diff --git a/cmd/web.go b/cmd/web.go
index 994c481fc0..19ced5a336 100644
--- a/cmd/web.go
+++ b/cmd/web.go
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func serveInstall(cmd *cli.Command) error {
 	c := install.Routes()
 	err := listen(c, false)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Critical("Unable to open listener for installer. Is Gitea already running?")
+		log.Error("Unable to open listener for installer. Is Gitea already running?")
 		graceful.GetManager().DoGracefulShutdown()
 	}
 	select {
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ func listen(m http.Handler, handleRedirector bool) error {
 		log.Fatal("Invalid protocol: %s", setting.Protocol)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Critical("Failed to start server: %v", err)
+		log.Error("Failed to start server: %v", err)
 	}
 	log.Info("HTTP Listener: %s Closed", listenAddr)
 	return err
diff --git a/modules/graceful/manager.go b/modules/graceful/manager.go
index 51bd5a2334..243026ab90 100644
--- a/modules/graceful/manager.go
+++ b/modules/graceful/manager.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func (g *Manager) RunAtTerminate(terminate func()) {
 			defer g.terminateWaitGroup.Done()
 			defer func() {
 				if err := recover(); err != nil {
-					log.Critical("PANIC during RunAtTerminate: %v\nStacktrace: %s", err, log.Stack(2))
+					log.Error("PANIC during RunAtTerminate: %v\nStacktrace: %s", err, log.Stack(2))
 				}
 			}()
 			terminate()
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (g *Manager) RunAtShutdown(ctx context.Context, shutdown func()) {
 		func() {
 			defer func() {
 				if err := recover(); err != nil {
-					log.Critical("PANIC during RunAtShutdown: %v\nStacktrace: %s", err, log.Stack(2))
+					log.Error("PANIC during RunAtShutdown: %v\nStacktrace: %s", err, log.Stack(2))
 				}
 			}()
 			select {
diff --git a/modules/log/logger_global.go b/modules/log/logger_global.go
index 6dacf583a7..08ac5d2d5f 100644
--- a/modules/log/logger_global.go
+++ b/modules/log/logger_global.go
@@ -54,10 +54,6 @@ func ErrorWithSkip(skip int, format string, v ...any) {
 	Log(skip+1, ERROR, format, v...)
 }
 
-func Critical(format string, v ...any) {
-	Log(1, ERROR, format, v...)
-}
-
 var OsExiter = os.Exit
 
 // Fatal records fatal log and exit process
diff --git a/modules/nosql/manager_leveldb.go b/modules/nosql/manager_leveldb.go
index 4d2c90debc..636a2a122b 100644
--- a/modules/nosql/manager_leveldb.go
+++ b/modules/nosql/manager_leveldb.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (m *Manager) GetLevelDB(connection string) (db *leveldb.DB, err error) {
 		defer func() {
 			recovered = recover()
 			if recovered != nil {
-				log.Critical("PANIC during GetLevelDB: %v\nStacktrace: %s", recovered, log.Stack(2))
+				log.Error("PANIC during GetLevelDB: %v\nStacktrace: %s", recovered, log.Stack(2))
 			}
 			close(done)
 		}()
diff --git a/modules/nosql/manager_redis.go b/modules/nosql/manager_redis.go
index 3c82651541..af7c611f5e 100644
--- a/modules/nosql/manager_redis.go
+++ b/modules/nosql/manager_redis.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func (m *Manager) GetRedisClient(connection string) (client redis.UniversalClien
 		defer func() {
 			recovered = recover()
 			if recovered != nil {
-				log.Critical("PANIC during GetRedisClient: %v\nStacktrace: %s", recovered, log.Stack(2))
+				log.Error("PANIC during GetRedisClient: %v\nStacktrace: %s", recovered, log.Stack(2))
 			}
 			close(done)
 		}()
diff --git a/modules/ssh/ssh_graceful.go b/modules/ssh/ssh_graceful.go
index cad2c685bd..c714f79ffc 100644
--- a/modules/ssh/ssh_graceful.go
+++ b/modules/ssh/ssh_graceful.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func listen(server *ssh.Server) {
 	if err != nil {
 		select {
 		case <-graceful.GetManager().IsShutdown():
-			log.Critical("Failed to start SSH server: %v", err)
+			log.Error("Failed to start SSH server: %v", err)
 		default:
 			log.Fatal("Failed to start SSH server: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/services/auth/source/oauth2/init.go b/services/auth/source/oauth2/init.go
index 2a165bac85..5ab0d5394d 100644
--- a/services/auth/source/oauth2/init.go
+++ b/services/auth/source/oauth2/init.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func initOAuth2Sources(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 		err := oauth2Source.RegisterSource()
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Critical("Unable to register source: %s due to Error: %v.", source.Name, err)
+			log.Error("Unable to register source: %s due to Error: %v.", source.Name, err)
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/services/forms/user_form_hidden_comments.go b/services/forms/user_form_hidden_comments.go
index 76382ddfdd..20be96c003 100644
--- a/services/forms/user_form_hidden_comments.go
+++ b/services/forms/user_form_hidden_comments.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func UserHiddenCommentTypesFromRequest(ctx *context.Context) *big.Int {
 func IsUserHiddenCommentTypeGroupChecked(group string, hiddenCommentTypes *big.Int) (ret bool) {
 	commentTypes, ok := hiddenCommentTypeGroups[group]
 	if !ok {
-		log.Critical("the group map for hidden comment types is out of sync, unknown group: %v", group)
+		log.Error("the group map for hidden comment types is out of sync, unknown group: %v", group)
 		return false
 	}
 	if hiddenCommentTypes == nil {
diff --git a/services/repository/transfer.go b/services/repository/transfer.go
index 217ecb0124..0e2c885b1d 100644
--- a/services/repository/transfer.go
+++ b/services/repository/transfer.go
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func transferOwnership(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, newOwnerName
 		if repoRenamed {
 			oldRelativePath, newRelativePath := repo_model.RelativePath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), repo_model.RelativePath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)
 			if err := gitrepo.RenameRepository(ctx, repo_model.StorageRepo(oldRelativePath), repo_model.StorageRepo(newRelativePath)); err != nil {
-				log.Critical("Unable to move repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name,
+				log.Error("Unable to move repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name,
 					oldRelativePath, newRelativePath, err)
 			}
 		}
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func transferOwnership(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, newOwnerName
 		if wikiRenamed {
 			oldRelativePath, newRelativePath := repo_model.RelativeWikiPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), repo_model.RelativeWikiPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)
 			if err := gitrepo.RenameRepository(ctx, repo_model.StorageRepo(oldRelativePath), repo_model.StorageRepo(newRelativePath)); err != nil {
-				log.Critical("Unable to move wiki for repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name,
+				log.Error("Unable to move wiki for repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name,
 					oldRelativePath, newRelativePath, err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/services/task/migrate.go b/services/task/migrate.go
index 9cef77a6c8..19204dc959 100644
--- a/services/task/migrate.go
+++ b/services/task/migrate.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func runMigrateTask(ctx context.Context, t *admin_model.Task) (err error) {
 	defer func(ctx context.Context) {
 		if e := recover(); e != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("PANIC whilst trying to do migrate task: %v", e)
-			log.Critical("PANIC during runMigrateTask[%d] by DoerID[%d] to RepoID[%d] for OwnerID[%d]: %v\nStacktrace: %v", t.ID, t.DoerID, t.RepoID, t.OwnerID, e, log.Stack(2))
+			log.Error("PANIC during runMigrateTask[%d] by DoerID[%d] to RepoID[%d] for OwnerID[%d]: %v\nStacktrace: %v", t.ID, t.DoerID, t.RepoID, t.OwnerID, e, log.Stack(2))
 		}
 		if err == nil {
 			err = admin_model.FinishMigrateTask(ctx, t)
diff --git a/services/user/user.go b/services/user/user.go
index 9b8bcf83c0..360fc67670 100644
--- a/services/user/user.go
+++ b/services/user/user.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func RenameUser(ctx context.Context, u *user_model.User, newUserName string, doe
 		u.Name = oldUserName
 		u.LowerName = strings.ToLower(oldUserName)
 		if err2 := util.Rename(user_model.UserPath(newUserName), user_model.UserPath(oldUserName)); err2 != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err2) {
-			log.Critical("Unable to rollback directory change during failed username change from: %s to: %s. DB Error: %v. Filesystem Error: %v", oldUserName, newUserName, err, err2)
+			log.Error("Unable to rollback directory change during failed username change from: %s to: %s. DB Error: %v. Filesystem Error: %v", oldUserName, newUserName, err, err2)
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to rollback directory change during failed username change from: %s to: %s. DB Error: %w. Filesystem Error: %v", oldUserName, newUserName, err, err2)
 		}
 		return err