Troubleshoot blue screen errors

A stop error (also called a "blue screen" error) can occur if a problem causes your PC to shut down or restart unexpectedly. When you experience this type of error, you won't be able to see things like the Start menu or the taskbar on the screen when your PC is turned on. Instead you might see a blue screen with a message that your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.

When did you get the error?

While upgrading to Windows 10

After an update was installed

While using my PC

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Error after an update is installed

Some stop errors occur after a specific update or driver is installed on your PC. Fixing the error depends on getting to the desktop.

 

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Stop error that lets you get to the desktop

If you can get to the desktop, try uninstalling the update that's causing the error. You might need to uninstall more than one update if you don't know which one is causing the error.

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type View installed updates, and then select View installed updates.
2. Expand the window to see the installation date, and then select the update that you want to uninstall.
3. Select Uninstall.

If uninstalling an update fixes the stop error, temporarily block the update from automatically installing again.

Stop error doesn't let you get to the desktop

If you can't get to the desktop and your PC has restarted several times, it will begin automatic repair.

After automatic repair, on the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore. This option reverts your PC to an earlier point, called a system restore point. Restore points are created when you install a new app, driver, update, or when you create a system restore point manually. Choose a restore point created before the error occurred.

Restoring your PC to an earlier point will remove updates and drivers installed after the restore point was made. It won't affect your personal files.

If restoring your PC to an earlier point fixes the stop error, temporarily block the update from automatically installing again.

Start Windows in safe mode

You can also start Windows in safe mode to uninstall recent updates.

1. After automatic repair, on the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
2. After your PC restarts, you'll see a list of options. Press the 4 or F4 key for Safe Mode. To access the Internet, press the 5 or F5 key for Safe Mode with Networking.
3. When in safe mode on your PC, select the Start  button > Settings  > Update & security  > Windows update .
4. Depending on the version of Windows 10 that's installed, do one of the following:
• In Windows 10 Version 1607, select Update history > Uninstall updates.
• In Windows 10 Version 1511, select Advanced options > View your update history > Uninstall updates.

Note

Not sure which version of Windows 10 you have? Select the Start  button, and then select Settings   > System  > About .

Remove hardware

Unplug unnecessary external hardware (printers, webcams, additional monitors, etc.) and see if the stop error is fixed.

If removing software or hardware doesn’t work,

• Perform a clean boot in Windows
• Update your drivers (for Windows 10, or for Windows 8.x)