Microsoft fixes weeks-old issue of increased Win32k-related bug checks

Microsoft is finally putting an end to the weeks-old issue of increased Win32k-related bug checks that some of its Windows Insiders have been experiencing.

Insider @XenoPhanter first shared the experience back in December 2024 at the time of Windows 11 Build 27764 for the Canary channel. The eagle-eyed spotter said that they’ve seen an increased frequency of the green error screen that’s related to Win32k, a part of the Windows kernel responsible for graphical user interface (GUI) functions.

“Your Windows Insider build ran into a problem and needs to restart. We’re just collecting some error info, and then we’ll restart for you,” the error message reads, which is coded as WIN32K_CRITICAL_FAILURE.

And now, in another update, Microsoft replied to the Insider’s issue and said, “We understand the issue now and we are working on a fix.”

The WIN32K_CRITICAL_FAILURE error usually happens due to various factors, which could be (but not exclude) corrupted system files, incompatible or outdated drivers, or even faulty hardware components like RAM or hard drives.

The Build 27764 itself made changes to Windows 11 to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) by differentiating between “Windows” and “Web search from Bing” in the Start menu. This follows previous updates that let you disable Bing web search, remove Microsoft Edge, and add alternative search providers like Google.

The update also introduced third-party passkey support, changes to the Start menu, and new features like jump lists for pinned apps.