Windows 11's Red Screen Game Glitch Fixed, But Task Manager Bug Lingers

Windows 11 Grapples with Grievous Glitches: Red Screens in Games and Unyielding Errors Persist

Microsoft has officially acknowledged a constellation of significant issues plaguing Windows 11, with a particular focus on a disconcerting red screen phenomenon that has been vexing gamers and video enthusiasts since the summer. This peculiar visual anomaly, which cast a crimson hue over gameplay and multimedia, has now been addressed in the latest KB5067036 optional update. While this fix is readily available, its inclusion in the mandatory "Patch Tuesday" release scheduled for November 2025 promises wider relief.

The saga of the scarlet screen began following the August update, KB5064081. Users reported that certain videos and games inexplicably displayed with an oversaturated red tint. The prevailing theory pointed to a disruption in High Dynamic Range (HDR) functionality or a flaw in color processing when brightness levels were elevated. Microsoft has now confirmed this bug is squashed, with the October update restoring color accuracy to its intended fidelity.

Screen Refresh Woes and the Mystery of the Missing Updates

Beyond the chromatic chaos, another vexing glitch involved the erratic behavior of screen refreshes. When a full-screen game or application ran in the background, other programs, such as popular browsers like Edge and Chrome, struggled to update their display elements correctly. This manifested as fragmented screen updates, where only portions of a web page would refresh, and a complete image would only materialize upon cursor movement – a visual stutter that disrupted the user experience.

Initially, suspicions fell on Intel Arc graphics cards, but it soon became evident that the culprit was Windows 11 itself. Microsoft confirmed that the operating system was failing to refresh certain screen elements when background full-screen applications were active. This persistent problem has also been meticulously addressed in the recent October update, bringing a welcome return to smooth visuals.

Furthermore, the update tackles an issue that caused text in applications like Microsoft Word and online editors to render improperly during the editing process, adding another layer of polish to the user interface.

Task Manager Troubles and Lingering Update Errors

However, the KB5067036 update isn't entirely a story of triumph. Microsoft has candidly admitted that the Task Manager itself has fallen victim to a peculiar bug. Users are now reporting that the Task Manager can remain active in the background even after it has been explicitly closed. This persistent presence stems from a flaw in the 'X' button's functionality, preventing the process from terminating and, consequently, continuing to consume system resources. In scenarios where multiple instances of this rogue Task Manager are open, a noticeable dip in overall system performance can occur.

The tech giant anticipates a definitive resolution for this Task Manager quandary will be rolled out with the November "Patch Tuesday" update, slated for November 11, 2025. This persistent bug is a stark reminder that even the most essential system tools can sometimes falter.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has made headway in mitigating two long-standing and widely reported Windows Update errors: 0x80070103 and 0x800f0983. These persistent error codes have been a source of frustration for users attempting to download or install drivers and crucial system updates for years. The 0x80070103 error typically surfaces when Windows Update attempts to install a driver that is already present. Microsoft has stated that "fundamental changes" have been implemented to significantly reduce the occurrence of this redundant installation attempt. This particular fix is also incorporated into the KB5067036 update.

The more tenacious 0x800f0983 error, which could even derail the installation of vital security updates, has been entirely eradicated in Windows 11 Build 26200.7019 (for version 25H2) and Build 26100.7019 (for version 24H2). In a final touch of polish, the company has also rectified a curious bug where the "Update and Shut Down" option would, paradoxically, trigger a system restart instead of a graceful shutdown.