How to find Windows 10 crash logs, error logs, event logs the easy way

Should your PC run into trouble, here is how to find Windows 10 crash logs on your PC. It is quick and easy if you know where to start.

(If you are using Windows 8 or 8.1, here is an article tailor-cut for you on how to find crash logs on Windows 8.)

Find Windows 10 crash logs and error logs the easy way

…and you won’t ever need to dig for them the hard way.

Using this method, you can find crash logs and error logs—in fact, any type of logs that were written by the operating system and also any of your applications’ logs—in one place.

Step 1. Click on the search icon and type „Event Viewer“

Click on the Search icon located in the task bar. As soon as it pops up the search field, you can immediately start typing. Enter “Event Viewer” and watch the results unfold.

Windows 10 search — Click on the Search icon or press the key combination Windows-S

(Search in Windows 10 will behave differently depending on whether you have enabled or disabled web search. Here is a tip on how to disable web search from the task bar so that it no longer interferes with your desktop searches.)

Step 2. Type in “Event Viewer” and watch the results roll in

Wait for the list of search results to quit reshuffling, then right-click on the entry Event Viewer: Desktop app and select the command Run as Administrator.

crash logs on Windows 10: finding Event Viewer — How to find crash logs on Windows 10: press the key combination Windows-S, enter the search string “Event Viewer” and wait for the Search to display its icon in the results

Step 3. Create a custom view

In the Event Viewer, navigate through the various categories (called Views) in the left-hand navigation pane in order to inspect the various events in the main section of the screen. You can adjust your filter criteria until you find what you were looking for.

For quicker access to particular types of logs, click or tap on Create Custom View. Enter your criteria and confirm.

Windows 10: inspecting logs in the Event Viewer — Windows 10 crash logs are best found in the Event Viewer: Inspecting logs this way is a breeze

Step 4. Export the logs you need for diagnostics

In order to export some of the logs for external diagnostics, make your selection in the list, then hit Save selected events….

If your computer is giving you a hard time with persistent crashes and the like, you may need to perform some repairs. Start by repairing the file system (see below). If that fails to resolve the issue, you can try and restore the boot directory. Here is how to do this: How to Repair Windows 10 to a State of Sparkling Awesomeness: Recover from Crashes, Restore, and Reboot.

Step 5. How to find the cause of persistent crashes using log files

A major cause of persistent crashes, BSoD incidents and other malfunctions comes down to hardware defects due to faulty manufacturing, overheating or rough handling. For clues, look at the Applications and Services Logs section of the Event Viewer.

Hardware components such as the CPU, RAM chips, video cards or the motherboard are extremely sensitive to heat. The system or its individual components may overheat during prolonged use, particularly when overclocking. Before the iron melts on you, adding or replacing case fans and coolers can save you real money. The most sensitive components include the video card(s), CPU(s), RAM chips and the motherboard. Adding fans to cool memory banks or fitting the system with liquid cooling can not only prevent damage—it can also improve performance. Hardware damage due to overheating tends to be pretty irreversible so that no amount of passive or active cooling will make the crashes go away. The quicker you can react to early signs of hardware malfunctions, the higher your chances at preventing damage to components in your PC or gaming console. Log files can give you invaluable insights into the real causes of persistent system crashes. We hope that helps. Feel free to post your questions in the comments below.

One last tidbit of rather obvious advice: file system errors tend to propagate. If you start experiencing system freezes or crashes, repair your file system to prevent further damage. The simplest way to do it is by running this command:

chkdsk /F c:

on each one of your drives (c: d: e: and so forth) in the Windows PowerShell as an Administrator. If Windows complains about a disk partition being in use, allow the system to reboot (do NOT force a dismount!).

Related: In the report “From Windows 10 to 11”, DIGITAL MASTERS looks at the many possibilities to push the upgrade onto older hardware. Enter your email below and you’ll be the first to get it in your inbox.