How To Launch Google Chrome In Safe Mode

The term ‘Safe mode’ is more familiar to Firefox users than it is to Chrome users.Unlike Firefox and even Windows 10, here’s no built in Chrome Safe mode option in the browser which surprises me because of its usefulness in troubleshooting browser problems. But here’s a work around.

What is Google Chrome Safe Mode?

When you launch something in safe mode, you are simply launching it with limited capabilities. For an app like Chrome, you can launch it without unnecessary extensions and plugins. You’ll achieve this by launching Google Chrome in Incognito mode.

I have done an article on Google Chrome’s Incognito mode before and how it works. From the article,  you will get to Incognito mode only after launching the browser normally. But to launch in safe mode,  we have to figure out a way of launching the browser straight into Incognito mode.

How To Launch Chrome In Safe Mode / Incognito Mode

In today’s article, we’re looking at how you can launch Chrome directly into Incognito mode. This is an equivalent of ‘Safe mode’ in Chrome.

1. Open Run box by pressing Windows+ R keys together on your keyboard.
2. In the text box,  type in:  chrome.exe -incognito
3. Press Enter or click OK.  Google Chrome will be launched in Incognito mode(Safe mode).

Create a Desktop Shortcut For Chrome Safe Mode

If you want, you can create a desktop shortcut for ‘Google Chrome Safe mode’ instead of launching the run box every time you want to start  the browser in safe mode (Incognito mode)

Copy your current Chrome desktop shortcut and paste it somewhere else on the desktop. Then rename the new shortcut to ‘Google Chrome Safe Mode‘. Then right click on it and select ‘Properties’. In the target url section,  add ( -incognito) to the url. Then click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’.

The Safe mode (Incognito mode) desktop shortcut will now be taking you directly to google chrome Safe mode.

If you’re troubleshooting your browser, you can go enabling extensions and plugins one by one,  so that you can identify the problem source. Still, you can choose to be using the browser in Incognito mode.

Prefer to watch? You can watch this tutorial here.