Windows 10 is getting a 'Green Screen of Death' for people who test new features early

Since before Windows 10 even officially launched, Microsoft has been running the Windows Insider program - a way for a few million brave people to get the chance to test out Windows updates early and report back to the mothership.

The newest version of Windows 10 for those insiders brings a small, but colorful change: Now, if and when something goes wrong, they'll see a Green Screen of Death, instead of Windows' familiar blue:

While the reason behind the color change isn't clear, The Verge's Tom Warren hypothesizes that it's so Microsoft employees and fans alike can easily tell when a Windows 10 user is on the more unstable and volatile preview versions. That's important, given that people post pictures of their PC crashes to social media and blogs.

Previously, Microsoft tested out a small but cool change to the Blue Screen of Death, adding a QR code to make it easier to diagnose exactly what went wrong.