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, we noticed the audio didn’t work. We were able to confirm that the issue 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.
Microsoft told Windows Latest that it is aware of the Windows 11 January 2025 Update issues. 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).
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.
DAC audio device cannot start after January updates. Microsoft says it’s working on a fix
After KB5050009, KB5050021, or KB5049981, you’ll notice that the audio does not work anymore, with Device Manager showing the following error message:
- This device cannot start. (Code 10) Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.
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.
If you install the update, your audio will stop working immediately. So what can you do? Microsoft does not recommend uninstalling or pausing updates because the Jan 2025 patch has important fixes. Instead, it wants you to stop using DAC while it tries to figure out a workaround.
“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.”
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