Uh oh! Windows 11’s big 2024 Update is blue screening for some users

Yesterday, Microsoft started rolling out the major Windows 11 2024 Update to the general public who are on devices considered “safe” for the upgrade. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

As it turns out, the Windows 11 24H2 update is causing issues for numerous users and has even been resulting in Blue Screens of Death (BSODs). What’s most frustrating, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be one single cause to point to.

For example, installing the Windows 11 2024 Update on an Intel PC with outdated audio drivers (Intel Smart Sound Technology) can cause the system to start crashing. The Easy Anti-Cheat tool that’s supplied with games like Fortnite and Asphalt 8 is also causing problems. Same goes for the Safe Exam Browser and with fingerprint sensors.

The update also disrupts functionality in many popular wallpaper apps, which could lead to crashes or problems with virtual desktops.

What can you do about it?

This is mainly a problem of compatibility on a software-by-software basis, so you can’t really do anything except wait for each software’s developers to issue their own updates that address their respective faults.

The silver lining is that if your PC could possibly be affected, the update probably won’t be rolled out to you until things are clear. If the update was rolled out to you and you’re affected by crashes or instability, see our article on rolling back problematic Windows updates.

How to install Windows 11 24H2 anyway

All of the above aside, there are some cool changes in the Windows 11 2024 Update — cool enough that maybe you want to make the upgrade ASAP and you’re tired of waiting for the rollout to hit you.

In that case, there are ways for you to force install the update. However, do so at your own risk! (If you start blue screening, that’s on you.) Still want to proceed? Then you have two options for manually installing the Windows 11 2024 Update:

Using Windows Update

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
2. Type “Check for updates” and press Enter to open Windows Update.
3. Make sure the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available checkbox is ticked in Windows Update.
4. Click Check for updates to check for updates.
5. If the Windows 11 24H2 update is available, click Download & install, then restart your PC when prompted to do so.

If the official Windows Update method doesn’t work, you still have the alternate option of using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.

Using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

1. Visit the official Windows 11 download page.
2. Under the section titled “Windows 11 Installation Assistant,” click the Download Now button to grab the installer file.
3. Double-click to execute the downloaded installer file.
4. Click on Accept and install, then follow the on-screen instructions.
5. After installing the update, your PC will restart.

Post-update check

After the Windows update is installed, open the Start menu, then type “winver” and press Enter. This will run a check to see what your current Windows version is. If you’ve successfully installed the Windows 11 2024 Update, you should be on Build 26100 and version 24H2.

Further reading: Windows 11 24H2 removes these apps and features