In a method for starting an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, an injection timing point is specified for each chamber at which a first fuel injection pulse is carried out and an ignition timing point is specified at which a first ignition pulse is to be carried out in the chamber. A crankshaft is caused to rotate by a starter device. For all chambers in which the injection timing point takes place in time after the ignition pulse, the respectively specified ignition timing point is adjusted in terms of reduced torque output. Thereafter, in each combustion chamber the injection pulse is carried out at the respectively specified injection timing point and the ignition pulse is carried out at the respectively specified ignition timing point. In this way, any potentially present fuel residue is combusted and at the same time the torque produced thereby is reduced.