Windows 10 BSOD gets quick response codes to help users troubleshoot crashes

Latest preview of Windows 10 (build 14316) improves the "Blue Screen of Death" with QR codes to help users and technicians to quickly identify crash errors.

BSOD QR code on Windows 10

While Microsoft has improved the reliability of Windows over the years, now and then, we all are going to come across the known “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD). Although the BSOD has been implemented to give you crash details, it’s most of the time complicated to understand, troubleshoot, and find the root of the problem.

However, now things are about to change thanks to the addition of quick response codes Microsoft is incorporating into the Blue Screen of Death. It’s a new improvement that the company hasn’t publicly disclosed, but a number of users have reported that they have found the new quick response codes in the latest preview of Windows 10 (build 14316), which suggests that it’ll come fully implemented on time for the release of the Anniversary Update.

For Windows 10 users, the new quick response codes approach means that they can simply use their phones to scan the code and quickly find support articles to fix the problem. It will also help computer support technicians to accurately identify the Blue Screen of Death error code.

Alongside the new quick response codes, Microsoft is making blue screen more user-friendly by adding a few simple text lines that advice users what to do next. For example, in the screenshot from one of the crashes, you can now read:

For more information about this issue and possible fixes, visit: http://windows.com/stopcode.

If you call a support person, give them this info: 

Stop code: MANUALLY_INITIATED_CRASH

You can actually scan the quick response codes you see in this article with any standard quick response code reader app, but it will simply take you to http://windows.com/stopcode. However, it is possible that in the future users will be taken to a more specific page with more information about the crash and instructions to solve the issue.

What do you think about the quick response codes in the Blue Screen of Death on Windows 10? Do you think it’s going to help? Let us know in the comments below.

Source Reddit via The Verge

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.