Microsoft says goodbye to the Windows blue screen of death

• Microsoft is scrapping its iconic blue screen of death, known for appearing during unexpected restarts on Windows computers.
• The company revealed a new black iteration in a blog post.
• The new black unexpected restart screen is slated to launch this summer on Windows 11 24H2 devices.

Digital boards are seen due to the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike, which provides cybersecurity services to U.S. technology company Microsoft, on July on 19, 2024.

Microsoft is scrapping its iconic "blue screen of death," known for appearing during unexpected restarts on Windows computers. The company revealed a new black iteration in a blog post on Thursday, saying that it is "streamlining the unexpected restart experience."

The new black unexpected restart screen is slated to launch this summer on Windows 11 24H2 devices, the company said. Microsoft touted the updates as an "easier" and "faster" way to recover from restarts.

Microsoft also said it plans to update the user interface to match the Windows 11 design and cut downtime during restarts to two seconds for the majority of users.

"This change is part of a larger continued effort to reduce disruption in the event of an unexpected restart," Microsoft wrote.

The iconic blue screen was seemingly everywhere in July 2024 after a faulty update from CrowdStrike crashed computer systems around the world.

Digital boards are seen due to the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike, which provides cybersecurity services to U.S. technology company Microsoft, on July on 19, 2024.

The blue screen of death errors on computer screens are viewed due to the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike, which provides cybersecurity services to U.S. technology company Microsoft, on July 19, 2024.

An error message on a screen at a Starbucks in Austin, Texas, on July 19, 2024.

Blue screen of death on display at the Amtrak South Station ticket area in Boston due to the CrowdStrike outage on July 19, 2024.

Passengers seen waiting after a major disruption in Microsoft Corp.'s cloud services caused widespread flight cancellations and delays at T3 IGI Airport in New Delhi, India, on July 19, 2024.

People walk past a flight information screen in the second terminal at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on July 19, 2024.