[Software] Microsoft says Black Screen of Death better 'aligns with Windows 11's visual style' - but I think the new crash screen is missing a key detail

[Vinicius™]

 

• Windows 11 has a new Black Screen of Death (BSoD) rather than blue
• It simplifies the current BSoD as well as changing the color
• The problem is that it perhaps goes too far with the streamlining, and looks rather too much like a Windows update being applied

 

Windows 11 is getting a new design - and color - for the infamous 'screen of death' that appears when the system completely locks up and needs to be rebooted.

 

The Verge reports that after 40 years of the Blue Screen of Death, we're now getting a Black Screen of Death - handily still abbreviated to a BSoD - and it looks quite different to the current version in Windows 11.

 

In a change we already knew was in the pipeline, Microsoft has simplified the existing BSoD and removed the frowny face along with the on-screen QR code. The new black-colored screen for system crashes is far more streamlined and is currently being deployed in testing to the Release Preview channel.

 

In the blog post for that new Windows 11 preview build, Microsoft explains: "A more streamlined interface appears during an unexpected restart [system crash]. This updated design aligns with Windows 11’s visual style and helps you return to work faster. The screen displays a more readable layout while keeping the technical details visible. This screen appears with a black background."

 

You can see the new black screen below, which is mostly a simple message: "Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart."

 

That's pretty vague, of course, but for those interested in more detail, there's a stop code (error message) at the bottom of the screen, as well as a pointer as to 'what failed' (info on which system file was involved in the error).

 

With this move now present in the Release Preview build, it means that the redesigned BSoD will be coming to the finished version of Windows 11 soon.