After decades of haunting computer users with its trademark blue background, Windows’ infamous “Blue Screen of Death” is getting a new look — it will soon turn black.
The change comes as part of Microsoft’s wider efforts to make the Windows operating system more resilient, following last year’s major CrowdStrike incident that caused millions of computers worldwide to crash.
“It's now easier than ever to manage unexpected restarts and recover quickly,” Microsoft said in a statement from its Redmond, Washington headquarters on Wednesday.
As part of the update, Microsoft is simplifying the experience for users facing unexpected system restarts. The redesigned error screen will feature a black background, a shorter message, and will no longer display the familiar frowning face. Instead, it will show the percentage progress for the system restart.
The updated interface is expected to roll out later this summer for all devices running Windows 11 (version 24H2).
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In addition, Microsoft announced a new “quick machine recovery” feature aimed at reducing downtime, especially during large-scale outages. The mechanism will allow Microsoft to automatically deploy targeted fixes without requiring complex, manual intervention from IT teams.
The quick machine recovery feature will also become widely available later this summer on Windows 11, with further improvements expected by the end of the year.