Microsoft revamps its blue screen of death for Windows 11

The infamous error message will be shorter and less alarming than it previously was.

Microsoft is redesigning its “blue screen of death,” an error message that appears on screen when a Windows device runs into a problem.

“We’re previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles and supports our goal of getting users back into productivity as fast as possible,” the company said in a blog post.

In the redesigned version, the blue screen of death has no frowny face and no QR code. The error message is also shorter, claiming that the “device ran into a problem and needs to restart.”

In Microsoft’s example, the refreshed error message is displayed on a green background. However, this is common for all previewed versions. According to The Verge, the new message may be displayed on a black background.

Microsoft has announced changes as part of a new version of Windows 11, which will be first rolled out for members of its Windows Insiders program.

Among other updates, Microsoft is also introducing quick machine recovery. The feature addresses widespread boot issues on Windows 11 devices by automatically detecting and applying fixes directly from the Windows Recovery Environment, thereby reducing the system downtime and manual intervention.

Another new tool is a speech recap, which allows users to access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what a Windows Narrator last said.