Windows 11 September Update Is Breaking USB Audio on Some PCs

Another Windows 11 update appears to have introduced a frustrating problem for some users, with Microsoft confirming that its latest September security update can cause certain USB audio devices to stop working.

The issue is linked to the KB5124008 security update, which can interfere with some USB audio hardware after installation.

Some Users Are Losing Audio Completely

Affected users may experience several different symptoms. In some cases, the USB audio device remains connected but produces no sound. Others may encounter the following Windows error:

“This device cannot start (Code 10).”

More seriously, some affected audio devices can disappear from Device Manager, making it appear as though Windows no longer recognizes the hardware at all.

The problem primarily appears to affect devices using the USB Audio Class 1.0 specification.

Multichannel Audio Appears to Be the Main Problem

According to Microsoft, the issue is particularly likely to occur when affected USB audio devices are configured to use multichannel output.

Configurations such as 8-channel audio and 3D audio appear to be among those affected.

There is currently a temporary workaround for some users: switching the audio configuration back to 2-channel stereo may restore sound.

However, this is only a workaround and isn’t particularly helpful for people who specifically purchased multichannel audio hardware to use surround sound or more advanced audio configurations.

Microsoft Is Working on a Fix

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and says it is working on a solution. Until a proper fix arrives, affected users may have to rely on stereo output if that workaround works with their particular hardware.

It’s another unfortunate example of a Windows update causing problems with hardware that was functioning normally before the update was installed.

Security updates are obviously important, but users shouldn’t have to choose between keeping their PCs protected and keeping basic hardware such as their audio devices working properly.

Hopefully, Microsoft can roll out a permanent fix quickly, especially for users whose USB audio hardware has become completely unusable after installing KB5124008.

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