How to Fix a Blue Screen Error in Windows 10

To fix a blue screen error in Windows 10, first write down the stop code at the bottom of the screen, such as MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. Then remove any hardware you just added, uninstall any app or driver you just installed, and install the latest updates. If the blue screen keeps coming back, start Windows in Safe Mode and work through the steps below.

One blue screen after a crash isn’t a problem. Windows restarts and usually works fine. It’s repeated blue screens that need fixing.

Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 25, 2026.

1. Note the stop code

The blue screen says Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart, with a Stop code at the bottom. It sometimes names a file too, such as a driver ending in .sys.

Search for that stop code. It points to the cause:

• MEMORY_MANAGEMENT: often RAM. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic.
• CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED or INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE: often the drive or startup files.
• DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL with a .sys file: a driver. Update or remove it.

2. Undo recent changes

• New hardware: shut down, remove it, and restart.
• New app or driver: uninstall it in Settings > Apps, or roll back the driver in Device Manager.
• Recent Windows update: uninstall it in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.

3. Start in Safe Mode if Windows won’t stay up

If the blue screen appears before you can do anything, start in Safe Mode. Windows loads only basic drivers there. See how to start Windows 10 in Safe Mode.

4. Update Windows and your drivers

1. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
2. Right-click Start > Device Manager. Look for devices with a yellow !, right-click them, and select Update driver.

Graphics, storage, and network drivers cause most blue screens. See how to update all drivers on Windows 10.

5. Check the drive, system files, and memory

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

1. sfc /scannow to repair Windows system files.
2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth if SFC can’t fix everything.
3. chkdsk C: /f to check the drive. See how to run CHKDSK in Windows 10.

To test memory, type mdsched in Start, open Windows Memory Diagnostic, and select Restart now and check for problems.

Also make sure drive C has free space. Microsoft suggests keeping 10 to 15 percent free.

6. Find the blue screen log

1. Right-click Start and select Event Viewer.
2. Go to Windows Logs > System.
3. On the right, select Filter Current Log, type 1001 in the event ID box, and select OK. BugCheck events show the stop code and when it happened.

Windows also saves crash files in C:\Windows\Minidump. Support staff can read these to find the driver at fault.

What common stop codes usually mean

The stop code points you toward the likely cause. These are the ones people see most:

• MEMORY_MANAGEMENT or PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA: often faulty RAM or a bad driver. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic in step 5, and update or roll back recent drivers.
• IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL or DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL: usually a driver, often for the network or graphics card. If the screen names a .sys file, search for it to find which driver.
• SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION: commonly a driver or security software. Uninstall third-party antivirus and see if it stops.
• CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED: a core Windows process stopped, often from damaged system files. Run the system file checks in step 5.
• VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE: the graphics driver stopped responding. Install the latest driver from the graphics card maker, or do a clean reinstall of it.
• INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE: Windows can’t reach the drive it starts from, often after a BIOS change, a storage driver update, or a failing drive.

Rule out hardware problems

If blue screens happen at random and software fixes don’t help, the cause may be hardware:

• Disconnect extra USB devices, docks, and external drives, then add them back one at a time to find a faulty one.
• On a desktop, turn it off, unplug it, and reseat the memory sticks and graphics card. With two or more memory sticks, try running with one at a time.
• If the PC is still under warranty, contact the maker before opening it.

7. Restore or reset Windows

If nothing works, go back to a restore point from before the problem started. See how to restore Windows 10 to a previous date. If Windows won’t start at all, see how to run Startup Repair in Windows 10.

As a last step, reset Windows in Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC, keeping your files.

Frequently asked questions

Is a blue screen a virus?

Rarely. Most are caused by drivers or hardware. Run a scan in Windows Security to be sure.

Can overheating cause a blue screen?

Yes. Clean dust from the vents and make sure the fans spin.

Should I stop Windows from restarting after a blue screen?

Only to read the stop code. In Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Startup and Recovery, clear Automatically restart.

For the full reset steps, see how to reset Windows 10 to factory settings.

Blue screens can be caused by faulty memory. See how to test your RAM in Windows 10.

If the screen stays black without an error, see how to fix a black screen in Windows 10.

To find out which driver caused the crash, see how to read dump files in Windows 10.

Microsoft’s guide is Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.

Related: check crash logs on Windows 11.