Microsoft Rolls Out Black Screen of Death, More Features to Windows 11 Insiders in Release Preview Channel

Microsoft has begun rolling out the new Black Screen of Death (BSOD) with the latest update in the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 Insiders. It replaces the infamous Blue Screen of Death that users have faced in times of a critical error in the operating system. The update also has several new features in tow such as Draft with Copilot in Word, Quick machine recovery for detecting and fixing issues, and a Click-to-Do action dubbed Practice in Reading Coach.

Black Screen of Death in Windows 11

Microsoft detailed the changes coming to Windows 11 with the latest build in a blog post. As per the company, users will see a more streamlined interface during an expected restart. The design of the page is in line with the visual style of the Redmond-based tech giant's latest operating system and “ helps you return to work faster”.

The Black Screen of Death has a more readable layout with a black background that displays visible technical details.

Notably, this error usually appears due to an issue with a hardware device, its driver, or software. It results in an unexpected Windows shutdown that happens to mitigate data loss, as per Microsoft. An error message is displayed on the screen saying, “Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart”.

Other New Features

The latest Windows 11 build also carries several more features. Quick machine recovery can automatically detect and fix widespread issues on Windows 11 devices, as per Microsoft. It uses the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to do so. The tech giant claims it reduces downtime and eliminates the need for manual fixes.

Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) will now have access to an additional capability in the Recall feature where it can export snapshots via a Recall export code, for sharing with third-party apps and websites. Globally, the tech giant lets users reset the Recall feature and its data.

Microsoft has also introduced a Click-to-Do action called Practice Reading in Coach. As the name suggests, it enables you to select text on the screen and choose the feature to read it aloud. This feature is available via the Microsoft Reading Coach application on the Microsoft Store. Meanwhile, the Draft with Copilot in Word text action can turn recognised text into a draft.

There is another new text addition dubbed Read with Immersive Reader, which is claimed to improve reading and writing for “all skill levels and abilities”. Users can adjust text font, size, and spacing, to read the text aloud, highlight parts of the speech, and break words into syllables. Unfamiliar words are explained through pictures via a picture dictionary.

On Copilot+ PCs, a new AI agent has been added in Settings which supports natural language prompts. It is meant to make changing settings on the device easier. For example, users can ask “my mouse pointer is too small”, and the agent will provide the steps to resolve the issue. This feature is being introduced on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered PCs coming soon.