The pink screen of death is an uncommon error among Windows 10 and 11 users. Your laptop’s screen will turn pink once the error comes up. Besides, an error message will also pop up on the computer.
If you are dealing with the Pink Screen Of Death (PSOD) error, this article will help you fix the problem.
What Causes Pink Screen On Computer?
The Pink Screen of Death error does not happen randomly. There must be a reason why your laptop shows this error. Some of the causes include:
- Misconfigured hardware
- Misconfigured software
- Loose connection
- Excessive computer usage
- Overheating
- Newly installed programs or drivers
- Improper video card driver
- Wrong monitor settings
Most of the solutions we’ll provide will be based on the reasons given above. So let’s get right into it:
How To Fix Pink Screen on Windows
Before you attempt to fix the Pink Screen Of Death Error, you might want to force shut down and restart your computer.
If you are lucky, the PC might just return to working normally. However, if that fails to work, try the following methods:
Disconnect All the Peripherals
External peripherals might be the reason for the Pink Screen of Death error. So to be sure that they are not the culprit, you need to disconnect all the external peripherals, including:
- Media card readers
- Printer
- Flash drive
- Webcam
- External hard drive
- Speakers
- Microphone
Here is how you should disconnect peripherals the right way:
- Shut down your laptop or desktop computer.
- Remove all peripherals except the mouse, keyboard, and monitor.
- Turn on your PC and confirm whether the pink screen problem has been solved.
If the problem has been solved, it means one of your peripherals was responsible. In case the problem persists, try the next solution.
Update The Graphics Card Drivers
Outdated and wrong graphic card drivers can cause the Pink Screen of Death error on your PC. Therefore, you need to update the driver to resolve the issue. Here is how you go about it:
- Press the Windows key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
- Locate the Display adapter category and double click to expand it.
- Locate your graphics card, right-click on it and select Update driver.
- Select the Search automatically for updated driver software option and follow the instructions.
Alternatively, you can try doing it manually to ensure you are getting the drivers from the official sites.
- Identify the name of your graphics card and search for the exact model on the internet. Also, you can go to the official site and search for the precise model of your graphics card and download the latest version.
- Once the download is complete, extract the files to your desktop or a specific folder.
- Head to Device Manager and expand the Display adapters category.
- Right-click on your graphics card and choose Update driver.
- Select the Browse my computer for drivers option.
- Click the Browse button and choose the location where you extracted the drivers.
- Click Next and follow the instructions to complete updating the drivers.
Once the installation is done, restart your laptop and check if the error is resolved or not.
Result To Old Graphic Card Drivers
If the Pink Screen error comes after a windows 10 update, you might want to roll back to the old graphics card drivers. Here is how to do it:
- Click Windows key + X and choose Device Manager.
- Double click the Display adapter category to expand it.
- Right-click on your graphics card and choose the uninstall device option.
- Once the uninstallation is complete, head over to the official graphics card website and download an older version of your drivers.
- Proceed to install the drivers and check if the problem gets resolved.
You might have to repeat the entire process with different versions of your graphics card drivers until you find a solution.
Uninstall Recently Installed Apps
Some apps and software might be harmful or incompatible with your computer. Unfortunately, you may not realize it until you begin getting the Pink Screen of Death error.
As long as the error pops up after installing any recent software, you’ll have to uninstall it. Here is how to go about it:
- Search for the term “Control panel” on the Windows search box and click on the best match result.
- On the Control panel window, click on Uninstall a program.
- Right-click on the recently installed app and select Uninstall.
- Follow the prompts given to complete the uninstallation.
- Ensure you delete all the files associated with the uninstalled program.
- Restart your PC and check if the error has been resolved.
Confirm Your GPU Temperature
Overheating could be the reason you are getting a pink screen PC. You’ve probably overclocked your computer, or your GPU fan is not working. Sometimes, overheating can happen if there are dust particles on your graphics card.
You can check the GPU temperatures from the task manager or a third-party app. If the temperatures are too high, consider disabling all overclock settings by following the steps below:
- Click Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Click on the Update & Security Option.
- Select the Recovery option on the left pane menu.
- Click on the Restart now button located under the Advanced Startup section.
- On the next window, click the Troubleshoot option and select Advanced options.
- On the Advanced options window, click UEFI Firmware Settings.
- Click on the Restart button and wait.
- Your PC should automatically go to the BIOS utility after the restart.
- Click on the Advanced tab and locate the Overclocking option.
- Disable the option if it’s already enabled.
- Save changes to BIOS and restart your computer.
Reinstall The Game Causing The Problem
Some PC users have reported the Pink Screen of Death error when playing games. That’s a clear indication that something is wrong with the game. That said, you’ll have to uninstall the game and delete any files associated with it.
Once you do so, download the game from the official website and install it once more. This should solve the problem as long as the new installation does not have any corrupt files.
Final Thoughts
Although the Pink Screen of Death can be a frustrating error, you can solve it using the above solutions.
However, if the problem persists, you might want to take your PC to a service center and have it checked.
A technician will diagnose the problem and correct it once and for all.