Windows 10’s blue screen of death is getting QR codes

Getting a blue screen of death on Windows is never a nice sight, but it’s even worse when you have to Google a lengthy error message to find out what’s up. Now Microsoft is making that a thing of the past with QR codes that make problem solving easier.

The QR codes can be found in the latest Windows 10 preview, and they’ll be rolling out to all with Microsoft’s Anniversary Update this summer. They won’t make the BSOD any more welcoming, but they will make it easier to understand.

By scanning the QR code with your smartphone, you’ll be able to instantly identify what caused your PC to crash, and find support articles that will help you get to the bottom of the problem. No longer will you have to type lengthy error messages into a web search.

“It’s the biggest change to the BSOD since the software maker removed a lot of crash details in Windows 8 and replaced them with a frowning face,” notes The Verge, which spotted a screenshot of the new BSOD on Reddit.

Although this isn’t a groundbreaking change, (we’d certainly prefer a world in which there was no need for a BSOD) it’s one that’s sure to benefit millions of Windows 10 users whose hearts stop for a second as soon as their screen goes blue.