- Windows 11 24H2 has a new bug that interrupts audio output
- It is caused by the Dirac Audio software and a fix is being worked on.
- Microsoft has blocked the update for PCs running Dirac
The latest major update for Windows 11, version 24H2, has run into yet another issue, namely an issue with audio output, or lack thereof.
This is a bug that disrupts the sound output of affected PCs, so you won’t hear anything through the built-in speakers, Bluetooth speakers, or headphones, which is a rather unpleasant development.
Microsoft has confirmed the issue in its “known issues” list in the Windows 11 24H2 release status panel, along with another recently identified issue with the Auto HDR feature that causes colors to display incorrectly in games.
The software giant explains that the sound error is related to the Dirac Audio software (and its cridspapo.dll file), which is designed to make audio clearer. Microsoft tells us that the issue has affected a “limited set of devices from one manufacturer,” but unfortunately doesn’t tell us which vendor it is.
Whatever the case, to fix the bug, Microsoft has implemented a temporary update block that prevents the 24H2 update from being installed. This policy is what Microsoft calls a “compatibility safeguard hold,” which is a way to ensure that the update is not delivered to devices that are going to have problems.
The current status of this audio issue
Right now, there is no fix for this issue, so if you’ve already upgraded to 24H2 and suddenly have a silent PC, there’s not much you can do.
The good news is that Microsoft is working directly with Dirac to release a new version of its audio software to resolve the issue. When Dirac makes the new driver available, Microsoft will push it to PCs via Windows Update and once the issue is resolved, the update block will be lifted and those who have Dirac Audio installed will be able to get the 24H2 update.
The bug only affects version 24H2, so if you are using an older version like Windows 11 23H2, you should be fine. You can read more about this audio issue in the official Microsoft documentation.
Interestingly, this is not the only audio-related issue we have seen with Windows 11 24H2. Another bug that emerged causes some PCs to play sound at maximum volume without warning, so it’s the polar opposite of this new problem, and Microsoft is still trying to implement a fix for that as well.
I think Windows 11 is definitely having a moment with the 24H2 update, running into a slew of bugs, but it’s not like we haven’t seen this before: Windows 10 has suffered from a multitude of issues at various points in its existence.
However, it won’t be long before Windows 10 reaches end of life (in fact, that will happen next October) and Microsoft will have to continue improving and perfecting Windows 11 to convince more people to switch. With any luck, this bad streak of bugs for Windows 11 will end sooner rather than later.
