Pink Screen of Death on Windows 11 or 10: Causes and Step-by-Step Fixes
How to Fix the Pink Screen of Death in Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Step-by-Step)
Nothing ruins your day like a Windows PC suddenly flashing a solid pink or purple screen. Sometimes the system freezes. Sometimes it reboots. Sometimes everything looks “pink tinted” like your colors got wrecked overnight.
The good news: most pink screen issues come from the same handful of causes, and you can usually fix them without reinstalling Windows.
This guide walks you through a practical troubleshooting flow, from quick wins to deeper fixes. Follow the steps in order. Stop when the problem is gone.
What the “Pink Screen of Death” usually means
A pink screen is almost always tied to the display pipeline, which includes:
- The graphics driver (Intel, NVIDIA, AMD)
- GPU hardware stability (overclocking, undervolting, heat, power)
- Hardware acceleration in browsers and apps
- Cables, ports, adapters, docks, and monitor input settings
- Corruption in system components used by the graphics stack
Before you start, answer this quick question.
Is it a “pink tint” or a “solid pink freeze”?
- Pink tint but the PC still works: More likely cable, monitor input, adapter/dock, or color format issues.
- Solid pink/purple screen and freeze/reboot: More likely graphics driver crash or GPU instability.
You can still use the same process below, but it helps you prioritize.
Step 1: Quick fixes that solve a surprising number of cases
1) Do a full power restart
- Hold the power button until the PC shuts down.
- Wait 10 seconds.
- Turn it back on.
If the pink screen happens during heavy tasks, keep going.
2) Disconnect extra peripherals
Unplug anything non-essential:
- USB hubs
- capture cards
- external drives
- VR headsets
- docking stations (temporarily)
Reboot and test again. If the issue stops, reconnect devices one at a time until you find the trigger.
3) Reset the graphics driver (instant recovery shortcut)
Press:
- Win + Ctrl + Shift + B
Your screen may blink. This forces Windows to restart the graphics driver without rebooting. If this helps, treat it as a strong hint that the root cause is driver-related.
Step 2: Rule out cable, port, and monitor input issues (especially for “pink tint”)
If the display is pinkish but Windows stays usable, focus here first.
Checklist
- Reseat the cable at both ends.
- Try a different HDMI/DP cable.
- Use a different GPU port or laptop port.
- Switch the monitor’s input source (HDMI vs DP).
- If using a dock, test the monitor directly connected to the PC.
Common causes:
- Damaged HDMI/DP cable
- Low-quality adapter that messes with color format or bandwidth
- Dock that cannot properly drive two monitors at the selected resolution/refresh rate
If the issue persists after swapping cable + port + input source, move on.
Step 3: Fix the most common cause: graphics driver instability
This is the number one cause of pink screens that freeze or crash the system.
1) Update your GPU driver (preferred method)
Install the latest stable driver for your GPU:
- Intel Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce/RTX
- AMD Radeon
If you’re on a laptop, the manufacturer’s driver can sometimes be more stable than a generic driver.
After updating, reboot and test the scenario that triggers the pink screen (video playback, gaming, Teams calls, etc.).
2) Roll back the driver (if the problem started recently)
If the pink screen started after an update, rollback is often the fastest fix.
- Right-click Start → Device Manager
- Expand Display adapters
- Right-click your GPU → Properties
- Driver tab → Roll Back Driver (if available)
- Reboot
3) Clean reinstall the driver (when updates and rollback don’t work)
If driver components are corrupted, a clean reinstall is the best next move.
Clean reinstall flow
- Boot into Safe Mode
- Remove the display driver in Device Manager (or uninstall the vendor driver package)
- Reboot
- Install a fresh driver package
- Reboot again
If the pink screen is gone, you’ve likely fixed it.
Step 4: Turn off hardware acceleration in the apps that trigger the issue
If the pink screen happens during:
- YouTube or streaming
- browser-heavy work
- Teams/Zoom/Discord calls
- screen sharing
- Discord/Teams overlays
…you should test disabling hardware acceleration.
Where to disable it
- Chrome/Edge: Settings → System / Performance → hardware acceleration → Off → restart browser
- Discord: Settings → Advanced → Hardware Acceleration → Off
- Teams: Look for a GPU/hardware acceleration setting (varies by version)
If disabling acceleration fixes it, keep it off until you’ve stabilized drivers.
Step 5: Remove GPU overclocking or undervolting
Even “stable” tuning can fail after a driver update, Windows update, or temperature change.
If you use:
- MSI Afterburner
- AMD tuning
- NVIDIA performance tuning
- undervolt profiles
Do this:
- Reset GPU settings to stock defaults
- Reboot
- Test again
If the pink screen disappears, your tuning was borderline unstable.
Step 6: Reduce resolution or refresh rate (bandwidth issues)
Pink screens can also appear when the signal is pushed too hard through a port, cable, adapter, or dock.
Try lowering:
- Refresh rate (example: 144 Hz → 60 Hz)
- Resolution (example: 4K → 1440p temporarily)
Steps:
- Settings → System → Display
- Select the problematic monitor
- Advanced display → lower refresh rate
- Change resolution to a lower value
- Apply and test
If lowering refresh rate stops the issue, you likely have a cable/adapter/port bandwidth mismatch.
Step 7: Repair Windows system files (SFC + DISM)
If you’ve had crashes, failed updates, or repeated driver installs, Windows system components can become inconsistent. Repairing system files is a reliable “stability reset.”
Run DISM (repairs the Windows image)
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Then run SFC (repairs system files)
sfc /scannow
Reboot after both complete.
Step 8: Clean boot to isolate software conflicts
Display issues often come from utilities that hook into graphics:
- screen recorders
- overlay tools
- RGB controller apps
- monitor enhancement utilities
- “performance booster” suites
Clean boot process
- Press Win + R → type
msconfig - Go to Services
- Check Hide all Microsoft services
- Disable the remaining services
- Disable startup apps in Task Manager
- Reboot and test
If the pink screen disappears, re-enable items in small batches until you find the culprit.
Step 9: Hardware stability checks (if nothing else works)
If the pink screen still happens after driver clean reinstall + no acceleration + stock GPU settings, start thinking hardware.
1) Heat and power
- Check GPU temperatures under load
- Clean dust from fans and vents
- On desktops, reseat GPU power connectors
- If the PSU is failing or underpowered, you can see random display hangs
2) Memory and storage
- Run Windows Memory Diagnostic
- Check disk health and free space (low storage can worsen update/driver behavior)
3) Swap test to confirm
If possible:
- Test a different monitor
- Test a different cable
- Use a different port
- Bypass dock/adapters
- Try integrated graphics (if available) as a temporary test
If the issue follows the GPU across different cables/monitors or appears even before Windows fully loads, hardware is much more likely.
Emergency recovery options (if you need a quick “known good” state)
Use these when the PC is unstable and you need a working system fast:
- System Restore (if enabled)
- In-place repair upgrade (reinstalls Windows components while keeping files and apps)
- Reset this PC (last resort)
Quick checklist: fastest path for most people
- Reset graphics driver: Win + Ctrl + Shift + B
- Swap cable and port (and confirm monitor input)
- Update GPU driver
- Roll back GPU driver if it started after an update
- Disable hardware acceleration in browser and Teams/Discord
- Remove overclock/undervolt
- Lower refresh rate to 60 Hz for testing
- Run DISM + SFC
- Clean boot to isolate overlays/utilities
- Check temperatures and power stability
