Windows 11 out-of-band patch fixes audio bug.Lance Whitney/ZDNET

ZDNET’s key takeaways

  • Microsoft’s new update patches a nasty audio problem.
  • The update also fixes other recent glitches.
  • Some bugs came with the Sept. Patch Tuesday update.

Microsoft has released an out-of-band patch to squash an annoying audio bug in Windows 11.

Also: The latest Windows 11 update may mess with your device’s audio – here’s the workaround

The patch launched on Monday for Windows 11 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2, and resolves a glitch that prevented audio from playing on certain headsets, speakers, and other USB-connected devices. Specifically, the problem impacted USB Audio Class 1.0 devices, which use an older, legacy audio driver introduced back in Windows 98.

Windows 11 users impacted by the bug could encounter any of the following issues:

  • No audio output.
  • Sound settings are unresponsive or unavailable.
  • Volume controls are unresponsive or remain at zero.
  • The device displays an error in Device Manager: “This device cannot start (Code 10).”

Until the new patch, the only workaround was switching your audio device from 8-channel or 3D audio to standard stereo mode.

The glitch didn’t just spring up out of the blue. Instead, the issue came with Microsoft’s Sept. 8 security update. While these monthly updates are supposed to fix security bugs and other issues, they can create new problems.

Also: Latest Windows 11 update restores your taskbar control, patches 995 security flaws

The one saving grace this time was that only older devices are affected. Today’s audio devices typically connect to a PC using a more modern standard known as USB Audio Class 2.0, or via a regular audio jack or wirelessly through Bluetooth.

Still, the bug was severe enough to prompt Microsoft to issue an out-of-band patch, which it does only if it can’t wait for the next regular round of Windows updates. Beyond the audio issue, the patch also addresses a couple of security flaws and other issues.

Also: Microsoft’s latest Windows update breaks cursors, wallpaper, and more – what to do if you’re affected

One security vulnerability labeled CVE-2026-62721 could allow a remote attacker to gain system-level privileges on an unpatched computer. Another issue, known as CVE-2026-85921, could let someone elevate their privileges locally to access files and personal data that would otherwise be secure and protected.

A third glitch concerns Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services. Another bug added with the Sept. 8 Patch Tuesday rollout, this glitch could cause RDS to become unstable, lead to login failures, or back-end server unresponsiveness.

Also: Microsoft fixes 421 bugs and a Windows zero-day in August Patch Tuesday – update ASAP

The other bug affects Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtual machine platform. In this case, applications that use HCS-managed virtual machines (VMs) ran into issues when sharing the host folder with Linux VMs using the open-source Plan 9 operating system from Bell Labs.

To grab the update, head to Settings and select Windows Update. In Windows 11 26H2, look for an update labeled “2026-09 Security Update (KB5129195).” In Windows 11 25H2 or 24H2, look for one named “2026-09 Security Update (KB5129194).”

If you see the update, click the button to download and install it. If not, click the button to check for updates, and the right update for your version of Windows should appear.

Lance Whitney
Lance Whitney is a technology journalist with an IT background. He's written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, among others, He also teaches classes in AI, cybersecurity, and social media.