Is Microsoft dropping the Blue Screen of Death?

The Blue Screen of Death is a well-recognized error prompt for people with Windows, but it could be going away.

What you need to know

• Microsoft may change the Blue Screen of Death into the Black Screen of Death with Windows 11.
• Microsoft added a sad face to the screen in 2012 and a QR code in 2016.
• The current failure screen in Windows 11 preview builds is green, which has been this case since 2016.

Windows 11 might mark the end of a familiar screen for people with the operating system, the Blue Screen of Death. According to The Verge, Microsoft will move away from the familiar blue failure screen in favor of the Black Screen of Death. The new black screen would line up with the logon and shutdown screens of Windows 11, which are also black.

Microsoft's Blue Screen of Death is a well-recognized error prompt, which probably isn't a good thing for the company. In addition to sparking memes and jokes, the Blue Screen of Death allows people to identify the cause of an error. It often shows an error code and details to help diagnose an issue.

The Verge shares an image of what the Black Screen of Death will look like.

The screen won't have any changes apart from the pallette swap, according to The Verge. The QR code, error message, and frowny face all seem set to continue on Windows 11.

If you're testing a Windows 11 Insider preview build, you'll see a Green Screen of Death. Insiders have seen the green version of the Blue Screen of Death since 2016. I can confirm that the operating system shows a Green Screen of Death for Insiders, as I saw one on my PC running Windows 11 this morning.