Windows 11 users who have installed the KB5124010 update may run into a pretty annoying problem: some games and apps can suddenly crash because of a bug in Dolby Digital audio.
Microsoft has confirmed that the update can cause problems with applications that rely on the built-in Windows decoder for AC-3 audio, the codec used by Dolby Digital. In some cases, a game or app can crash when changing the volume, adjusting audio settings or using certain sound features.
The problem is particularly relevant for older games and other legacy applications that depend on Windows itself to handle Dolby Digital audio. Microsoft says most modern applications are not affected.
Which Windows 11 versions are affected?
The issue affects Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2. The problem was added to Microsoft's list of known issues for KB5124010 on October 3.
KB5124010 was released as an optional preview update on September 22. That means not every Windows 11 PC will necessarily have the update installed automatically.
Some games are already running into problems
Microsoft has not published a complete list of affected games, so it would be wrong to say that every game using Dolby Digital will crash. However, reports are already appearing from players and developers.
WARDOGS is one of the clearest examples. The developers linked a launcher error affecting players to the KB5124010 compatibility problem and subsequently released an update addressing the issue.
There are also community reports involving older games such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 3. These reports should be treated as examples rather than an official list from Microsoft, but they show why the issue can be particularly frustrating for people playing older PC games.
What's the fix?
🛠️ THE QUICK FIX
If your game started crashing after installing KB5124010, one possible temporary workaround is to uninstall the update and restart your PC. Go to Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates and look for KB5124010.
There is an important catch, though. Uninstalling the update also removes the other fixes and changes included in KB5124010, so this is better treated as a temporary workaround rather than a permanent solution.
If you are not experiencing any problems, there is also no particular reason to remove the update just because you have it installed.
Microsoft is working on a proper fix
The good news is that Microsoft is already working on a solution. The company says the AC-3/Dolby Digital problem will be fixed in a future Windows update, although it has not given a specific release date yet.
For now, players affected by the problem may therefore have to choose between temporarily removing KB5124010 or waiting for an update from the developer of the affected game.
And if you mostly play newer games, you may never notice the problem at all. Microsoft says modern applications are generally less likely to be affected than older software that relies on Windows' built-in audio decoding.
Microsoft's official documentation for KB5124010 and the Windows 11 Release Health page contain the latest information about the issue.
Webmastahhh is the creator of Mastanet, a gaming and technology website where he shares news, reviews, guides and personal insights about games, hardware, software and the future of digital entertainment.
