How to Fix WerFault.exe Application Error on Windows?

WerFault.exe is an executable related to the Windows Error Reporting service. It allows Microsoft to track and address errors related to the operating system and Windows features and tools. Users have reported seeing this error message at random times but most often right after the computer starts up. You can read more about werfault.exe here.

The error also appears when trying to access Microsoft apps such as Settings, Photos, Mail, Calendar, etc. The problem can be quite annoying but users have reported that there are several useful methods which can be used to get rid of the problem. Good luck in following the solutions below!

What Causes the WerFault.exe Application Error on Windows?

The problem is usually related to the Windows Error Reporting Service and it should be the first stop to check for problems. Still, we have made a full list of possible causes in order for you to find your own scenario easily!

Solution 1: Restart the Windows Error Reporting Service

Since the WerFault.exe executable is related to the Windows Error Reporting Service, restarting the whole service has proven to be quite useful when it comes to troubleshooting this problem. This is the number one solution you should try out when troubleshooting this problem so make sure you follow the instructions carefully.

1. Open the Run utility by using the Windows Key + R key combination on your keyboard (press these keys at the same time. Type “services.msc” in the newly opened box without the quotation marks and click OK in order to open the Services tool.

2. The alternative way is to open the Control Panel by locating it in the Start menu. You can also search for it using the Start menu’s search button.
3. After the Control Panel window opens, change the “View by” option at the top right part of the window to “Large Icons” and scroll down until you locate the Administrative Tools Click on it and locate the Services shortcut at the bottom. Click on it to open it as well.

4. Locate the Windows Error Reporting Service on the list, right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu which appears.
5. If the service is started (you can check that just next to the Service status message), you should stop it for now by clicking the Stop button in the middle of the window. If it is stopped, leave it stopped until we proceed.

6. Make sure that the option under the Startup type menu in the service’s properties window is set to Automatic before you proceed with other steps. Confirm any dialogue boxes which may appear when changing the startup type. Click on the Start button in the middle of the window before exiting. You may receive the following error message when you click on Start:

Windows could not start the Windows Error Reporting Service on Local Computer. Error 1079: The account specified for this service differs from the account specified for other services running in the same process.

If this happens, follow the instructions below to fix it.

1. Follow the steps 1-3 from the instructions above in order to open the service’s properties window. Navigate to the Log On tab and click on the Browse…

2. Under the “Enter the object name to select” entry box, type in your account’s name, click on Check Names and wait for the name to become available.
3. Click OK when you are finished and type in the password in the Password box when you are prompted with it if you have set up a password. Your printer should now work properly!

Solution 2: Update Windows to the Latest Version

The latest versions of Windows 10 seem to have resolved this problem for good as long as it wasn’t caused by third-party programs. Updating your operating system to the latest version is always helpful when it comes to dealing with similar errors and users have reported that the latest Windows 10 versions actually deal with this problem in specific.

1. Use the Windows Key + I key combination in order to open Settings on your Windows PC. Alternatively, you can search for “Settings” by using the search bar located at the taskbar.

2. Locate and open the “Update & security” section in the Settings Stay in the Windows Update tab and click on the Check for updates button under the Update status in order to check whether there is a new version of Windows available.

3. If there is one, Windows should install the update immediately and you will be prompted to restart your computer afterward.

Solution 3: Refresh the System While Keeping the Files

If you are using Windows 10, a re-install is no longer a thing to be afraid of, but rather a fix and a reasonably easy method to perform if you start experiencing a serious error such as the “WerFault.exe Application Error” error message. This can be fixed by a clean install but you should definitely try the method above before deciding to proceed with this method.

1. Navigate to the Settings app on Windows 10. You can get there by clicking the gear icon in the lower-left part of the Start menu. Select the “Update & security” option and click on the Recovery tab in the left pane.
2. Windows will display three options: Reset this PC, Go back to an earlier build and Advanced startup. Reset this PC is the ultimate option for starting again with minimal losses to your files if you follow our instructions properly.

3. Click either “Keep my files” or “Remove everything,” depending on what you want to do with your files. Either way, all of your settings will return to their defaults and apps will be uninstalled. We recommend you choose the Keep my files option as the problem probably doesn’t lie with your documents or similar.

4. Click Next if Windows warns you that you won’t be able to roll back to a prior version of Windows. Click Reset when you are asked to do so and wait for Windows to complete the resetting process. Click Continue when prompted and boot your computer. Check to see if the error still appears.

Solution 4: Update BIOS

Updating BIOS may be an odd way of resolving the problem but users have reported that it has helped them. Note that the process differs from one manufacturer to another so make sure you take that into account.

1. Find out the current version of BIOS utility you have installed on your computer by typing “msinfo” in the search bar or the Start menu.
2. Locate the BIOS version data just under your Processor model and copy or rewrite anything to a text file on your computer or a piece of paper.

3. Find out whether your computer was bundled, pre-built or assembled This is very important because you don’t want to use BIOS made for just one component of your PC when it won’t apply to your other devices and you will overwrite BIOS with a wrong one, leading to major errors and system problems.
4. Prepare your computer for the BIOS update. If you are updating your laptop, make sure its battery is fully charged and plug it in the wall just in case. If you are updating a computer, it’s advisable to use an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to make sure your computer doesn’t shut down during the update because of a power outage.
5. Follow the instructions we prepared for various desktop and laptop manufacturers such as Lenovo, Gateway, HP, Dell, and MSI.