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How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on Windows

Applies toWindows 11Windows 10
10 min fix Updated 20 Jul 2026

By , 10+ years in IT support and helpdesk How these guides are checked

Quick Answer

Write down or take a picture of the Stop Code listed at the bottom of the blue screen (e.g., IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL) so you can tell IT exactly what crashed.

Checked against Microsoft Learn - Windows release health and Microsoft Learn - end of support and retirement between 5 Aug 2026 and 12 Sep 2026. Nothing published in that period has been linked to this guide.

Estimated Time to Fix: 10 minutes

Summary ​

This article guides you through troubleshooting and fixing a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error on a Windows computer.

Symptoms ​

  • Your computer suddenly displays a blue screen with a sad face :(.
  • The screen shows an error message like "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart."
  • The computer restarts automatically, interrupting your work.

Before You Start ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

1. Identify the Error Code ​

The stop code is the one piece of information that turns a blue screen into a specific fault.

  1. When the blue screen appears, look for the Stop code near the bottom of the screen (e.g., CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL).
  2. Write this code down or take a picture of the screen with your phone.

If the computer restarts too fast for you to read the stop code, you can still recover it: press the Start button, type Reliability Monitor, press Enter, and look for the red circle on the day of the crash — the details pane lists the same code. Continue to Step 2.

2. Disconnect External Devices ​

Recently attached hardware is a common cause, and unplugging it tests that in a minute.

  1. Unplug any recently connected USB devices, external hard drives, or printers.
  2. Restart your computer to see if the issue is resolved.
  3. If the blue screen returns with everything unplugged, attached hardware is not the cause. Continue to Step 3.

3. Uninstall Recent Windows Updates ​

If the crashes started after an update, removing it puts Windows back to a working state.

  1. Click the Start button and type Settings, then press Enter.
  2. Navigate to Windows Update > Update history.
  3. Scroll down and click Uninstall updates.
  4. Click Uninstall next to the most recent update.
  5. Restart your computer.
  6. If the blue screen comes back after the update is removed, raise a ticket with the stop code you recorded in Step 1, the date the crashes started, and what you were doing each time the screen appeared.

4. Verify Success ​

Use the computer normally — a full day of work with no blue screen means the fix held.

  1. Use your computer as you normally would. If the blue screen does not return, the issue is fixed.

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If your computer cannot start normally, you may need to boot into Safe Mode to perform these steps. If you are unable to reach the login screen, the issue requires admin access — here's how to submit a ticket.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Computer keeps restarting in a loopCritical system failureHow to Submit an Effective IT Support Ticket
BSOD occurs only when using a specific appIncompatible softwareUpdate or uninstall the problematic application.

Last updated:

Frequently asked questions

Does a Blue Screen mean my computer is broken forever?
Usually not. A BSOD is a safety mechanism where Windows shuts down to prevent data corruption. Most are caused by temporary driver glitches that are fixed with a simple restart.
Will I lose my work when a Blue Screen happens?
Unfortunately, yes. Any work that was not saved before the crash will likely be lost because the computer was forced to halt immediately.