Windows 11's latest update broke my speakers, and I'm not alone

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II, headset photographs — Many popular headsets, including the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II, rely on USB Audio Class 1.0 for broad platform compatibility. A recent Windows 11 update can break audio output on these devices. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)

The latest Windows 11 update gives you plenty of reasons to upgrade, including hundreds of security fixes. But it also includes some bugs that range from frustrating to workflow-breaking.

Microsoft recently confirmed that a bug in Windows security update KB5124008 can cause some audio devices to fail. Affected systems will see one or more of the following issues:

The device displays an error in Device Manager: "This device cannot start (Code 10).”
No audio output.
Volume controls are unresponsive or remain at zero.
Sound settings are unresponsive or unavailable.
Some devices might function in standard stereo configurations but fail when using multichannel audio features, including 8-channel or 3D audio modes. Some customers have reported that they're able to restore audio in these cases by switching to 2-channel mode.

I believe my PC was affected by this bug. After installing the most recent Patch Tuesday updates, my external USB speakers stopped working, and Windows automatically defaulted my audio output back to my docked laptop's built-in speakers.

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The problems only affect USB Audio Class 1.0 devices. Just about any operating system or platform that supports USB audio works with USB Audio Class 1.0. That class was the first standard for audio devices and shipped in 1998. There are USB microphones, headsets, speakers, and many other devices that fall into the category.

Because some modern platforms (most notably gaming consoles like the PS5 and Nintendo Switch) do not support newer standards, headsets and other peripherals are often made to be USB Audio Class 1.0 devices so they work everywhere.

The bug affects Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but has not released a fix at this time.

You may be able to workaround the bug by switching to 2-channel mode, but that is not a permanent fix. You can also uninstall the KB5124008 update, though it may be better to just wait for an official fix or to find a workaround.

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Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.