Windows 11 24H2 patch breaks audio, Bluetooth, webcams, and more

Update KB5050009, the first patch of the year for Windows 11, released two weeks ago on January 15. However, instead of fixing and improving the problematic 24H2 version of Windows 11 (which is now mandatory), this update once again brings with it a number of problems.

As reported by Windows Latest, users are encountering various errors with sound output, Bluetooth connections, and more.

Main issues of update KB5050009

After installing patch KB5050009, some users have no more sound. The issue can be traced to USB DAC ports no longer working, so headphones are no longer recognized. But it isn’t clear why this is happening.

Unfortunately, even if you switch to Bluetooth headphones, you may still be left without sound. Headsets and earphones can still be connected via Bluetooth, but won’t emit any sound after the update. No specific manufacturer is currently tied to these issues.

There were already problems with the audio output of Windows 11 back in December with a different patch. At that time, Microsoft blocked the availability of 24H2 for affected devices, meaning affected PCs temporarily couldn’t update to version 24H2. As of this writing, no update block has been issued for patch KB5050009.

Other problems in update KB5050009

In addition to USB audio and Bluetooth connection issues, this update has a bug where integrated webcams are no longer recognized on some PCs. It mainly appears to affect Dell monitors so far, and only a complete reinstallation of Windows 11 can fix the issue at the moment.

Furthermore, users have been reporting all kinds of other issues ever since the January 2025 update for Windows 11 24H2, including:

• Installation errors with error codes or endless restarts.
• Crashes caused by the Alt + Tab key combination during gaming.
• Ctrl + Alt + Delete and the Task Manager no longer working.
• Smart App Control incorrectly blocking apps and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).

There’s currently no known solution for the issues caused by patch KB5050009. Your only course of action right now is to try uninstalling the update and hoping it’ll resolve your errors. You should also pause the automatic installation of updates if you’re affected.

In any case, the timing of this patch and its problems is pretty bad, as Microsoft wants to convince Windows 10 users to switch over to Windows 11 24H2 with the offer of a free upgrade.