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Windows stuck in a boot loop: How to fix it
Dealing with a boot loop issue on Windows is frustrating as it stops you from being able to open your important files. Thankfully, our experts know how to fix it.
If your computer is stuck in an endless loop, you need to head to the Windows Recovery screen. From there, you can load up Windows from a USB drive or run a bare-bones version of the operating system in safe mode.
Below, our tech experts explain how to restore access to your computer and retrieve your files using Windows Recovery.
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Each month, we feature one of the most popular questions answered by our Tech Support team.
Question of the month: Why is my computer stuck in a loop?
All of a sudden, I’m unable to get into my Windows computer. It keeps trying to load and then restarting in an endless loop. I can’t see any way to get past this. Can you help?
Which? Tech member
Our expert says:
Windows can get stuck in a boot loop for various reasons. A faulty operating system installation or driver updates are the most common cause, but it can also stem from power outages, storage issues, malware or even faulty hardware.
Your computer is trying to enter ‘Automatic Repair’ mode and, as a result, keeps restarting indefinitely. A continuous spinning wheel on system startup is another type of corruption that can occur.
Conor Houlihan, Which? Tech Support
How to fix a Windows boot loop
To attempt to fix this, you’ll need to enter the Windows Recovery environment. This involves repeatedly turning your device off and on again in sequence, which is known as the boot interrupt method.
Work your way through these steps:
- With your computer turned on, hold down the power button to turn it off.
- Turn the computer back on.
- On the first sign that Windows has started (Windows logo or spinning dots), turn it off.
- Turn the computer back on.
- Turn the computer off.
- Turn the computer back on and allow it to fully start up. You should see an Automatic Repair screen and a button that says Advanced options. Select it.
You will now find yourself within system settings. From this screen, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options. You will see this screen:
Within the Windows recovery environment, there will be options available to try to resolve the issue. Select See more recovery options for this list:
System Restore
If you’ve previously created a restore point in Windows, then this is the easiest way to get your computer working again. It will take your PC back in time to a moment when the restore point was created.
Even if you haven’t consciously created a restore point, it’s worth trying this option as the system might have created one for you automatically.
System Image Recovery
If you’ve previously created a system image using an external drive, this option will revert back to when the backup was created. Make sure you have your external drive plugged in before selecting this option.
Uninstall updates
Incorrectly installed Windows updates can sometimes cause a boot loop, so this option lets you uninstall the latest update.
Startup settings
Choose Enable safe mode. This will attempt to boot you into a version of Windows that’s in a basic, cutback state, using a limited set of files and drivers.
If Windows boots into safe mode successfully, it tends to point to malware being the cause of your boot loop. Within safe mode, you can then run a virus scanner to eliminate the issue.
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Reset this PC
Selecting this option will reinstall Windows. You can choose Keep my files or Remove everything.
With Keep my files, your settings and applications will be removed but personal data (documents, pictures and music, for example) will be left alone.
The Remove everything option wipes all data. If you go ahead with it, make sure you have an adequate backup.
When going through the reset process, it’s best to choose Cloud reinstall if you’re connected to the internet. Local reinstall will also work, though.
Use a device
This option will facilitate booting into Windows 10 or 11 via USB to wipe the hard drive and install Windows from fresh.
It’s crucial that you have relevant backups before using this method. To create a USB drive with Windows on, follow these steps:
- From another computer, head to the Microsoft website, choose the relevant version of Windows and download the media creation tool.
- Within the media creation tool, select Create installation media, then choose language and edition type.
Note that you will need at least 8GB of free space on your USB to run the tool.
If you're wondering whether to get a new computer, check out our expert advice on laptops.
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