How to use Safe Mode on the Google Pixel 10

The only thing worse than a malfunctioning smartphone is not understanding why.

Whether it be small glitches, annoying boot loops, or a full-on crash, the frustration of trial and error can be too much for some users to endure.

That’s where Safe Mode comes in handy. When used correctly, it allows you to more effectively identify problems with your device, so you can save a bit of money on repairs or, heaven forbid, a new phone.

The process isn’t terribly complicated, but you won’t be able to enter Safe Mode without at least a bit of guidance.

That’s why we’ve put together a helpful guide that explains what Safe Mode actually is, walks you through the steps required on the Google Pixel 10 to enter it, and, more importantly, how to exit when you’re done.

What is Safe Mode?

The most basic version of your phone

Safe Mode is a type of mode on your smartphone or other mobile device that is designed for diagnostics.

It launches the device with only the most basic, rudimentary systems in place, getting rid of third-party apps, drivers, and certain settings that may impact performance.

More specifically, the goal of Safe Mode is to find problems by removing some of the services that could be causing them.

If you enter Safe Mode and the problem with your device is resolved, you know that one of your apps, drivers, or settings is causing it, and you can begin to isolate the issue to eventually eliminate it.

How to access Safe Mode

A bit more than turning it off and on again

All this talk of diagnostics and performance problems may sound a bit intimidating, particularly to Android users who aren’t particularly proficient in the technical aspects of their devices.

Fortunately, Google has made accessing Safe Mode on Android devices a lot easier over the years, so there’s nothing to worry about.

To get started, all you do is access the power pop-up menu, which requires you to push the power button and the volume up button at the same time. Then, you’ll want to press and hold either the Power button or the Restart button on your display.

This will produce a pop-up on your display that asks if you want to Reboot to Safe Mode, which you do. When you press OK, your device will turn off and restart in Safe Mode.

How will you know whether your device is in Safe Mode? It should be glaringly obvious if you are, because none of your third-party apps will be usable.

Oh yeah, and there will be a big Safe Mode banner at the bottom of your display, which should give it away. All that to say, it will be pretty hard to miss that you’re in Safe Mode.

It’s also worth noting that entering Safe Mode will remove some of the widgets on your device, so if you have a lot, we recommend taking a screenshot beforehand to quickly add them back to where they were.

Not all widgets disappeared on me, but Google Keep, Google Fit, and the ESPN scoreboard were all gone when I came back.

How to exit Safe Mode

We can’t stay here forever

After you’ve clicked around your device in Safe Mode long enough to figure out if the problem is an app, a driver, or just bad luck, you’ll want to return the device to its non-Safe Mode.

After all, you can’t use Safe Mode forever, because it disables every third-party app on the device. Maybe, if you’re trying to do a tech cleanse, it could help, but beyond that, Safe Mode is designed to be temporary.

Luckily, if you thought entering Safe Mode was easy, just wait until you hear about how simple Google made it to exit Safe Mode on Android. Literally, all you do to get out of Safe Mode is to restart your device. That’s it, end of the step-by-step guide.

Another important note is that the instructions listed above to both enter and exit safe mode only work for Pixel smartphones, specifically the Pixel 6 and later (including the Pixel Fold).

If you have a smartphone that predates the Pixel 6, we’d recommend checking out the Google Support page to get instructions on how to use Safe Mode.

Do-it-yourself diagnostics

Save your device and a bit of money in the process

Even a few short years ago, device diagnostic work was pretty intimidating for everyday people.

Sure, Android users are generally a bit more open to this kind of do-it-yourself technical prowess, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult for even the most proficient among us.

Now, though, with Safe Mode being just a few short clicks away, even the most novice of Android users can troubleshoot problems on their own without having to take the device to Best Buy to get fixed, or worse, replaced.