Method for operating a starting device for internal combustion engines, the starting device having a drive pinion for engaging into a toothed ring of the internal combustion engine, having an electric rotary drive and an electric thrust drive, wherein the rotary drive serves to turn the drive pinion and the thrust drive serves to push a pinion and - the electric thrust drive has a solenoid, - wherein the one thrust drive has a coil assembly having a first pull-in winding, having a second pull-in winding and having a holding winding, - wherein the thrust drive has a thrust armature, which is moved along a thrust armature axis within the pull-in winding by the pull-in winding, and - the thrust armature is kept in the retracted position by the holding winding, - wherein the one thrust drive also serves to actuate a switching device, - by means of which the electric rotary drive can be switched to a second drive stage, - wherein, in addition to the one, the first, pull-in winding, the second pull-in winding is present, which is connected in parallel to the first pull-in winding, - wherein the first pull-in winding, the second pull-in winding and the holding winding are energized for a first period of time, - wherein the first pull-in winding is switched off by a normally closed switch, whereas a current path through a second pull-in winding is closed, - by way of the normally closed switch being opened at the end of the first period of time, - the switching device is closed and the normally closed switch of the switching device is open during a subsequent second period of time in a switch-on position of the electric thrust drive, and - the second period of time is followed by a third period of time which starts at the moment at which the electrical contact is closed by means of the contact plate. - the electric thrust drive has a solenoid, - wherein the one thrust drive has a coil assembly having a first pull-in winding, having a second pull-in winding and having a holding winding, - wherein the thrust drive has a thrust armature, which is moved along a thrust armature axis within the pull-in winding by the pull-in winding, and - the thrust armature is kept in the retracted position by the holding winding, - wherein the one thrust drive also serves to actuate a switching device, - by means of which the electric rotary drive can be switched to a second drive stage, - wherein, in addition to the one, the first, pull-in winding, the second pull-in winding is present, which is connected in parallel to the first pull-in winding, - wherein the first pull-in winding, the second pull-in winding and the holding winding are energized for a first period of time, - wherein the first pull-in winding is switched off by a normally closed switch, whereas a current path through a second pull-in winding is closed, - by way of the normally closed switch being opened at the end of the first period of time, - the switching device is closed and the normally closed switch of the switching device is open during a subsequent second period of time in a switch-on position of the electric thrust drive, and - the second period of time is followed by a third period of time which starts at the moment at which the electrical contact is closed by means of the contact plate.