- Microsoft has confirmed that an error is making sound on some PCs
- It affects all versions of Windows 11, and also Windows 10, mainly hits those who use a DAC with their PC setup
- A solution is in the pipeline we will know
Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 has an audio bug (which we reported yesterday), a mistake that can take out the PC’s sound and it is now clear that this affects more Windows versions.
It not only means those on Windows 11 24h2 (an update that still rolls out), but people running 23h2 and 22h2, and also Windows 10, making this an unusually widespread error to say the least.
This problem was first noticed by Windows latest and lurks in cumulative updates in January 2025 to these OS versions.
The technical site ran into the problem after they installed the January update to Windows 11 (24h2), on which the sound of their PC immediately stopped working.
Apparently, this error mainly affects those with the use of a sound DAC (digital-to-analog Convert) connected via USB, but it can happen with any unfortunate Windows 11 (or 10) user that grabs the latest patch.
As Windows latest spotted, Microsoft has confirmed the problem and said that: “After installing this security update, you can experience problems with USB sounds. You are more likely to experience this problem if you are using a USB 1.0 audio driver-based DAC in your audio setup. “
Unfortunately, there is no solution and the only way to avoid your sound being torpedoed is to remove the external DAC (provided you are using one and that is what causes the problem). In other words, just connect the sound unit directly to your PC instead of via DAC.
Microsoft also notes: “We are working on a resolution and providing an update in an upcoming release.”
Analysis: An Update Underiness Actually
This is weird for a few reasons. First, it is unusual to see an error also interfere with any available version of Windows 11 and Windows 10-there represents an alarming overall blob of dominos.
Secondly, the January Update does not bring anything into the way of new features (to any of these OS versions). It’s a very straightforward patch that uses security fixes, and that’s all. So it really shouldn’t cause problems, but it’s clear.
Why? Well, your guess is as good as mine, but if you want to hear my stab in the dark, it’s that someone has fine -tuned something deep inside Windows as part of these security measures. Why do I say that? Given that the error is present across all versions going back to Windows 10, it must certainly have been an old, core part of the operating system’s code base that was adjusted (and broke something).
Whatever is the case, this is yet another hassle for Windows 11 users, especially those on 24h2, some of who has experienced a very hard time with it recently, with a seemingly gracious stream of bugs crawling in the general direction for these users. Most recently, it includes another sound error and a whole bunch of nastiness that has been visited on PC players in some form.
Do some of these 24h2 users become very tired? I would say that it is likely, especially the players, but hopefully the teeth problems are caused by what I suppose is the sub-cap transition to the germanium platform (introduced with 24h2, and a key element for Copilot+ PCs) will soon start sitting down.
In the event of this audio error, however, it obviously has nothing to do with Germanium to see its widespread presence outside of 24h2. With good luck, the promised solution from Microsoft does not take long.
