New Delhi, 7 April 2025: For computer users, the moment when the screen suddenly turns blue is very scary. This is a sign of ‘Blue Screen of Death’ (BSOD)—a name that has been nothing less than a nightmare for Windows users for decades. But now Microsoft is going to say goodbye to this fear. The company has decided to change the color of this infamous screen in Windows 11. So what will replace the blue screen now? The answer is—green or maybe black screen. This change is not only a story of colors, but also an attempt to improve the user experience.

From blue to green or black

Microsoft recently gave a glimpse of this change under its Windows Insider Program. The company says that the design of the new screen matches the aesthetic style of Windows 11 and is aimed at returning users to normal functioning quickly after a system crash. In an official statement, Microsoft said, “We are introducing a new, simpler UI for unexpected restarts. This is in line with the design principles of Windows 11 and aims to get users back to productivity faster.”

At present, Windows Insiders are seeing this screen in green. But there is talk that it may turn black for common users. Tech experts believe that the black color will better reflect the minimal and clean design of modern Windows. Ankit Mehta, a software engineer from Delhi, says, “The blue color used to cause panic. Black or green will look less scary, but the real question is, will there be fewer crashes?”

Goodbye to sad emoji and QR code

Changing the color is not the whole story of this change. Microsoft has also removed the sad face emoji and QR code from the screen. Earlier this emoji used to give a kind of emotional shock to the users, and the QR code proved useless at times. Now only a plain message will be seen on the screen: “There has been a problem with your device and it needs to be restarted.” Below this, the restart progress will be shown in percentage. Technical information will also be at the bottom of the screen, but less detailed than before.
Microsoft believes that this simplicity will reduce the anxiety of users. Priya Sharma, a graphic designer from Mumbai, says, “Earlier, seeing the blue screen and its sad face, it seemed that everything was over. Now this message seems less scary, but hopefully the system will also be more stable.”
Why was this change necessary?
The history of the ‘Blue Screen of Death’ begins in the 1990s, when it was first introduced in Windows 3.0. Since then, it became synonymous with system crash. A sad emoji was added in Windows 8, and later the QR code was also included. But users said that this screen is not only annoying, but also complicated to understand. Microsoft prepared a new design keeping this in mind.
Rahul Verma, a Bangalore-based tech analyst, explains, “This change was also necessary because the blue color used to create panic among users. Green or black colors seem less stressful. Also, the plain design makes it resemble the Windows Update screen, which is familiar and less scary.”

A step towards Windows 12?

Windows 11 is officially Microsoft’s latest operating system right now, but there are reports that the company may launch Windows 12 by September this year. Is this new design a glimpse of that? Experts say that this change shows the future direction of Windows—where user experience is being given priority. However, the question remains whether just changing the color will reduce the problem of system crashes, or is it just a superficial change.

User expectations

This new design is currently available in the 24H2 version of Windows 11 on Beta, Dev and Canary channels. Soon it can be rolled out to all users. But the real concern of the users is the stability of the system more than the color. Abhishek Das, a student from Kolkata, says, “Whether it is green or black, all I want is for my laptop to not crash. The screen turning off in the middle of an assignment is nothing short of a nightmare.”

A new beginning?

This move by Microsoft is a new twist in the long history of the ‘Blue Screen of Death’. The fear of the colour blue is now going to be a thing of the past, but will green or black bring relief to users? Only time will tell. Until then, it is clear that Microsoft wants to bring about a change not just in technology, but in understanding user sentiment as well. If you are a Windows user, be prepared to say goodbye to the blue screen the next time it crashes—maybe it will be green, or maybe black. But hopefully you will see such screens as little as possible.