To turn off Safe Mode on Android, restart your phone normally. Once it finishes starting, the Safe mode label should disappear and your downloaded apps should be available again. You do not need to erase your phone or reinstall those apps.
The restart controls differ between manufacturers. Use the instructions below for your phone, then check that it has returned to normal mode.
Restart Your Android Phone
- Open the power menu using your phone’s button combination or on-screen power control.
- Tap Restart once. Confirm if prompted.
- Release the buttons and wait for the phone to finish starting.
- Unlock it and check the bottom of the screen for the Safe mode label.
Tap Restart normally rather than holding the on-screen button. On some phones, a long press opens the prompt for entering Safe Mode instead.
If there is no Restart option, select Power off, wait until the screen goes completely dark, and turn the phone on using its Power or Side button. Keep your fingers clear of the volume buttons while it starts.
Samsung Galaxy
Swipe down twice to expand Quick Settings, then tap the Power icon and choose Restart. This avoids needing a button combination.
On many Galaxy models, holding Side + Volume Down briefly also opens the power menu. Release the buttons when that menu appears, then tap Restart.
Some Galaxy phones provide another route:
- Swipe down to open notifications.
- Tap Safe mode is on.
- Choose Turn off and let the phone restart.
The notification is not available on every device or software version. Use the power menu if you cannot find it. Samsung documents these exit options in its Safe Mode guide.
Google Pixel
On Pixel 6 and later, including Fold, press Power + Volume Up for a few seconds to open the power menu, then tap Restart. Release both buttons before the phone begins booting.
On older Pixel models, the Power button normally provides the power controls. Google’s Pixel Safe Mode instructions also describe the restart procedure for older devices.
Other Android Phones
On Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, and other brands, start with the normal power menu. Holding Power may open it, although some configurations launch an assistant instead. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for your exact model if that happens.
There is no universal Safe Mode switch in Settings that works across all Android phones.
Check That Your Apps Have Returned
The clearest sign of success is that Safe mode no longer appears on the screen. Open the app drawer and try a downloaded app that was unavailable before restarting.
Safe Mode temporarily disables downloaded apps; it does not uninstall them. Some Home screen widgets may need to be added again after you leave it. A missing widget alone does not mean the phone is still in Safe Mode.
If you entered Safe Mode because apps were crashing, test the original problem now. For crashes that began after a system update, use Apps Keep Crashing After an Android Update for the next checks.
Safe Mode Returns After Restarting
Remove the case and restart once more without touching the volume buttons. If the label returns again, the phone needs more than the normal exit procedure.
Continue with Android Stuck in Safe Mode. That article explains how to check for button pressure, distinguish a startup problem from an app problem, and decide when repair is appropriate.
If you cannot tap Restart because touch is unresponsive, use your manufacturer’s force-restart instructions. A screen that remains unresponsive afterward needs separate attention; see Android Touchscreen Not Working.
Once the label is gone and your apps work again, no further Safe Mode changes are needed.
