USB Audio Breaks After September Patch Tuesday
Microsoft has confirmed that installing the September 2026 security updates — KB5124008 and KB5124012 — can cause USB Audio Class 1.0 devices to stop working on affected Windows systems.
Who's Affected
The issue is confirmed on Windows 11, version 24H2 and later exclusively. Impacted users report:
"This device cannot start (Code 10)"errors in Device Manager- No audio output from affected USB audio devices
- Unresponsive volume controls
Microsoft's Guidance
Microsoft acknowledged the problem on its release health dashboard, stating that "some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices might fail to start or produce no sound" following installation of the update. No official patch is currently available.
Affected users have reported that switching the device to 2-channel mode restores audio functionality as a temporary workaround, though this isn't a fix from Microsoft itself.
A Recurring Problem
This isn't the first time a Windows cumulative update has broken audio hardware. Microsoft addressed a similar issue in January 2025 with KB5050094, and the company has faced multiple audio-driver compatibility regressions across prior update cycles involving various device classes.
What to Do
- Check Device Manager for Code 10 errors on audio devices after installing KB5124008 or KB5124012.
- Try 2-channel mode on the affected USB audio device as a temporary workaround.
- Hold off on deploying these updates broadly in environments that rely heavily on USB audio hardware (conference rooms, studios, call centers) until a fix ships.
- Monitor Microsoft's release health dashboard for an official resolution.