Windows 11 update is bringing back the infamous blue screen of death

News
By published

Microsoft is bringing back the infamous BSOD to Windows 11

A flatscreen monitor displays the Windows 10 'blue screen of death' indicating a system failure.
(Image credit: dennizn/Shutterstock)

The distressing, yet iconic, blue screen of death, aka BSOD, seen in Windows operating systems for years is set to make a comeback in Windows 11. 

For Microsoft’s latest OS, the company switched to a black major crash screen rather than blue. It was a minor change, but one that seemed to shake off an infamous feature that has become synonymous with Windows, albeit in a less than positive way. 

Windows Central noticed that Microsoft is bringing back the blue crash screen in the latest Windows 11 update, set to drop very soon.  

"We changed the screen color to blue when a device stops working or a stop error occurs as in previous versions of Windows," Microsoft's latest patch notes for the incoming Windows 11 updated explained. That’s as much detail as Microsoft provided, so this move to go back to blue is open to speculation. 

An argument can be made that sticking with the BSOD is familiar and alert users to a significant crash. It could also be argued that using a black screen of death could mess with one's mental muscle memory. 

And the original BSOD was first introduced in Windows 3.0 as a way to inform IT professionals that Windows had suffered a kernel error and provide information for tech support to pour over. As such, a non-technical Windows user could see the BSOD as a clear indicator that the system crash may be serious enough to seek help from IT or more tech-minded people. . 

The latest Windows 11 update is also bringing in a suite of other fixes and tweaks, from notification errors to File Explorer problems. 

As it stands, Widows 11 is decent, but has a long way to go before its quirks get ironed out. But if you're keen to get on the new Microsoft OS bandwagon, then check out our selection for the best Windows 11-ready laptops. 

Roland Moore-Colyer
Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.