Windows 11 is Stuck on Restarting? No worry, boot PC in Safe Mode to spiral out of the infinite restart loop on Windows 11.
Although Windows 11 performs well in many ways. However, just like any previous version, Windows 11 also has some bugs. It has been reported that many users have experienced issues with their computers stuck in a reboot loop. Whenever the user’s PC starts, it automatically restarts continuously, preventing the user from getting to the login page.
Since there are many causes of this problem, let’s first understand the common causes and then move on to solving them.
Why Windows 11 is Stuck in a Restart Loop
As there are many reasons for this issue, we need to try several fixes to fully resolve Windows 11 to be stuck in a restart loop.
Corrupted or damaged system files
Outdated or corrupt drivers
Malware or virus infection
Incompatible or malfunctioning applications
These are the various reasons that can cause Windows 11 to get stuck in a reboot loop. Next, let’s go through easy-to-hard fixes to fix the problem.
Since Windows 11 is stuck in a reboot loop, you first need to boot into Safe Mode.
Boot in Safe Mode
To enter Safe Mode, turn on the computer, and at the first sign of startup, press and hold the physical power button for 30 seconds or until the computer shuts down.
Repeat the process three times, allowing the computer to fully boot on the fourth boot. Windows will automatically load WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment).
On the “Auto Repair” screen, click the “Advanced Options” button in the lower left corner.
On the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot.
On the Troubleshooting screen, find and click Advanced Options.
Click the Startup Repair option.
Next, read the list carefully and click the “Restart” button.
Now that your PC boots in Safe Mode without any third-party software and services, perform the following fixes.
1. Uninstall Recent Windows Updates
If Windows to be stuck on restarting issue occurs after you recently updated to Windows, it is most likely caused by the update, so try uninstalling the most recent update first.
Open the Start menu and click the Settings tile under the Pinned Apps section.
In the Settings window, click the Windows Update tab.
On the right side of the window, click the Update History tile under More.
Scroll down to click the “Uninstall Updates” tile under the “Related Settings” section.
Find the latest update from the list and click the “Uninstall” button on the far right of each tile.
After the update is uninstalled, shut down the computer and check if the Windows to be stuck on restarting problem has been resolved.
2. Run DISM and SFC Scans
If the problem is caused by corrupted system files, it is recommended to run a DISM and SFC scan. Run DISM first, then SFC to check all system files for integrity and errors.
Open the start menu and search for terminal. In the search results, right-click the Terminal tile and select the “Run as administrator” option.
A UAC window will then appear. If you are not logged in with an administrator account, please enter a credential. Otherwise, click the “Yes” button in the window.
In a terminal window, enter the following code and press Enter on your keyboard to execute the command.
DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth
Once done, enter and execute the following command to invoke SFC, which will automatically scan your currently installed Windows image and repair damaged or corrupted files using the files downloaded in the previous step.
SFC /scannow
Once done, go back to the start menu and restart your PC. After restarting, check if Windows 11 starts normally.
3. Delete Files from Software Distribution Folder
Sometimes the system cannot access the downloaded update files, which are stored in the Software Distribution folder. If the problem is those inaccessible files, you can try deleting them.
Click the This PC icon on the desktop to open a File Explorer window.
Double-click to open the Windows Installer drive (Windows logo icon).
In the installer drive, double-click the “Windows” folder.
In the “Windows” folder, double-click to open the “SoftwareDistribution” folder.
Press Ctrl+Akeys on your keyboard simultaneously to select all files, then delete all selected files.
4. Enable Secure Boot
Secure Boot only allows trusted operating systems from OEMs. Windows may not load properly or get stuck in an infinite reboot loop.
Open the Start menu, click Settings under the Pinned Apps section.
In the Settings window, select the System tab in the left column.
Scroll down and click the “Recovery” tile.
Click the Restart Now button on the far right edge of Advanced Startup under the Recovery Options section to continue.
At the overlay prompt, click the “Reboot Now” button to reboot the system immediately.
After rebooting, you will be in WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment). In Choose an option, click Troubleshoot.
Click the Advanced Options tile in Troubleshooting.
Click UEFI Firmware Settings.
Click the “Restart” button that appears on the screen.
After restarting, the PC will boot into the BIOS menu. The following method applies to HP devices.
Click the Boot option in the left sidebar in the BIOS menu to expand the menu.
In the Boot options screen, find the Safe Boot option, press the down arrow key to highlight it to navigate. Press Enter to change the mode from Disabled to Enabled. When done, hit F10 on the keyboard to save and exit the system’s BIOS menu.
Your computer will restart again, after restarting check if the problem is resolved.
5. Remove Recently Installed Apps
If Windows 11 is Stuck on Restarting starts appearing after installing an app, it’s most likely a recently installed app that’s causing the problem. Then try uninstalling the app to see if that solves the problem.
Click on Settings under the Pinned Apps section.
Click the Applications tab in the left sidebar of the Settings window.
On the right side of the window, click the Installed Apps tile.
Scroll down the list of apps on the Installed Apps page.
Click the “ellipsis” on the far right edge of the application you want to uninstall, click the “Uninstall” option in the context menu.
Click the “Uninstall” button.
After uninstalling, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.
This article introduces five ways for Windows 11 is stuck on restarting. your are recommneded to try them one by one until solving Windows 11 stuck on restart loop issue.
