Microsoft confirms Windows 11 January 2025 update issues, DAC audio failure – WindowsLatest
We’ve got it right again: Windows 11 January 2025 updates are indeed broken, and Microsoft has officially acknowledged one of the issues we first flagged: a bug that causes DAC audio to stop working after you install Windows 11 24H2 KB5050009, 23H2 KB5050021, and Windows 10 KB5049981.On January 14, 2025, Microsoft shipped this year’s first round of security updates, which should have been safer than the previous updates because they do not contain new features. Typically, Windows Update causes trouble when they add too many new features, but in the case of January 2025 Patch Tuesday, we weren’t expecting things to go wrong.Unfortunately, Windows January 2025 updates are a disaster. Immediately after we installed the update, our PC’s audio stopped working. I wrote a detailed report on the issues linked to KB5050009. We were able to verify that the bug is widespread after investigating several affected systems. We also spotted the same issue on Windows 10.It doesn’t matter whether you use Windows 11 24H2, 23H2, 22H2 or even Windows 10. Your audio could stop working as soon as you install the patch, but it mostly affects only those who use USB audio DAC.Finally, after radio silence for days, Microsoft told Windows Latest that it is aware of Windows 11’s audio issues after the January 2025 patch. The company also acknowledged it in an update to its support document, which was first spotted by Windows Latest.According to the company, if you run into audio issues, there’s nothing much you can do but stop using DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converters). Right, there’s no “fix”. The only way to “fix” it is to stop using your audio device.“Users can avoid this issue by avoiding the use of an external DAC in the connection process and directly plugging your audio device to your PC,” Microsoft noted. “We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.”For those unaware, DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) are small devices that allow us to play audio by connecting headphones or speakers that support the connection. A DAC is an external device that converts sound data from your Windows installation into audio signals via the connected headphones.But does it mean DAC is only used on older PCs? Not really. DACs are still in use because they offer high-quality audio, and people use them with their home audio setups, especially audiophiles who want exceptional audio performance. Professionals widely use DACs for recording and music.If your PC is affected due to KB5050009, KB5050021, or KB5049981, you’ll notice that the audio does not work anymore, with Device Manager showing the following error message:This means that Windows 11 is struggling to allocate memory to the device, which is why DACs are failing to produce sound or transfer audio signals to your headphones, rendering audio offline.If you have a DAC setup for your audio devices and the setup is specially using a USB 1.0 audio driver, you should skip the January 2025 update.In our investigation, Windows Latest observed that the following audio devices are affected:Windows 11 KB5050009 (January 2025 update) has other problems too. I recommend going through my original report, which caught Microsoft’s attention. But in a nutshell, Jan’s update also has problems with Bluetooth audio devices where the device will get connected but won’t produce sound.We have also observed that File Explorer now misbehaves and lags more frequently, and there’s a bug where the camera will not work after the patch.The workaround for all of these problems is it to uninstall Windows 11 KB5050009, pause updates, and wait for the February 2025 Patch release, which might fix some of the bugs.What about you? How is the latest Windows update treating your PC?About The AuthorMayank ParmarMayank Parmar is an entrepreneur who founded Windows Latest. He is the Editor-in-Chief and has written on various topics in his seven years of career, but he is mostly known for his well-researched work on Microsoft’s Windows. His articles and research works have been referred to by CNN, Business Insiders, Forbes, Fortune, CBS Interactive, Microsoft and many others over the years.Featured inManage push notifications
