How to fix Windows 11 stuck on restarting?
1. Boot Windows in safe mode
To begin with, you need to shut the computer forcefully, since you are unable to access Windows in normal mode as it is getting stuck on the restarting screen. Then boot into Safe Mode to determine the underlying problem and troubleshoot the same. Here is how to do it:
Press and hold the power button on your computer or laptop until it shuts down completelyAfter a couple of minutes, turn on the power button to let the device restartsDo the same on a loop to interrupt the booting process thriceOn the fourth attempt, the screen will show up with the Automatic Repair screenChoose Advanced options
Click on Troubleshoot
Hit Advanced options
Select Startup Settings
Tap on the Restart button
Press F4 or 4 on the keyboard to restart the device in Safe Mode
Once the PC or laptop is in Safe Mode, use the following methods to troubleshoot the issue. Suggested read: Know How to Fix Windows 11 Slow Performance
2. Uninstall recent Windows updates
If you started facing the issue after updating Windows recently then this method might help. Here is the process to uninstall the updates:
Right-click on the Start menu and choose Settings
Go to the Windows Update tab and choose Update history
Select Uninstall updates found under Related settings
Choose the recently installed update from the list and press the Uninstall tab at the top
Restart the device the issue should be resolved
Also read: https://windowsreport.com/windows-11-reboot-loop/
3. Enable secure boot
Secure Boot is an essential security feature. It lets the device boot with genuine software from the OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer. If the Secure Boot feature is disabled, the computer might fail to boot properly and end up getting stuck on restarting screen. Find out below how this is done:
Right-click on the Start menu and choose Run
Type in msinfo32 in the text field and hit Enter or click OK
As the System Information window opens, under the System Summary option check the Secure Boot State on the right side
If it is On you do not need to do anything else but if not continue as suggested belowClose the window and go to the Start menuPress the gear icon to choose the Settings app
Choose Recovery in the System tab under Additional options
Hit the Restart now button beside the Advanced startup
Choose Troubleshoot
Click on Advanced options
Choose the UEFI Firmware Settings tab
Hit the Restart button
The computer will boot into BIOSGo to the Boot tab and choose Enable under the Secure Boot optionHit enter to enable itSelect F10 to save changes and exit BIOSTurn on the computer normally to see if the method worked
4. Run SFC scan
Sometimes missing system files or corrupt files hamper the boot process. System File Checker or SFC is a handy utility feature that scans and fixes any malfunctioning system file by itself. Here is how to get it to work:
Right-click on the Start menu and choose the Windows Terminal (Admin) option
Type SFC /scannow on the command prompt window and hit enter
To recover any file, jump to the following method and restart the device
5. Delete files from the software distribution folder
Windows stores update files in the Software Distribution folder after downloading and before installing them. If those files are inaccessible, delete them followed by downloading the Windows Update again. Here is how:
Right-click on the Start menu and choose Run
Type C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution in the text box and press OK or hit Enter
Select all the files in the SoftwareDistrubution folder and hit the trash icon to delete them
Open the Settings tab to check for new Windows Updates
6. Update Windows 11
Download any pending Windows Update. If everything works fine, Windows would be successfully updated and the PC will boot normally. Follow the steps given below to download pending Windows updates:
Right-click on the Start menu and choose Settings
Go to the Windows Update section and click on the Check for options tab to download and install pending updates
Your computer should boot properly now. Watch this YouTube video: Hopefully, the above methods are sufficient to resolve the issue at hand. However, if you need more information on how to fix Windows 11 stuck on restarting, we might be able to offer more solutions. If you found this article useful, share it with others.
