Microsoft is getting rid of the 'Blue Screen of Death' in Windows 11

The Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD, has been a part of Windows since Windows 3.0 launched in 1990. The latest version has been around for a few Windows versions, where errors necessitating a complete system restart display a sad smiley face with a QR code and some information on what happened.

3

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653 has a new Green Screen of Death, image credit: Microsoft.

As part of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653, Microsoft is "previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles." For Windows Insiders, this new screen is green, drops the sad smiley face and QR code, and presents a simple "Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart" message alongside information on the error at the bottom of the screen.

Green is a more neutral and positive color than blue, so maybe the idea is, "Hey, it's okay; we just need to reboot." However, a new report at Windows Latest says that once the Blue Screen of Death disappears, it will be replaced by a Black Screen of Death.

3

Some reports say that Microsoft's new Windows error screen will become a Black Screen of Death, image credit: Windows Latest.

This is a more menacing color choice, but it is similar to the Windows Update screen you get when applying updates on a reboot, which could be confusing. The publication adds that as Microsoft is currently testing the new BSOD-free version of Windows, it plans to roll out the new Green Screen of Death or Black Screen of Death to Windows 11 24H2 users in the coming weeks.

As part of the Windows Insider Blog post that includes information on changes to the Blue Screen of Death, Microsoft adds that less information on the screen is about simplifying "your experience" with the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. Green, blue, black, no smiley face, it's all just a way of sugarcoating that your system or OS is unstable. Personally, I'd prefer a screen similar to the one Samuel L. Jackson gets in Jurassic Park when he runs into computer trouble - except you get Bill Gates on-screen rather than Newman from Seinfeld.