Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 11, has already caused many people to experience the terrible “green screen of death” error. This is an error that causes the computer screen to turn green and then hang or restart.
Usually appears when an update or installation fails, and can occur on any computer, regardless of hardware configuration. Here, we will show you how to solve this problem and prevent this terrible mistake from happening.
What does the green screen on PC mean?
You have downloaded a video and want to watch it, but when you open the file, it looks like a green screen. What does a green screen mean on a PC?
The green screen of the PC can mean many different things. In the worst case, there is a problem with the GPU or graphics card and your computer will not start. However, in many cases, the GPU will continue to function normally, but it will display the wrong color palette on your monitor. This may be caused by a color management problem or an error in the monitor driver. Here are some ways to fix the green screen in Windows so that you can start working again.
Fix Green Screen of Death Error (GSOD) on Windows 11
Here are some fixes you can use to fix the Green Screen of Death Error (GSOD) on Windows 11.
1. Disconnect external peripherals
Installing external peripherals for your Windows PC may seem harmless, but it occasionally causes problems. Therefore, if your computer has a USB stick, USB mouse, keyboard, or other devices attached, unplug these devices and try again. I hope it works.
2. Update your video card drivers
If the video driver is outdated, it may harm your PC. If you want to run or install specific applications in Windows 11, please make sure your drivers are up to date before proceeding. In other words, before attempting to install or run Windows 11, make sure you have the latest drivers. Here are some steps you can use Device Manager to update the driver.
- Press the Win+R keys to launch the Run dialog box.
- Type devmgmt.msc in the text box and press Enter to open Device Manager.
- Search for the Display adapters service and then expand it.
- Then right-click on your graphics card, and select Update driver.
- Choose the Browse my computer for drivers option.
- Next, you need to click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer. Here you will find all the drivers in the same category as the device, which include drivers compatible with it.
- On the next page, select your graphics card driver and click Next.
- This would result in the driver being installed instantly.
3. Remove unnecessary programs
If you have a lot of unnecessary applications, your system may run out of resources and even face a green screen of death. Therefore, if you frequently encounter GSOD errors, we recommend that you uninstall unnecessary applications. To remove the application, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Start button.
- Select the Apps & Features from the menu list.
- Search for the application you want to remove.
- Once you find it, click on the three dots and select the Uninstall option.
- To confirm your choice, click on Uninstall again.
This way you can uninstall the app from your system.
4. Turn off hardware acceleration
Windows generally uses dedicated hardware on the computer to improve performance. However, you may occasionally encounter errors when certain components are not performing at optimal performance. Your browser will use hardware acceleration whenever possible. Therefore, it is very important to disable hardware acceleration in the browser. Follow the steps below to disable hardware acceleration in Chrome.
- Open the Chrome browser.
- Click on the three dots and open Settings.
- From the left pane, click on the System tab under the Advanced section.
- Turn off the toggle for Use hardware acceleration when available and then click on the Relaunch option.
5. Pause Windows Update service
It’s possible that an update component might be broken causing it to become unstable. In order to diagnose the problem, use Windows PowerShell to shut the Windows update service down.
- Right-click on Start and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
- Click on the Yes button when UAC prompts on the screen.
- In the Windows PowerShell window, type the below command:
net stop wuauserv
- Press Enter to stop the Windows update service.
- See if the issue repeats itself whenever you use your device as usual.
- This step will have to be repeated each time you restart your computer.
Related: How to Calibrate HDR Mode in Windows 10
6. Remove the Security software
Windows 11 provides users with Windows Defender, a powerful security application. Therefore, unless you frequently browse suspicious websites, there is no need to install an antivirus program. This happens because antivirus software and firewall software are often the cause of green screens. Therefore, it is better to follow the instructions below to uninstall these programs and see if the problem is resolved.
- Open the Settings app using the Win+I keys.
- Select Apps from the menu.
- Click the Apps & Features tab.
- Locate the application you want to remove.
- Then click on the three dots menu icon and select the Uninstall button.
- To confirm your choice, click on Uninstall again.
- Complete the uninstallation by following the on-screen instructions.
7. Reinstall Windows OS
If none of the above solutions work and you still encounter errors, you may need to install a fresh copy of Windows 10 and then upgrade to Windows 11. Here are the steps you can take:
- Open the Settings app using the Win+I keys.
- On your left, select the Windows Update option.
- Click the Advanced Options button.
- On the next screen, click on Recovery.
- Under Recovery options, click the Reset PC button.
- Now click the Remove everything option to remove all personal files, apps, and settings.
- Now you can choose if you want to reinstall locally or download Windows 10 via the cloud.
- In addition, you can select the latest Dev channel build on Microsoft’s Insider Preview page, select the language, and download the 64-bit version.
- Run the installer from a bootable drive or a bootable device.
- Either create a bootable drive or run it from the installer.
Related: How to Fix Bluetooth Audio Stuttering in Windows 10
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