The Blue Screen of Death: Causes and How to Fix It

The blue screen of death (BSOD) sounds ominous, and it sort of is. It appears when your PC has a system failure, but it doesn't mean that death is looming for your computer.

There are a few causes of the BSOD, but there are also plenty of options to fix the issue and get your computer running smoothly again. Sometimes, it can be as easy as choosing one of the best antivirus programs for Windows and running a virus scan. Let's explore the causes of the BSOD and what you can do to resolve it.

What is the blue screen of death (BSOD)?

The BSOD indicates a critical error in the computer system. To cope with it, Microsoft Windows initiates a shutdown to prevent damage to the computer. It displays the BSOD and an error code to help you resolve the issue.

The BSOD is technically called a Blue Screen error by Windows. Its moniker stems from its infamous blue background, which contains information about the "fatal" error in your system.

What causes the blue screen of death?

There are several reasons for the BSOD to appear. Hardware or software issues can cause it. Your device could also have viruses or malware, setting off the BSOD. With so many potential sources, it can make it difficult to determine and resolve the initial problem.

Luckily, Windows does provide error codes explaining why the BSOD appeared. There are also a few ways to troubleshoot the problem.

Troubleshooting the blue screen of death

When your device displays the BSOD, it also shows an error code to identify the problem. Microsoft makes this available for programmers. The official list of error codes is long, but you can view it to determine if there's a way to resolve your specific problem.

Error codes are a bit complicated for the average internet user, so you might want to use the Microsoft Help Center instead. Type "Troubleshoot BSOD error" in the search box, and Microsoft will help you find and resolve the problem step by step.

If you get a blue screen error after adding hardware, you'll want to shut down the computer. That allows you to safely remove the hardware, and then you can restart the device. If you initially have trouble turning on your computer, you may want to restart in safe mode (see steps under “Uninstalling Problematic Software” below).

How do I fix the blue screen of death?

There are a few different ways to fix the blue screen of death, depending on what is causing the problem. Using the Microsoft Help Center can help you pinpoint the exact actions you need to take to resolve the issue. It may ask you to do one or more of these tasks.

Restarting your device

Hold down the Power button to turn off the device. Sometimes, forcing a shutdown is necessary to safely proceed with troubleshooting the problem.

Removing problematic hardware

If you installed hardware and then got the BSOD, it's fair to say it's the culprit. After shutting down your device, you can safely remove the hardware. Restart your device to see if the BSOD disappears.

Running System Restore

System Restore lets you go back in time and restore your system to a previous and more stable state. It will remove recent system changes but leave your personal documents alone. Here is how to do a System Restore.

1. Select the Start button and open the Control Panel.
2. Search Control Panel for Recovery.
3. Click Recovery, choose Open System Restore, and then select Next.

   

   
   

4. Choose a restore point, click Next, and then Finish.
   

Uninstalling problematic software

If newly installed software is causing the BSOD, you will need to remove it. If you can't access the main desktop, you need to restart into Safe Mode, which opens the device in a basic state. You can open Safe Mode by following these steps.

• Restart your computer.
• Under Choose an option, select Troubleshoot.
• Click Advanced options.
• Choose Startup Settings.
• Select Restart.
• Choose Safe Mode with Networking.

Once you have opened Safe Mode or accessed the main desktop, you can start removing recently installed software by following these steps.

• Select Start.
• Choose All apps.
• Press and hold (or right-click) on the app you want to remove.
• Click Uninstall.

Rolling back driver updates

It's rare for a driver update to cause issues, but it can happen. How to fix the issue will depend on if your computer gives you access to the desktop.

If you have access to your desktop, follow these steps.

• On the taskbar, locate the search bar, type “View installed updates,” and select it.
• Expand the window to view installation dates.
• Uninstall the most recent update. You may need to uninstall more than one update to find the one causing the BSOD.

If you don't have access to your desktop, follow these steps.

• Your computer may do an automatic repair. Afterwards, click on Choose an option.
• Select Troubleshoot.
• Click Advanced options.
• Select System Restore.
• Choose a restore point from before you began to experience errors.
• If this fixes the issue, block the update from automatically installing.

Scanning Windows for viruses and malware

Computer viruses or malware can corrupt your files and cause a blue screen error. To fix it, you'll need to remove the virus. The best way to do this is by completing an antivirus scan. It will look at every file on your computer and locate any viruses.

We conducted several tests, and this is what we found to be the best antivirus software for Windows.

Reinstalling Windows 10 or Windows 11

If nothing is working, you may have to resort to reinstalling Microsoft Windows. This is not ideal, though, since it can wipe all of your data. If you don't have a backup, you'll lose all your files.

Windows recommends removing disk space before attempting to reinstall it. Low disk space can make it difficult for Windows to function properly. Try deleting some files first to see if it helps remove the BSOD. It also recommends trying to reset Windows before reinstalling it, as it's possible to preserve your files while removing downloaded apps.

The exact process for reinstalling Windows will depend on whether you are using Windows 11 or 10. You can view specific instructions to determine which option is best for you.

FAQs

Bottom line

Despite the doomsday name, the blue screen of death is fixable. It just takes some troubleshooting and patience to resolve the issue. Following Microsoft's advice on resolving a blue screen error, you can return to using your device as normal.

Once you've experienced the BSOD, you definitely don't want to do it again. One easy, proactive measure you can take to avoid future issues with your device is to use antivirus software. It can help detect viruses and malware and even remove them from your device. We conducted several tests to find the best antivirus software for users like you, including TotalAV, Bitdefender, McAfee, and more.