Even though putting your phone in Safe Mode isn’t very hard, it’s not always clear how to get your device out of it. That can be very frustrating, particularly for those who aren’t intimately familiar with their devices.
For those who are stuck in Safe Mode for whatever reason, fear not! Here’s our step-by-step guide on how to turn off Safe Mode on your Android device.
Editor’s note: We will update this post over time.
1. Restart your device
Restarting can fix other issues with your device, so it makes sense that restarting can turn off Safe Mode. The steps are relatively simple:
- Press and hold the Power button on your device until several device options pop up.
- Tap Restart.
- If you don’t see a restart option, continue holding down the Power button for about 30 seconds.
2. Check the notification panel
Some devices let you turn off Safe Mode from the notification panel. Here’s how to do it:
- Pull down the notification panel.
- Tap the Safe mode enabled notification to turn it off.
- Your phone will automatically restart and turn off Safe Mode.
3. Use hardware buttons
If none of the aforementioned steps worked for you, some have reported success by using hardware buttons. Here’s what you do:
- Turn off your device.
- Once your device is off, press and hold the Power button.
- When you see a logo on the screen, let go of the Power button.
- Quickly press and hold the Volume Down button after letting go of the Power button.
After you complete the steps, you should see a Safe Mode: OFF message or something similar. This method could be hit-and-miss, based on your device.
Also read: How to change fonts for Android | How to fix Android battery drain issues and extend battery life
Also keep an eye out for any damaged volume buttons. A broken volume button makes your phone think you’re pressing and holding that button. Such an issue can even force your phone to boot into Safe Mode every time. If that happens, it’s best to visit a local repair shop or go down the DIY route.
4. Check for offending apps
Even though you can’t use third-party apps while in Safe Mode, its cache and app data aren’t blocked off within your device’s settings. That’s good, since there’s a chance an app you downloaded is forcing your phone into Safe Mode. In that case, it’s best to deal with the app itself instead of constantly restarting your phone.
There are three ways to tackle this: wiping the cache, wiping the app data, and uninstalling the app. Let’s start with wiping the cache:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps & notifications, then tap See all apps.
- Tap the offending app’s name.
- Tap Storage, then tap Clear cache.
If that doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to go a step further. Be warned: deleting an app’s storage clears the cache and your user data for that app. With that out of the way, here’s how to delete an app’s storage:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps & notifications, then tap See all apps.
- Tap the offending app’s name.
- Tap Storage, then tap Clear storage.
Also read: How to take screenshots on Android | How to enable Night Mode on Android
If wiping the cache and app storage didn’t do the trick, it’s time to uninstall the app:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps & notifications, then tap See all apps.
- Tap the offending app’s name.
- Tap Uninstall, then tap OK to confirm.
5. The nuclear option
Your remaining option is to do a factory reset on your device. Doing so will delete all of your internal data, so make sure you’ve tried everything else before resorting to this step. Make sure to back up all of your data before doing a factory reset.
Once you’ve taken a deep breath and stopped your hands from shaking, here’s how to do a factory reset:
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down and tap System, then tap Advanced.
- Tap Reset options, then tap Erase all data.
- Tap Reset phone at the bottom.
- If needed, enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
- Tap Erase everything.
These are the best methods available to turn off Safe Mode. Have you been trapped in the Safe Mode loop? Did you figure out what went wrong? Let us know in the comments below!
