Windows 10: Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 KB5124010 Crashes Games and Apps That Use Dolby Digital Audio

Microsoft has confirmed that KB5124010, the September 22, 2026 preview update for Windows 11, can crash some games, media players, and productivity applications that rely on AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio decoding. The company added the known issue to the Windows release health dashboard on October 2 and says a fix will ship in a future Windows update.

The problem affects Windows 11 versions 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2. Windows Server is not on the list of affected platforms. Microsoft names OS Build 26300.9550 as the originating update.

How the KB5124010 Dolby Digital Bug Affects Applications


According to Microsoft, the symptoms depend on what the affected program is doing at the time. Some applications fail to launch or close without warning. Others run normally until a feature that needs AC-3 decoding is used, such as playing music, and then shut down.

The component behind the crashes is mostly used by legacy software that still relies on the audio decoding built into Windows, Microsoft says. Modern applications often ship their own decoding components, even when they support the older AC-3 codec, and those programs should not run into the problem. Microsoft has not published a list of affected games or applications.

KB5124010 is an optional preview, so most systems only get it when the user selects "Download and install" in Windows Update. Devices running Windows 11 version 24H2 with the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" option turned on are the exception, because they receive the update automatically.

The AC-3 crash adds to a run of audio problems after September's releases. Microsoft also lists a mitigated issue where some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices fail to start, show a Code 10 error in Device Manager, or produce no sound after users install the Windows 11 version 26H2 enablement package.

What Windows 11 Users Can Do Until Microsoft Ships a Fix


Microsoft has not provided a workaround or a Known Issue Rollback for the Dolby Digital crashes. Users who rely on older games or media players can avoid the problem by staying off the optional preview for now:

1. Open Settings and select Windows Update.
2. Skip the "Download and install" link for KB5124010 while it is listed as an optional update.
3. Turn off "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" on Windows 11 version 24H2 devices, since that setting installs the preview automatically.
4. Check Update history for KB5124010 if a legacy application starts closing unexpectedly when it plays audio.

Skipping the preview also delays the other changes it includes until they arrive in a regular monthly update. The trade-off mainly matters for systems that run older software with Dolby Digital audio.

Microsoft says it is working on a resolution for a future Windows update but has not given a release date or said whether the fix will arrive in the October Patch Tuesday release.

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 KB5124010 Crashes Games and Apps That Use Dolby Digital Audio appeared first on gHacks.

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Dolby Advanced Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Advanced Audio

I upgraded to Windows 10. On the Control Panel, both Dolby Advanced Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Advanced Audio are listed.

Neither one is listed in Device Manager. When I click on Dolby Advanced Audio, It says, "Unable to start the Dolby Audio Driver. Restart the computer or reinstall the driver". Clicking on Dolby Digital Plus Advanced Audio the app opens. Do I really need both?
Both are listed on Programs and Features.

 

Dolby Advanced Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Advanced Audio

Hi Polaris,

We appreciate you for being a part of Windows 10.

I understand that you are able to use the Dolby Digital plus Advanced Audio and not able to use the Dolby Advanced Audio.

As you get the error “Unable to start the Dolby Audio Driver. Restart the computer or reinstall the driver”, this error might occur if the driver is not installed properly or it is not up to date. I suggest you install the
Dolby audio drivers. Refer to the following article to update all the drivers available in Windows 10.

How to: Install and Update drivers in Windows
10



As the both Dolby Digital plus Advanced Audio and Dolby Advanced Audio are listed under the programs and features, you may uninstall the Dolby Advanced Audio through Programs and features.

• 
  Press Windows + X keys on the keyboard, select
  Programs and features.
  
• 
  Right click on the Dolby Advanced Audio and click on
  Uninstall.
  
• 
  Click on OK if any window prompts.
  

After uninstalling the Dolby Advanced Audio, you may reinstall it again through the setup file (If you have) or from the Dolby support.
I suggest you to refer to the suggestions provided by
Santosh_Rai on October 15, 2015 in the below thread and check if it helps you to install the
Dolby Advanced Audio drivers.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...ndows-10/341c70e8-5582-4ca7-9710-657889296a63

Note:
Please be informed that it is your wish to use the both “Dolby Advanced Audio” and “Dolby Digital plus Advanced Audio” or any one of the audio as per your requirement.

I hope the above information helps. Kindly let us know if you need any further assistance with Windows. We are glad to assist you.

Thank you.

 

Microsoft Selects Dolby Audio for Windows 10

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and Microsoft Corporation announced today that Dolby Audio is selected to be a part of the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system and will be natively supported by the new Microsoft Edge browser for the playback of web-based content as well as accessible by third-party Windows Store apps. Users of Microsoft Windows 10 PCs and tablets will enjoy Dolby quality audio experiences through Windows entertainment apps and through Microsoft Edge.

Dolby Audio (supporting Dolby Digital Plus) will be available in x86 Windows 10 PCs and tablets for playback of movies, TV shows, and videos with crisp, clear dialogue and greater detail of sounds. Windows 7 and 8 users may upgrade to Windows 10 for free and continue to experience Dolby quality audio consistently across headphones, built-in PC and tablet speakers, or connected home theater systems. Microsoft Edge will be the first browser to leverage the Dolby Digital Plus decoder on the Windows 10 operating system, enabling online content providers to enrich the entertainment experiences of millions of Internet users globally with Dolby Audio.

"We are excited about the collaboration and partnership with Microsoft and share in the commitment to providing the best entertainment experiences possible to consumers across a wide range of devices in the Windows 10 ecosystem," said John Couling, Senior Vice President, E-Media Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. "With the launch of Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge in nearly 200 countries, Dolby and Microsoft will enable better user experiences with high-quality audio that is robust, consistent, and at a scale necessary for the large Windows ecosystem."

"At Microsoft, we are committed to delivering the richest, most immersive, entertainment experiences with Windows 10," said David Treadwell, Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group, Microsoft. "With Dolby Audio incorporated into the Windows 10 platform and Microsoft Edge, content providers will be able to deliver their content with superior sound in Dolby Audio for a wide range of Windows 10 based PCs and tablets."