Windows USB Audio Code 10 Bug Fixed: How to Get Your Sound Back With the November Update
Microsoft has fixed the USB audio bug from September's update. Which update you need, how to check you have it, and what to do if sound is still missing.
If your USB speakers, headset or DAC stopped working after a Windows update in September, the fix is finally here. Microsoft's 10 November security update resolves the bug that left some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices silent or showing "This device cannot start (Code 10)" in Device Manager. On Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2 the update is KB5132061, on Windows 10 22H2 it's KB5131096. Install it through Windows Update, restart, and your device should work again without any workaround.
Is the USB audio bug fixed?
Yes. Microsoft marked the issue resolved on its Windows release health pages on 10 November and lists the fix in the update notes as "USB Audio 1.0 devices might fail to start and display error code 10 in Device Manager after installing a recent security update". The problem started with the 8 September security update (KB5124008 on most Windows 11 versions). An out-of-band update on 14 September only fixed part of it: devices that broke in 8-channel or 3D audio modes. The Code 10 error, missing sound and stuck volume controls are the part fixed now.
Which update do you need?
- Windows 11 26H2: KB5132061, build 26300.9974
- Windows 11 25H2: KB5132061, build 26200.9974
- Windows 11 24H2: KB5132061, build 26100.9974 (Microsoft lists it for Enterprise and Education editions)
- Windows 11 26H1: KB5132059
- Windows 10 22H2: KB5131096, for PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates
Microsoft's list of affected versions is longer: it also includes Windows 11 23H2, Windows 10 21H2, the Windows 10 LTSC 2016 and 2019 editions and Windows Server 2012 to 2025. Microsoft says the fix is in the 10 November update "and later updates" for all of them.
Was your device affected?
Only USB Audio Class 1.0 devices were hit, according to Microsoft, and BleepingComputer's report named USB speakers as an example. The symptoms Microsoft lists:
- Device Manager shows "This device cannot start (Code 10)."
- No sound at all
- Volume controls don't respond or stay at zero
- Sound settings don't respond or won't open
- The device works in stereo but fails in multichannel modes such as 8-channel or 3D audio
If your sound broke in another way, or with a device connected over Bluetooth or HDMI, it's a different problem.
How to install the fix
Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. KB5132061 (or KB5131096 on Windows 10) should appear as a security update. Install it and restart. To check that it worked, open Settings > Windows Update > Update history, or type `winver` in the Start menu and compare the build number with the list above.
If you're on Windows 11 24H2 Home or Pro and the update doesn't show up, Microsoft's notes only list 24H2 Enterprise and Education for this release. Check Windows Update for the move to a newer version instead, which gets the same fix. IT admins can also download the update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
On Windows 10, the fix only reaches PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates. Microsoft says consumer ESU runs until 12 October 2027, and you can still sign up free by syncing your PC settings, with 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points or for a one-off $30.
What if there's still no sound after updating?
Microsoft doesn't list any extra steps beyond installing the update. First confirm the update is installed (build number above), then unplug the device, plug it back in and restart the PC. If Device Manager still shows Code 10 on the new build, you may be looking at a different problem, and Feedback Hub is the place to report it to Microsoft.
Did you switch your device to stereo to get it working in September? Microsoft noted that some people got sound back by switching to 2-channel mode. You can now switch back to the multichannel or spatial audio setting you used before.
Why did the fix take two months?
Microsoft confirmed the bug on its release health dashboard a few days after the 8 September update, as BleepingComputer reported on 14 September. The emergency update on 14 September only fixed the multichannel half of the problem, and PCWorld reported on 22 September that Microsoft wasn't planning to fix the rest until October's Patch Tuesday on 13 October. That slipped: Microsoft's own notes put the fix in the 10 November update, a month later. Businesses that called Microsoft support could get a temporary workaround in the meantime. Microsoft says they don't need it once the November update is installed.
Does the November update break anything else?
Microsoft says it's "not currently aware of any issues with this update." The same release also fixes adding printers published in Active Directory (error 87) and Remote Desktop connections failing after the October preview update. One change to watch if you run signed PowerShell scripts: Windows now checks their encoding more strictly, and scripts with invalid UTF-8 may fail signature checks until they're saved as UTF-8 with a BOM and signed again.
Microsoft has also said there will be no optional preview update in the second half of December because of the holidays, with normal servicing back in January 2027. Keeping Windows 11 current has other upsides too, such as the recent memory improvements for 8GB PCs.
