Start LibreOffice with --safe-mode to test whether its settings, extensions or graphics setup are causing a problem. Current LibreOffice help calls this Troubleshoot Mode; older releases and tutorials call it Safe Mode. Try the temporary mode before resetting your whole profile.
How to open Safe Mode or Troubleshoot Mode
- If LibreOffice opens: look under Help for Restart in Troubleshoot Mode, or the Safe Mode name used by your version.
- On Windows: use the LibreOffice Troubleshoot Mode or Safe Mode Start-menu entry, where installed.
- From a terminal: start your installed LibreOffice executable with
--safe-mode.
For a normal Windows installation, this example works only if LibreOffice is actually installed at that location:
"%ProgramFiles%\LibreOffice\program\soffice.exe" --safe-modeIf the file is elsewhere, use its real path. Do not download a replacement soffice.exe from a file-sharing site. LibreOffice’s current mode guide confirms the command-line option.
Which option should you choose?
| Option | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Continue in Troubleshoot Mode | Works with a temporary fresh profile. | Test whether a document or ordinary task works without your normal settings. |
| Restart Normally | Returns to normal operation and discards temporary-mode changes. | You opened the mode accidentally or finished the test. |
| Apply Changes and Restart | Applies the recovery changes you selected. | You have chosen a specific fix and understand what it changes. |
The mode also disables hardware acceleration, which uses the graphics hardware for part of the display work. A successful test can therefore point toward a profile, extension or graphics-related issue; it does not identify one broken setting with certainty.
Try the least disruptive fix first
- Save copies of important documents.
- Open the temporary mode and repeat the task that failed.
- If it works, return to the recovery dialog and test one relevant change at a time.
- Try extension or graphics-related options before a complete profile reset when they match the symptom.
- Restart normally and test again after each change.
Back up custom templates, macros and other profile items before a broad reset. Do not select every recovery option just because the app crashed once. A document that fails in both modes may need a different investigation from an app that cannot start at all.
If LibreOffice still does not open
Note the exact error, LibreOffice version, operating system and whether the temporary mode behaves differently. Use the project’s current support information and installer. Reinstalling the app and resetting its user profile are separate actions, so one does not automatically do the other.
For a wider Windows launch problem, see when Windows will not run programs. If you are comparing suites, see what LibreOffice includes—and whether it has an email client.
Information checked October 21, 2026, using the guides linked above.
Frequently asked questions
Is Troubleshoot Mode the same feature as Safe Mode?
Current LibreOffice help uses Troubleshoot Mode. Older versions and guides use Safe Mode; the documented command-line option remains --safe-mode.
Does starting the temporary mode reset all my settings?
Starting with a temporary profile is a test. Applying a recovery option or resetting the real profile is a separate choice.
If a document works in this mode, have I found the exact fault?
No. The mode changes the profile and graphics behavior, so the result narrows the investigation without identifying one setting with certainty.
What should I keep before resetting a profile?
Keep important documents and back up custom templates, macros and other profile items you need. Test the less disruptive recovery options first.