key
    2. Volume down key
    3. Hold the button until safe mode appears
    4. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Samsung also has a new type of device which also uses the Android Operating system. The Samsung Galaxy Camera employs a very different method in accessing the Safe Mode menu.

  1. Completely power off your device.
  2. Press and Hold the power key until device starts
  3. When the Samsung logo appears, slide the zoom all the way to minus (-) and hold it there until safe mode appears.
  4. The words “Safe Mode” should appear on the lower left corner of the screen.

Samsung Safe Mode

Sudden Safe Mode

Sometimes, you find your device booting into safe mode on its own. This often triggered by an abnormal status of the device, dropping, stuck keys, sudden removal of memory, or malware infection. Make sure to double check any of these possibilities before claiming warranty unless your device actually malfunctions even during safe mode. Of course, in the case of faulty keys, go right ahead and have them fix that baby. There is no need to panic when you are in safe mode. After all, it is the safest run mode for your device.

2 Comments

  1. dwaynesays: June 24, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    what about huawei cellphones

  2. jeffsays: May 28, 2016 at 2:18 am

    how do I start android a500 in safe mode, I have the cyberpolice virus, asking to pay fine with I tune card, thank you

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