Microsoft has confirmed that some Windows 11 applications can fail to launch or close unexpectedly after updates released September 22, 2026, and later. The issue affects Windows 11 versions 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2 when an app relies on Windows’ AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio decoder. Games may be affected, but Microsoft has not said that all games—or even most games—are crashing.
Microsoft says it is working on a fix for a future Windows update. It has not named the update or given a release date, so a fix in the next update is not confirmed.
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What Microsoft says is causing the crashes
Microsoft’s Windows 11 26H2 Release Health page identifies an issue with applications that need AC-3 decoding, also known as Dolby Digital decoding. After installing updates released September 22, 2026 (including KB5124010) or later, an affected app might not start, might close without warning, or might work until you use a feature that needs audio playback.
The Windows version alone does not determine whether an app will fail. Microsoft says the risk depends on what the application is doing: older applications are more likely to rely on Windows’ built-in decoder, while many modern applications include their own decoding and are unlikely to encounter this issue. Microsoft gives no affected-user count or failure rate.
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Which Windows versions and apps are affected?
Microsoft lists Windows 11 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2 as affected client releases. Games are one possible category, alongside media players and some productivity applications. The issue is specifically tied to apps that require AC-3 decoding; it is not a general finding that Windows 11 26H2 makes games unstable.
The Release Health entry does not list affected Windows Server versions. It also does not name particular games or applications associated with the AC-3 issue.
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Is Microsoft fixing it in the next update?
Not according to the current published commitment. Microsoft says, “We are working on releasing a resolution for this issue in a future Windows update,” and says it will provide more information when available. The entry does not identify a KB number or provide an estimated date. “Future update” should not be read as a promise that the fix will arrive in the next scheduled update.
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What should you do if an app is crashing?
If the problem began after a September 22, 2026-or-later update and happens when an app plays or decodes AC-3 audio, the symptoms may match Microsoft’s confirmed issue. The Release Health entry does not provide a consumer workaround for it.
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- Check the app maker’s support information for a compatible update or an app-specific workaround.
- Report the problem through Feedback Hub if you want to send Windows feedback. Microsoft’s Release Health page also directs people seeking broader Windows update help to Get Help or Microsoft Support.
- Do not delete the
inpoutx64driver service or roll back Windows as a general fix for this AC-3 issue. Those steps were reported in connection with a separate August game-crash problem, not Microsoft’s October AC-3 issue.
Do not confuse this with the August 2026 game-crash reports
A separate incident reported by Windows Central on August 20, 2026, followed the August 11 update KB5121003 and concerned Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2—not 26H2. That report named ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals among the games involved, with reported freezes, crashes, EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors, and full PC reboots. It described Microsoft as investigating at the time.
Windows Central also reported a temporary workaround attributed to Embark Studios: stop and delete the inpoutx64 service, then remove C:WindowsSystem32driversinpoutx64.sys. Rolling Windows back to an earlier update was also mentioned. Those were report-specific measures for the August incident; they are not evidence of a cause or solution for the later AC-3 decoder issue.
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Why Windows 11 26H2 is in the affected-version list
Microsoft announced general availability of Windows 11 version 26H2 on September 29, 2026. It is being offered through a controlled, phased rollout to eligible 24H2 and 25H2 devices, rather than being delivered to every eligible PC at once. Microsoft says eligible users can turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” to be among the first offered the update. More details are in Microsoft’s guide to getting the Windows 11 2026 Update.
The version’s newness does not make the AC-3 issue exclusive to 26H2: Microsoft’s affected list also includes 24H2 and 25H2. The separate File History problem mentioned in Microsoft’s 26H2 update history is distinct; that page says updates released on or after September 22, 2026, resolve that backup issue, while the AC-3 application issue remains listed on Release Health as awaiting a future resolution.
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