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Help! My Android is Stuck in Safe Mode

By Mitch Bartlett 80 Comments

It seems a common problem for Android users is that it might get stuck in Safe Mode.
While in Safe Mode, you might not be able to do much on the device since much of the
software required for normal functionality isn’t loaded. Your device might say “No
Service” or have problems running apps. Don’t worry though. We’ve got some things
you can try to get your Android out of Safe Mode.

The methods to get out of Safe Mode can vary on each device. Here are some ways
that generally work with most devices.

1. Power Completely Off

Power completely down by pressing and holding the “Power” button, then select
“Power off“. Do NOT select “Restart” or “Reboot”. Many Android devices will stay in
Safe Mode if you select “Restart” or “Reboot”.

Once the device is powered off, wait about 2 minutes, then turn the device back on.

2. Check Stuck Buttons

This is the most common cause for being stuck in Safe Mode. Safe Mode is usually
enabled by pressing and holding a button while the device is starting. Common buttons
you would hold are the volume up, volume down, or menu buttons. If one of these
buttons are stuck or the device is defective and registers a button is being pressed, it
will continue to start in Safe Mode.

Ensure none of the buttons are held down by a foreign object or an accessory. Pull the
device out of its case to be sure that’s not the cause. Give each button on the device a
push to test out if they stick in any way. You may need to clean the buttons with a damp
cloth in some cases.

3. Battery Pull (If Possible)

If a simple power down doesn’t do the trick, pull the battery if you own an Android
device with a removable battery. Wait about a minute or two before inserting the battery
back into the compartment and powering the device back on.

4. Uninstall Recently Installed Apps

If the above options didn’t work, a recently installed app may be causing the device to
start in Safe Mode. Open “Settings” > “Apps” and uninstall any recently updated or
installed apps, then power the device off and restart.

5. Wipe Cache Partition (Dalvik Cache)

The Android OS stores data in a cache partition. That data can sometimes cause your
Android to endlessly be in Safe Mode. Steps for clearing the cache partition can vary
with each device. Consult the documentation provided with your device about how to
enter Recovery Mode.

6. Factory Reset
If you have tried and tried again to get your phone out of Safe Mode using the steps
above, you may want to factory reset your Android. This can be done by going to
“Settings” > “Backup & reset”. This will clear all data off of the device and set it back to
its factory default state. This is an unfortunate last resort if your problem cannot be
solved otherwise.

Did this post help you get your Android out of Safe Mode? Let us know what worked for
you in the Comments section below.

You Might Also Like

 How To Place Android 10 Into Safe Mode

 Restart Your Android Phone in Safe Mode to…

 How to Turn Safe Mode On or Off for HTC U11

  Turn Safe Mode On or Off on Moto X

 Galaxy Tab A: Turn Safe Mode On or Off

 How to Boot a Samsung Galaxy S10 Into Safe Mode

 Galaxy Tab S3: Enable or Disable Safe Mode

 How to Enable or Disable Safe Mode on the Galaxy S9

Filed Under: AndroidTagged With: Nougat

Reader Interactions
Comments

1. Philip Addotey says

June 29, 2020 at 1:24 am

Thank you so much.It was very useful. My device is back to normal mode.

2. Andrew says

June 27, 2020 at 10:07 am

Simulated battery pull/soft reset worked for me. Hold power and volume down for about
10 seconds. It may take a screen shot, just keep holding. Release buttons when the
phone begins to reboot.
3. Cassi says

June 26, 2020 at 5:05 am

I tried all the above and nothing worked.

Afterwards I decided to leave the phone powered off all night. In the morning I removed
sim & sd card, and blew compressed air into all the ports and over the buttons before
turning it back on. It worked! Just wanted to share in case this might help someone else
who tried all of the above with no luck.

4. Kathi says

June 24, 2020 at 10:55 am

Thank you! I’d checked other sites but you gave me the work around.

5. Terra Williams says

May 17, 2020 at 6:28 pm

YES!!! Thank you.

6. Momoh Michael says

May 7, 2020 at 8:06 am

My android phone has been on safe mode ever since and volume key is hot stucked

7. Ny says

May 5, 2020 at 1:37 am

Thanks a lot!!! I uninstalled my my most recently installed app and the safe mode went
away FINALLYYY!!!

8. Aiman fatma says

April 13, 2020 at 10:16 pm

My Samsung A20s automatically went in safe mode .i tried many times Samsung
Galaxy features to disable safe mode. But again again showing safe mode on.please
solve the problem

9. Kusum says
 April 13, 2020 at 10:28 am

Hi team
My samsung phone put into the water bucket . I pull it back immediately . When i switch
on the phone, it on with safe mode. I tried everything available on internet, but nothing is
workable to get my phone into normal mode.
Please suggest

10. Larry Mwambazi says

April 9, 2020 at 1:24 am

Thanks a lot. My phone went to safe mode last evening and i tried to everything
including factory resent and nothing worked. Until i saw your advise, then i realised the
lower volume button was stuck and not working hence sending phone into safe mode.

11. Zalihatu says

March 27, 2020 at 2:12 pm

I’ve tried every solution above but still my phone is stocked in safe mode

12. Jessica says
 March 27, 2020 at 12:50 pm

Thank you so much, been working on this problem for hours. I ended up he volume
down key was stuck. i used a straight pin to get it unstuck. I appreciate your post.

13. Dan says

March 25, 2020 at 1:00 pm

This happened to my sons phone, the issue was due to a cheap case ordered online
which kept the lower volume key continually pressed down.

Followed the steps on technipages and quickly diagnosed the fault, thankyou for the
advice.

14. Rahman poju says

February 22, 2020 at 5:45 pm

I’ve tried all the methods it is still not working

15. Tyesha Hale says

 February 21, 2020 at 7:28 pm

Samsung Galaxy J7 stuck in safe mode. We have tried everything even factory
resetting it and nothing is working. Need help on how to fix it. Buttons aren’t stuck
either.

16. Aisha says

February 18, 2020 at 5:15 am

My phone doesn’t get out of safe mode, i’ve tried every single method and still in safe
mode, my volume up and down keys are stuck i’ve cleaned them but they aren’t still
working suggest me something.

17. colluns says

February 11, 2020 at 11:58 am

Same problem but I have tried everything so annoying

18. Zila says
 February 9, 2020 at 10:29 pm

I did double press on restart and problem solved 👍

19. S says

January 28, 2020 at 2:13 pm

I have tried everything and tmits still in safe mode… I’m getting so frustrated… help!!!!!

20. Joanna says

January 26, 2020 at 11:19 am

Pressing restart button twice worked for me thanks to jim’s comment may 2019!
Thanks!

21. Tim Hopson says

January 22, 2020 at 5:29 am

 Removed battery for a few seconds, problem solved !!

22. Bradley A Wilson says

January 19, 2020 at 2:39 pm

tried factory rest , button not stuck, tried all the other methods but cant remove battery
still in safe mode cant use whatsapp big problem

23. Glenn says

January 13, 2020 at 9:46 pm

Countless restarts and the phone was always in Safe mode.

After reading the article, I removed the phone from it’s case, turned it off, restarted it,
and it was not in Safe Mode.

I turned it off, Put it back in the case, restarted it, and it was again in Safe mode

Remove the case, restarted and no Safe Mode.

I believe the case is holding down one of the buttons but I can’t tell which one. So I’ll be
careful to take it out of the case when I restart the phone

It seems to be OK when I put it back in the case when it is not in Safe Mode.
 Thanks for the information posted here!

24. Amoah says

January 10, 2020 at 5:43 pm

It worked perfectly for my wife’s J4 core. I’m surprised because it’s been more than two
months of worry. We switched it off completely for about 6 minutes removed it from the
cover and made sure nothing was disturbing the volume and on and off buttons. Yes we
did it at the same time. In fact we’re more than happy. Thank you very much indeed

25. Darla says

December 30, 2019 at 1:00 pm

Still in safe mode will NOT shut off HELP

26. Hassan Fayyaz says

December 30, 2019 at 12:13 pm

 I have tried everything I even did a factory data reset and when it turned back one it was
still in safe mode so now what

27. Nella says

December 26, 2019 at 1:17 am

Hey thank you for the great advice.

However my volume down button is not functioning and my phone is now stuck in safe
mode
Please kindly help me

28. Bel Stephens says

December 22, 2019 at 10:19 pm

This helped perfectly. The case I purchased was the wrong one for my tab so it pressing
the down volume button. I didn’t realize it until I read your article.

29. Rachael Monks says

December 18, 2019 at 2:10 am

 I dropped my phone on the volume button which is bent out of shape and stuck in. (One
plus five)
Going to try a razor blade down the side of it to unstick it as it keeps rebooting in safe
mode because of that I think.
Fingers crossed

30. Papabear says

November 20, 2019 at 7:01 am

@Noor Baig , Try pressing both up and down buttons for several minutes, It may fix ur
problem.

31. Noor Baig says

November 15, 2019 at 12:43 am

My down volume button is stuck. Its not working i tried all tricks now what to do….
Plzzzz help me

32. unknown says
 October 9, 2019 at 12:28 am

Even after the factory reset my phone is still on safe mode I use a Samsung note 3

33. Jim Holsinger says

October 4, 2019 at 7:48 am

I did what you asked and Yeah ! It worked. I completely powered down my Android and
waited about three minutes and when I powered it back on the Safe Mode went away
and I got my phone back. Thanks so much for the help.

34. Agnes says

September 15, 2019 at 12:21 am

I have tried everything by am still stack on safe mode I even lost everything on my
phone and my volume button is stucked don’t know what to do please help

35. Mesfin says

September 7, 2019 at 8:58 pm

 Hi
My phone is stuck on said “Safe mode”
I’ve tried everything: Restart, Power Off, Check Buttons (all are in working condition),
Uninstall Apps. I skipped 5 and 6
I didn’t do 5 because I was confused and I didn’t do 6 because I was too scared to lose
all of my photos and app. Please help!!!

36. Mike says

August 14, 2019 at 3:11 am

Pulling the battery worked. Thanks, have a virtual beer on me!

37. Rebecca says

August 8, 2019 at 7:08 pm

My down volume button is stuck. How on earth do I get it unstuck?

38. Otwi francis says

June 17, 2019 at 4:28 am

 Everything seems worst for me and i dont know what to do next

39. Shania Faye Mendoza says

June 15, 2019 at 4:48 pm

I already tried this methods but still my chronos ace stuck in safe mode😭 help me
please. ASAP😭

40. Shania Faye Mendoza says

June 15, 2019 at 4:46 pm

How to disable safe mode in SKK Chronos Ace?

41. DaisyPatch says

June 3, 2019 at 12:16 pm

Jim nailed it!! He said “press power button till three icon come up. power, ,restart and
emergence…… hit restart button twice” Mine only had 2 choices – power off and restart,
so feeling silly I hit restart twice and VOILA – no more safe mode. Thank you JIm!!!!
42. Margaret Pardoe says

June 3, 2019 at 1:51 am

Your first suggestion – ‘Turn it off and turn it on again’ worked! Thank you!!

43. Rama hk says

June 1, 2019 at 6:45 pm

Yes is helpful
I tried all the way but can’t
Coz my note 3 volume down
Key water damage
Thanks alot

44. Fee says

May 29, 2019 at 12:12 pm

After trying everything including a factory reset on my galaxy s8 plus. I found this article.
Turns out my volume button was stuck and causing the phone to stay in safe mode.
Thanks so much for helping me fix this problem! This site rocks
45. Hannah Ip says

May 27, 2019 at 4:12 pm

It did work but my home button is still stuck

46. Cheri M Towles says

May 21, 2019 at 6:09 pm

i’ve done i all too…not working….beginning to think i should flush the dang thing…
nothing working can’t get to my contacts or apps…very irritated at the moment. so any
solutions after following all steps above and still stuck?

47. Fred says

May 20, 2019 at 10:31 pm

I must of had a stuck button. Nothing worked. I had a old phone with the same back.
changed out the back and restarted from completely off. All is good. Put the stuck back
on old phone and that phone works fine also????? must of unstuck it????
48. Jim says

May 9, 2019 at 6:22 pm

None of this worked for me

..press power button till three icon come up. power ,restart and emergence…… hit
restart button twice

49. Emma says

April 21, 2019 at 9:36 am

I was stuck in safe mode and I then didn’t switch off my phone for about a week or 2. I
had tried all the options above previously and none of them worked so I just left it. The
next day I decided to leave my phone off overnight and put it on when I woke up. When
I woke up the next morning my phone was no longer in safe mode but my down volume
button was still stuck.

50. Charyl says

April 18, 2019 at 8:19 am

my phone is still on the safe mode. I tried everything but the volume up and down are
not working.
51. Maliek says

April 11, 2019 at 11:02 pm

Am stuck in safe mode, and am pissed right now. I cant get into my phone neither can i
turn it off, bacause i have to use a password for that, and it still cannot go in while in
safe mode, i need some help..

52. Marilyn Bargemann says

April 11, 2019 at 10:05 am

No did not help still in safe mode cannot access anything settings not available so will
have to send it back to virgin biggest peice of garbage ever will go back to Samsung

53. Tom says

April 11, 2019 at 2:37 am

My phone cover had a bad fit and pressed the volume down button. Thanks!

54. Perwina says
 April 7, 2019 at 11:06 am

I try all, but still I’m stuck a safe mood please. Help how I remove this!

55. Kayden chambles: tuh says

April 6, 2019 at 2:24 am

I have tried everything I even did a factory data reset and when it turned back one it was
still in safe mode so now what

56. Kayden chambles says

April 6, 2019 at 1:02 am

I have tried everything I even did a factory data reset and when it turned back one it was
still in safe mode so now what

57. Dieter says

March 17, 2019 at 9:25 am

 Hi, try all but still stuck in safe mode and my down volume button is not working.

58. Lillian says

March 8, 2019 at 6:00 pm

I did a factory reset on mine and it is asking for a password. It was working fine and the
next day I could’nt sign in. I tried how to disable lock screen on androud. it is stuck on
safe mode at bottom of left screen. I do not know what to do after this. It said to use the
volume buttons to select but it just stats there. Help. Thank you.

59. Edlir Petroshi says

February 25, 2019 at 10:41 am

Unfortunately my android is stuck on safe mode .

I have tried a lot of but is still on safe mode .
Can you help me please 😢😢😢

60. Mike says

February 4, 2019 at 8:26 pm

 Yes your first suggestion worked perfectly and I am back in business thank you. I dont
know what caused the problem but I am glad to be rid of it. Thank you again!

61. Hj says

January 24, 2019 at 6:25 am

Nothing has change so sad im stuck in safe mode aby suggestion on it . Please

62. Kalpana sharma says

January 5, 2019 at 3:00 am

Volume key is stuck and safe mode is enabled i tried to fix it but still the volume key is
not working.

63. Shantellbeltranxo says

December 28, 2018 at 6:49 pm

Yes thanks got it oof my moms phone 😊

64. monica says

December 14, 2018 at 2:01 pm

Please have tried all you suggested but still stuck in safe mode and my down volume
not working.what else please

65. tom says

December 12, 2018 at 1:13 pm

Tried everything you suggested but phone still stuck in safe mode.problem is that the
phone is uninstalling some of the system apps!

66. Shoaib says

December 7, 2018 at 12:56 pm

My volume down button not working how can i get out of safe mode..????

67. Sage says
 November 19, 2018 at 9:41 pm

I’ve done all these things and even pulled out my down volume button but still safe
mode automatically comes on

68. izzy says

September 4, 2018 at 1:58 pm

Solution – use a nail cutter for the s8 to pull out the volume button. then restart your
phone and lightly push your volume button back in!

69. soledad gusman says

June 13, 2018 at 3:07 pm

i tried everything and still on safe mode. what else can i do?

70. Jackson says

May 28, 2018 at 10:17 pm

 What do you do if you did press Restart instead of powering it off and it’s still stuck?

71. Bob Klimple says

May 21, 2018 at 3:04 am

I did everything that you mention, but nothing worked to get it out of safemode.. Finally I
just pulled the battery out of it without power down. Waited about 3 minutes re-installed
the battery and restarted and no safemode.

72. Naveen Kumar Chella durai says

April 30, 2018 at 1:05 am

Is that volume and display come in same set

73. Mitch Bartlett says

April 28, 2018 at 7:02 pm

Take the phone apart and attempt to fix the button is all I can think of.
74. Naveen Kumar Chella durai says

April 28, 2018 at 1:58 pm

my phone display is being damaged but thats not a issue volume down botton also
damaged and it stuck so automatically my device goes to safe mode suggest me any
solution for this .

75. Shikhar says

April 17, 2018 at 9:08 am

Hi, great article but I need your immediate help.

Here’s my problem:

My phone was working fine earlier, then I used the ADB command fastboot reboot
recovery and that’s when it displayed the dead Android and the red triangle error
symbol.

Since I own LG K10, Model number K430TV, the volume up, down and power button
are at the back of this phone. I held down on all three until I saw the LG logo.

Then, I only held the top volume key and power button for a bit longer, perhaps 10 more
seconds?

Finally, instead of booting normally, it is now asking me to enter a password to unblock

Android.

I have been given 30 attempts to do so. But no matter what I enter, the number of
attempts do not decrease below 29, that’s strange!
 Also, I have never ever set up any password on this phone before so I am not sure what
to enter here.

Is there a way out of this? Do I need to flash a new OS or something? If so, how?

76. Anthony says

January 16, 2018 at 10:04 am

I took an exacto knife and put it under the volume button, afterwards i kept pullin up until
it came out and then i restarted the phone and it came out of safe mode.

77. khan says

December 5, 2017 at 7:21 am

Hi,

I followed all steps (factory reset as well) and also took out battery, unscrewed
motherboard but same problem.

78. Paul / Newport says

 November 2, 2017 at 8:47 pm

#2 did the trick. It seems my case wasn’t completely on after I had to charge it via the
USB landing pad.

79. Pat says

October 4, 2017 at 11:53 am

Yes indeed your suggestion no 2 was spot on. The volume button must have got stuck.
Recently whenever I powered on my android it gave out quite a loud tune and to stop
this ear piercing noise I would press hard on the volume down button. Today it must
have got stuck. But it now comes on ((.still playing the loud musical notes) but
WITHOUT THE SAFE MODE. so thanks to you. I am now back in business and my
greyed out icons are now back in glorious colour.. thank you. Maybe you will know how I
can be stop the noise it now makes when powered on. This started since updating to
android version 6. In fact several weird things have happened since then but I am
working on them one at a time.
Thanks again

80. Mary says

September 18, 2017 at 8:58 pm

I’m sorry, but none of these got my phone out of safe mode. I am so frustrated!! Ant
more suggestions?

Did this help? Let us know!

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