When Windows 11 encounters an issue when starting up, it can be highly stressful. It can put all your plans on pause, whether they're for work or play.

Windows 11's startup issues can be caused by a number of reasons, both internal and external. Listed below are the different scenarios in which Windows 11 might not boot, their causes, and the troubleshooting methods you can try to resolve the issue.

1. Look for External Problems

The first thing you should do if Windows 11 is not booting after installing an update or even just out of the box is to check whether any loose or faulty cables could be causing the problem.

Begin with checking if the cables connected to the monitor or the computer's power supply are loose. You can also try replacing them if you have extra cables at home.

Next, make sure that the issue is not with the monitor itself. There are times when you are unable to boot into Windows simply because there is a hardware issue with the monitor.

Once you are sure that the problem is not hardware-related, you can proceed with the software-related troubleshooting methods listed below.

2. Boot Into Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a good place to fix Windows startup issues. Safe Mode launches the operating system with only the basic drivers and programs, allowing you to identify the culprit without it getting in the way of troubleshooting.

If the system launches in Safe Mode successfully, that implies that a background third-party process is causing the problem. In this case, you can proceed with uninstalling any programs that you might have installed recently installed. If you are not sure about it, you can narrow the culprit down by following the steps we later mention in this method.

Here is all that you need to do:

  1. If your PC is on, force shut it down by pressing the power button.
  2. Then, power on your PC again and force shut it down again.
  3. Do this for a total of three times and let the PC boot into the Windows Recovery Environment the third time.
  4. In the Recovery Environment, head over to Troubleshoot > Advanced options.
    Advanced options
  5. Choose Start-up settings and then click Restart.
    Restart button
  6. Now, press any of the 4, 5, and 6 keys to boot into Safe Mode.

If you are able to launch into Safe Mode, then this implies that the issue is being caused by third-party software. In this case, we suggest you proceed with the following steps one by one:

  1. First, uninstall any apps that you may have recently installed. It is possible for a corrupt or faulty app to be interfering with the processes of your system, causing the issue at hand.
  2. Then, run a scan to eliminate any viruses or corruption errors from the system. We recommend that you start with running SFC and DISM scans, which will help identify inconsistencies and errors within the system and fix them without much user involvement. You can also run a scan using your third-party antivirus if you are using one.
  3. If the first two steps fail to identify and fix the problem, then you can try finding the problematic software manually. Doing this, however, will likely take a while!

You can also use the system restore utility in Safe Mode to revert the system back to a state where everything was working fine. This utility works by creating restore points in the system from time to time so that you always have the option of going back to an error-free state in case something goes wrong.

What If You Cannot Boot Into Safe Mode?

If you cannot boot into Safe Mode, then the issue you are facing might be related to system drivers. In that case, we suggest reaching out to the official Microsoft support team and reporting the issue to them.

Hopefully, they will be able to figure out the cause of the issue and suggest relevant steps to take.

What to Do if Windows 11 Fails To Boot After Installation

Here are a few reasons why Windows 11 might not boot right after installation:

  • Your PC does not meet the minimum Windows 11 installation requirements.
  • The Trusted Platform Module is disabled or outdated.
  • Secure boot is disabled.

In general, Windows 11 will not boot after installation if the minimum requirements are not met or if the relevant services are disabled. Below, we have listed the steps you can take if that happens.

1. Ensure that Your PC Meets Minimum Requirements

Windows 11 is quite strict about what hardware it runs on. If your PC does not abide by the Windows 11 minimum system requirements, then you are likely to face issues like the one at hand.

We also have a guide on how to bypass Windows 11 minimum installation requirements which you can check if you want to install Windows 11 on an incompatible PC.

2. Enable TPM

The Trusted Platform Module is a chip on the motherboard of your computer, responsible for making your PC more secure. To be able to run Windows 11, your PC must have TPM 2.0 or higher.

Here is how you can enable TPM if it is disabled:

  1. Open Run by pressing Win + R and type "tpm.msc" in the text field.
  2. Click Enter.
  3. In the following dialog, check if the TPM is enabled.
    TPM management dialog

If not, visit your manufacturer's website to find out how to enable TPM on your device, since the steps might differ depending upon your device’s manufacturer.

3. Enable Secure Boot

Secure boot prevents your system from loading software that is not trusted by the manufacturer when you boot your PC.

Here is how you can enable secure boot:

  1. Open Run by pressing Win + R, type msinfo32 in the text field, and press Enter.
  2. Now, look for the status of the Secure Boot State. If it is disabled, then boot your PC into BIOS.
    Secure boot status in Windows
  3. Head over to the Boot tab and click on Advanced mode.
  4. Here, locate the Secure Boot option and enable it.
  5. Finally, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.

Windows Boot Issues, Resolved

It is normal to hit panic mode when your operating system fails to boot all of a sudden but hopefully, the troubleshooting methods above will help you fix the problem in no time. Once you determine the cause of the issue, we recommend taking relevant cautions to make sure errors like these do not pop up in the future.