Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 2 hrs ago
A Microsoft engineer’s practical choice made Windows’ crash screen blue
The familiar blue screen of death began with Windows NT in 1993.
Microsoft developer John Vert chose white text on blue while working on code for the system’s crash screen.
His workstation’s startup screen and the SlickEdit text editor both used that color scheme, making it a convenient, readable choice.
The color was not required by any technical rule or brand guideline; another color could have been used.
Earlier Windows versions had blue screens for other purposes, but Windows NT introduced the crash screen that became known as the BSOD.
Microsoft changed the BSOD from blue to black in 2024, ending a color tradition that began with one engineer’s practical decision.
Microsoft engineer John Vert chose the white-on-blue design for the Windows NT 3.1 stop screen in 1993.
The color choice reflected the firmware screen on his MIPS workstation and the default scheme in the SlickEdit text editor.
The blue screen was not required by technical limits or Microsoft brand guidelines.
Earlier Windows versions also displayed blue error screens, but they were not the same kind of fatal stop screen.
Microsoft changed the crash screen from blue to black in 2024.
- Who
- Microsoft engineer John Vert chose the design.
- What
- He picked a white-on-blue design for the Windows NT stop screen.
- When
- The design shipped with Windows NT 3.1 in 1993.
- Where
- It appeared on the Windows NT stop screen.
- Why
- The color scheme was familiar from Vert’s MIPS workstation firmware screen and the SlickEdit text editor.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
John Vert worked on the Windows NT kernel code that displayed the stop screen.
The white-on-blue design shipped with Windows NT 3.1.
Microsoft changed the crash screen from blue to black.
- Designer
- John Vert
- Windows version
- Windows NT 3.1
- Release year
- 1993
- Workstation
- MIPS
- Text editor
- SlickEdit
- Color change
- Blue to black in 2024
What people are saying
blue screen of unhappiness