Are you seeing a weird red screen on your Windows computer, especially during startup or with your Surface devices? If you do and you are looking for a way to fix it, this guide has a couple of methods to help you get rid of the Windows screen turning Red at Startup.
Fix: Windows 11 screen turning Red at Startup
1] Identify if it’s a Red Screen of Death (RSOD)
A Red Screen Of Death, or RSOD, is similar to a Blue screen of death, or BSOD. However, it is less common than BSOD. The error usually appears when Windows encounters a severe malfunction, mainly related to hardware or drivers.
So, if you see a red screen at the startup, ensure it is not RSOD. You can quickly identify an RSOD screen by looking for the following things:
- The background color will be a solid red. However, it may or may not have any text or error codes.
- The RSOD screen often displays a message indicating a critical system failure. If you see an error message, Google it to understand it.
- RSOD usually appears immediately upon boot or when you perform intensive tasks that heavily load the GPU. If both situations are confirmed, your PC faces an RSOD error.
2] Check your GPU connections
Your screen may be turning red due to faulty GPU connections. Check the connections between the GPU and the motherboard, power supply, or monitor.
Also, ensure that your GPU is properly seated in the PC case, as a poorly seated GPU can cause various errors.
To eliminate this, make sure to re-check all the connections and ensure they are tightly fitted.
3] Update BIOS/UEFI
Outdated or corrupted BIOS firmware can cause hardware miscommunications, leading to a screen turning read issue. So, updating your BIOS firmware can be a good idea.
- First, find your motherboard model and bios version by launching System Information.
- Next, go to the motherboard manufacturer’s site and download the latest BIOS update for your specific model. Make sure the BIOS version is different than what’s already installed.
- After that, format a USB drive with a FAT32 partition and copy and paste your downloaded BIOS files. If the BIOS file is in zip format, extract it.
Next, restart your PC and enter the BIOS menu. (The process to get into the BIOS menu varies from one PC to another; a quick Google search will help you with this.) - From BIOS, look for options like Flash or Upgrade, Firmware update, etc like options.
- Next, select the BIOS update file from the USB and follow the onscreen steps to flash it.
- Once done, reboot your PC and check if you are still getting the same error.
4] Overclocking Issues
If you have overclocked your PC, it might be why your screen is turning red. Overclocking leads to several issues, such as increasing the voltage and frequency of the GPU and CPU. This requires much more power than usual, and if your power supply can’t supply that, then a red screen is something you are most likely to encounter.
To fix this, consider rolling back your PC to normal mode and see if it fixes the issue. However, consider making the necessary hardware improvements to continue using an overclocked PC.
5] Test for hardware issues
As hardware issues mostly cause the red screen, consider testing your hardware to ensure everything works fine.
To check for hardware issues, you can do several things, such as:
- First, ensure all cables and components are securely connected and fitted into your PC case.
- Consider using Windows Memory Diagnostic for RAM and manufacturer tools for the GPU (e.g., GPU-Z or FurMark).
- Monitor your CPU and GPU temperatures using software like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner. A higher CPU and GPU temperature can help identify potential hardware issues.
- Ensure that your power supply offers enough power to your hardware for proper functioning.
6] Perform a Clean Boot
Next, consider performing a clean boot, allowing you to boot Windows with minimal drivers and startup programs. This will allow you to identify any faulty drivers or software that cause the issue.
7] System Restore
It would be best to consider restoring a PC, as it allows you to revert your computer’s system files, settings, and installed programs to a previous state. So, if the Windows screen turning red is a recent issue, this will help you fix the problem.
8] Reinstall Windows
If none of the above methods works for you, the problem might be Windows. So, consider reinstalling Windows to see if it eliminates the problem; however, before reinstalling Windows, back up your files and app settings.
Those were a couple of ways to fix the Windows 11 screen turning Red at Startup. The issue is mainly related to hardware, so run a hardware test and see if anything is wrong.
