Windows 11 officially kills the Blue Screen of Death in latest update

Microsoft has released update KB5062660 for Windows 11 24H2, and that means the iconic “Blue Screen of Death” has officially been replaced by the long-awaited “Black Screen of Death” (which coincidentally shared the same BSOD acronym).

We previously reported on this when Microsoft began testing the new black screen in a preview version of Windows. With this optional cumulative update, the change is now available to all Windows users.

How to get update KB5062660

Update KB5062660 is an optional update for Windows 11 24H2, which means the OS won’t automatically download it even if it’s available. You have to install it manually using Windows Update.

Alternatively, you can also download and install update KB5062660 directly from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The full name of the update is 2025-07 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2, and it’s available for both x64 and arm64 systems.

After installing update KB5062660, Windows 11 will be brought up to Build 26100.4770 and will gain a preview of all the new features Microsoft plans to release on Patch Tuesday in August 2025. That future update will be auto-installed on all compatible computers.

The new Black Screen of Death

The most obvious new feature of update KB5062660, which you hopefully won’t see any time soon, is the Black Screen of Death that replaces the former Blue Screen of Death. The only difference between the two BSODs is visual, as nothing changes from a technical standpoint.

Not only does the new BSOD have a black background, but it also no longer shows the sad emoticon or the QR code in addition to explanatory text. Instead, the new BSOD only informs you that a problem has occurred and that Windows needs to be restarted.

The problem with the new BSOD is that it’s usually only displayed for about two seconds before it disappears, so a Windows user who isn’t expecting a BSOD might not even recognize that Windows has run into a problem before it restarts, especially if you’re preoccupied with something else (e.g., on your phone or talking with someone).

Other new features in the update

According to Windows Latest, update KB5062660 will bring many improvements for so-called AI PCs, and many of these new features will be exclusive to Copilot+ PCs.

In addition, the controversial Recall feature is to be introduced to EU users, though you’ll be able to block access to Recall for certain applications and websites. Recall will only work locally on your PC, and you’ll be able to disable Recall completely in Windows settings.

Another improvement brings faster recovery for Windows computers that run into widespread issues. The new Quick Machine Recovery feature automatically detects and fixes widespread issues via Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), attempting to restore the PC by downloading a patch from Windows Update. This new feature is designed to help repair computers that can no longer boot up.