How to Fix Windows 11 Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

Understanding the Blue Screen of Death

A BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) means Windows has hit a critical error it cannot recover from. The screen displays a stop code — a specific error name that tells you exactly where to start looking. Don't panic; most BSODs have a known fix.

Step 1 — Read the Stop Code

When the BSOD appears, look for the text that reads "Stop code:" followed by a phrase like DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, or SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. Write it down or photograph it. Search that exact stop code — it will point you to the likely cause (bad driver, RAM issue, corrupt system file, etc.).

Step 2 — Boot into Safe Mode

If Windows keeps crashing on boot, hold Shift while clicking Restart, or boot from a Windows USB and choose Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → Safe Mode with Networking. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers, letting you troubleshoot without the crashing driver active.

Step 3 — Roll Back a Recent Driver

BSODs most often appear right after a driver update. In Safe Mode (or normal mode if you can get there), open Device Manager, find the recently updated device (GPU and network adapters are common culprits), right-click → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver. Restart and test.

Step 4 — Run Memory Diagnostics

Press Win + S and search for Windows Memory Diagnostic. Choose Restart now and check for problems. The tool runs on the next boot and reports any RAM errors. Faulty RAM is a leading cause of MEMORY_MANAGEMENT and random BSODs.

Step 5 — Run SFC and DISM

Corrupted system files can trigger BSODs. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

• sfc /scannow — scans and repairs protected Windows files
• DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth — repairs the Windows image used by SFC

Run DISM first, then SFC. Restart when both complete.

Step 6 — Check for Windows Updates

Microsoft regularly ships patches that fix known BSOD triggers. Go to Settings → Windows Update and install everything available, including optional and driver updates.

BSOD Fix Summary

• Note the stop code and search for it specifically
• Boot into Safe Mode if crashes prevent normal use
• Roll back the most recently installed driver
• Run Windows Memory Diagnostic to rule out bad RAM
• Run DISM then sfc /scannow to fix corrupt system files
• Install pending Windows and driver updates