The most common cause is damaged or missing boot files such as a bad boot sector or incorrect shell registry entry, with other causes including driver conflicts, BIOS setup mistakes, and hardware problems. Now that you know what can cause this error, here’s a list of methods you can use to boot into Windows 11.
1. Perform a Startup Repair
The first thing you should try is a Startup Repair. This issue might be caused by corrupted files affecting the boot process, so it’s a good idea to run this tool and see if it fixes the problem. Startup Repair is a Windows troubleshooter designed to fix problems related to the boot process. It scans your system and attempts to repair what it finds. To run this, you need to access the Advanced options in the Recovery Menu. If this method didn’t help, try the next one.
2. Uninstall the latest update
If you can’t boot into Windows 11, try uninstalling the latest update installed on your PC. Some users fixed the issue by reverting the most recent update. You can do this from the Recovery Menu, in the Uninstall Updates section. Start by uninstalling the latest quality update because it’s quicker and often enough. If that doesn’t help, you can also uninstall the latest feature update, but that process takes longer.
3. Perform a System Restore
Another fix users have tried is using System Restore to roll back to the last restore point created automatically by Windows. In many cases, this was enough to resolve the boot issue. This utility lets you put your Windows installation back to a stable state from before the problem started. To use it, your system must have previously created a restore point (Windows does this automatically after many updates unless disabled). Before proceeding, note that System Restore will undo any changes made after the restore point was created. This includes app installs, game downloads, and system settings changed since then. If your PC still won’t boot into Windows 11, go to the next method.
4. Use the Command Prompt
Some users fixed this by running a few scans from Command Prompt. These scans look for disk problems and corrupted system files, then try to repair them. You’ll open Command Prompt from the Recovery Menu, then run the commands below. Each scan can take some time—wait for each one to finish before moving on. If you still can’t boot into Windows 11, try the next fix.
5. Start your PC in safe mode
Many users suggest starting the computer in Safe Mode to see if it works there. If it does, perform a clean boot while in Safe Mode to find out if a background app or service is causing the issue. A clean boot starts Windows with only essential drivers and services. This helps you identify if a background program is the problem. After troubleshooting, you can return to normal startup.
6. Reset your PC
The last thing to try is resetting your PC. You can do this from the Recovery Menu. It’s a simple process that takes a few minutes and often resolves stubborn boot problems. Go to the Recovery Menu and open the Troubleshoot section, then choose Reset this PC. You can either keep your personal files or remove everything—it’s up to you. Note: Even if you want to keep your personal files, the safest option is usually to remove everything (a factory reset). This refreshes all system files and clears out anything corrupted that might be causing the boot issue.
