Windows USB audio bug remains unpatched seven weeks after update

A Windows security update released on September 8, 2026, continues to cause audio problems for some USB devices. Microsoft lists the status of the issue as Mitigated on its Windows 11 25H2 release health page, but the company has not published a workaround for consumers. Microsoft says the only available route for an immediate workaround is for organizations to contact Microsoft Support for Business.

Image: Digital Citizen

The fault is limited to USB Audio Class 1.0 devices using the usbaudio.sys driver. Devices using the Class 2.0 specification and the usbaudio2.sys driver are not included in the scope, though Microsoft notes that Class 2.0 devices with MIDI functions may still load the 1.0 driver for MIDI. Affected hardware includes many older audio interfaces, DACs, and headsets that do not require a vendor driver to function on Windows.

Microsoft reports several symptoms, including "This device cannot start (Code 10)" errors in Device Manager, unresponsive volume controls, and a lack of audio output. Some devices may also show unavailable sound settings or fail when using 3D or 8-channel audio modes. While an update on September 14 addressed the multichannel audio symptom, Microsoft says it is still working to address the remaining issues. The bug affects multiple versions of Windows, ranging from Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016 to Windows 11 26H2, as well as Windows Server versions from 2012 to 2025.