A known issue has emerged following the deployment of Microsoft's KB5124008 and KB5124012 security updates released in September 2026, with USB audio devices becoming unresponsive on certain Windows installations. The problem is restricted to machines running Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer and specifically targets USB Audio Class 1.0 hardware.
"After installing the September 8, 2026, Windows security update [..], some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices might fail to start or produce audio," Microsoft stated in a Friday posting to its release health dashboard.
Users experiencing the issue have documented several symptoms, including "This device cannot start (Code 10)." messages appearing in Device Manager, complete absence of audio playback, and unresponsive volume and sound configuration controls. In some cases, USB audio speakers function normally with standard stereo but fail when multichannel audio modes—such as 3D audio or 8-channel configurations—are enabled.
Although Microsoft has not released an official fix, some affected users have reported success by reverting their audio setup to 2-channel mode as a temporary workaround.
Pattern of Audio-Related Issues
This incident reflects an ongoing pattern of audio compatibility problems in Windows 11 24H2. In January 2025, the KB5050094 optional preview cumulative update triggered similar failures, generating Code 10 errors and audio playback disruptions on systems with USB audio device drivers. Additionally, Microsoft removed a safeguard block in September that had prevented Windows 11 24H2 upgrades on machines running Dirac audio improvement software, which had been causing Bluetooth headsets and speakers to stop functioning.
Two years prior, Microsoft had implemented a hold on Windows 24H2 upgrades for systems equipped with incompatible Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio drivers due to blue screen of death (BSOD) crashes. The company also documented an issue where game audio on USB DAC sound systems would abruptly jump to maximum volume without user intervention.
Other Fixes in September Updates
Beyond the audio problems, the September 2026 cumulative updates resolved other notable issues, including a bug that reset Windows desktop and mouse preferences and a defect preventing Teams and Outlook from launching on ARM-based Windows devices.