在计算机领域中，致命错误（fatal error）或致命异常错误（fatal exception error）是指使进程终止并可能因此让用户返回操作系统的错误。致命错误发生时，进程正在处理的数据可能会丢失。“致命错误”（应用进程层面）经常会和“系统致命错误”（操作系统层面）相混淆。致命错误一般由以下情况产生：

在Mac OS X与Microsoft Windows等系统中，发生致命错误时，系统会创建错误日志或保存下该进程的镜像。

In computing, a fatal error or fatal exception error is an error that causes a program to abort and may therefore return the user to the operating system. When this happens, data that the program was processing may be lost. A fatal error is usually distinguished from a fatal system error (colloquially referred to in the MS Windows operating systems by the error message it produces as a "blue screen of death"). A fatal error occurs typically in any of the following cases:.