In Windows whenever you need to debug a problem that’s plaguing your computer system, the best way is to go into Safe Mode (check out our guide here). In case you’ve never had the misfortune of experiencing it, Android also has its own Safe Mode which it enters into when it detects that something is wrong, like an app error, malware, or operating system glitch.
It can be a bit disconcerting to see your phone boot up in Safe Mode, but if you have experienced it (or are experiencing it), here are several ways that you can get out of Safe Mode and back into normal mode.
Restart Or Turn Off Your Phone
- Press and hold down on the power button of your phone
- Depending on your device, you might see the option to restart it or turn it off
- Select either option
- Once your phone turns back on and you should be back normal mode
Turn Off Safe Mode From Notifications
In some instances and depending on the manufacturer of the handset and the UI in question, you might find the option to exit Safe Mode on your device in the notifications.
- Swipe down from the top of your screen to pull up notifications
- You might see a notification that reads “Safe Mode is turned on”
- Tap on it
- You might need to confirm again that you want to turn off Safe Mode
Turn Off Safe Mode By Pulling Your Phone’s Battery
These days we’re seeing fewer phones that come with removable batteries, but in the event that you do own an Android phone that still has a removable battery, you can exit Safe Mode that way too.
- Turn off your Android phone
- Open the back case on your phone
- Take out the battery
- Give it a minute or so to let residual power drain
- Put it back in and restart your handset.
Other Troubleshooting Options
Uninstall Your Apps
If despite following the methods above still results in your phone continuously rebooting into Safe Mode, then the issue might lie in one of your apps where it could be causing some problems that forces your phone to enter Safe Mode. If that is the case, you will need to then hunt down the offending app and uninstall it.
In such instances, there is a good chance that it might be the most recently-downloaded app that could be causing the problem. This is because if your phone has never booted into Safe Mode before and is doing so now, it could be the latest app that you downloaded or just used that could be the culprit.
- Go to Settings > Apps
- Look for the app that you think could be causing the problem
- Tap Uninstall
- Restart your device and if you removed the correct app, your phone should be back to normal.
Factory Reset
Worst comes to worst if you still cannot figure out what might have been the problem, then you will need to perform a factory reset of your handset. This means that all your smartphone settings will be reset back to the way it was when you first bought it. It will also delete all the contents on your handset, so you’ll want to make sure that this is a last resort option and to have everything backed up before you proceed. You can check out our guide on how to factory reset your Android smartphone here.
Filed in . Read more about Android, Apps, Google, Malware and Security.