I hope these steps help you resolve the "GIMP fatal error: unhandled exception" issue!
The dreaded "GIMP fatal error: unhandled exception"! Don't worry, I'm here to help you troubleshoot. Here are some potential solutions:
Using the Foreground Select tool without painting a foreground selection is a known trigger.
If the standard troubleshooting steps fail, advanced logging is required.
Ensure your system is running the latest drivers for your graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel). This is especially important after a Windows update or a GIMP version upgrade.
This message usually appears right as GIMP tries to start up, or occasionally while using a specific tool or filter. The term "unhandled exception" simply means the program ran into a problem it didn't know how to solve, forcing it to shut down.
Your GIMP profile stores all your preferences, custom brushes, and saved tool states. If it's corrupted, GIMP will crash on launch.