Quick answer: If your USB headset, speakers or DAC stopped working after the September 2026 Windows update, Microsoft lists it as a known issue: some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices show This device cannot start. (Code 10) after update KB5124008. A later update fixed only part of it, and as of early November 2026 Microsoft still lists it as unresolved. Install the latest updates first; if the device still fails, you can remove the update and pause updates for a while, or use another audio output until a fix arrives.
In this guide
Is it the September 2026 update bug?
Open Device Manager (right-click Start and choose Device Manager), expand Sound, video and game controllers, right-click your USB device and choose Properties. The Device status box on the General tab shows the error code.
Microsoft’s Windows release health page describes an issue that started with the September 8, 2026 security update KB5124008 and lists these symptoms:
| Symptom | Status |
|---|---|
| Device Manager shows This device cannot start (Code 10) | Not fixed yet; Microsoft says it’s working on it |
| No sound, volume stuck at zero or not responding, Sound settings unavailable | Not fixed yet |
| Works in stereo but fails in 8-channel or 3D audio modes | Fixed by the out-of-band update KB5129195 (September 14, 2026) and later updates |
Microsoft says the issue is limited to USB Audio Class 1.0 devices, and it lists Windows 11 versions from 23H2 to 26H2, Windows 10 22H2 and several Windows Server versions as affected. The entry was marked Mitigated when last updated on September 29, 2026, and the October 2026 update didn’t change that. If your device broke at a different time, or a different code appears, skip to the standard Code 10 steps.
Check which driver your device uses
This tells you whether the known issue can apply to you. In the device’s Properties, open the Driver tab and select Driver Details:
usbaudio.sysis Windows’ built-in driver for USB Audio Class 1.0 devices, the group Microsoft says is affected.usbaudio2.sysis the built-in USB Audio 2.0 driver. Microsoft’s driver documentation says it’s used for Audio Class 2.0 devices, and the known issue doesn’t list those.- A file from the device maker (common with audio interfaces and some gaming headsets) means a vendor driver is in use. Check the maker’s support site for a newer driver first.
Many simple USB headsets and dongles are Audio Class 1.0 devices, while studio interfaces and higher-end DACs often use Audio Class 2.0 or their own driver. This is a general pattern, not a rule, so the driver file is the better guide.
Fix 1: Install the latest updates
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Install everything offered, including optional updates if they’re listed, then restart.
- Unplug the device, wait a few seconds, and plug it into a USB port directly on the PC rather than a hub.
- Check Device status again.
This fixes the multichannel symptom, and it’s the safest first step for the rest because any future fix will arrive the same way. If Windows Update isn’t offering anything, see how to force Windows Update to check for updates.
Fix 2: Remove the update and pause updates
If the device still shows Code 10 and you depend on it, removing the update is the most direct option. It also removes that month’s security fixes, so treat it as temporary and don’t do it on a work PC without asking IT.
- Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
- Scroll to Related settings and select Uninstall updates.
- Find the newest security update for Windows (KB5124008, or a later monthly update that replaced it) and select Uninstall, then restart.
- Go back to Windows Update and use Pause updates so it doesn’t reinstall straight away.
Microsoft’s Windows Update FAQ warns that it doesn’t recommend removing installed updates and that not all of them can be removed. When the pause runs out, Windows installs the latest updates before you can pause again. Since later monthly updates include KB5124008’s changes, removing only the September update may not help if you’ve installed newer ones. Check the release health page before you resume updates to see if the issue is marked resolved.
What to use in the meantime
- Switch to another output, such as the PC’s own headphone jack, Bluetooth or HDMI, in Settings > System > Sound.
- If the device works in stereo but not surround, turn off 8-channel or 3D/virtual surround in its software. Microsoft says some customers got sound back by switching to 2-channel.
- For a business with many affected PCs, Microsoft’s advice is to contact Microsoft Support for Business.
If it isn’t the update: standard Code 10 steps
Code 10 in general means Windows loaded a driver but the device failed to start. Microsoft’s Code 10 reference recommends updating the driver first. Try these in order:
- Unplug the device, restart the PC, and plug it into a different USB port.
- In Device Manager, right-click the device, choose Update driver and then Search automatically for drivers, or install the maker’s latest driver from its site.
- If the problem started after a driver update, open Properties > Driver and select Roll Back Driver (it’s greyed out if there’s no older driver). Microsoft’s driver guide covers both options.
- Right-click the device and choose Uninstall device. If a box to remove the driver appears, tick it only for a maker’s driver you can reinstall. Restart and let Windows set it up again.
- Test the device on another PC. If it fails there too, the device or its cable is the likely cause.
Some guides suggest deleting UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values or removing every USB controller. Those aren’t Microsoft’s advice for this error and can break other devices, so leave them as a last resort for someone comfortable restoring the registry. If Windows Update keeps replacing a driver that works, see how to stop Windows updating a driver. For a Code 10 on a network adapter rather than audio, see Teredo Tunneling Adapter Code 10.
The January 2025 DAC error
An older issue produced a longer message: This device cannot start. (Code 10) Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API. It followed the January 14, 2025 updates and mostly hit USB DACs using the Audio Class 1.0 driver. Microsoft fixed it in the late-January 2025 preview updates (KB5050094 for Windows 11 24H2, KB5050081 for Windows 10), so any fully updated PC already has that fix. If you see this exact text on a fully updated PC, work through the steps above.
Related guides
- Microsoft Teredo Tunneling Adapter Code 10: what it means and how to fix it
- How to stop Windows 11 from updating your graphics driver
- How to force Windows Update to check and install updates
- Memory integrity is off because of incompatible drivers: how to fix it
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