The Windows January updates are a mess – here’s why you should wait to install

Microsoft issued its first major set of Windows updates for 2025 earlier this month, but based on user complaints, those updates haven’t worked out too well. As described by Windows Latest, the January patches have triggered bugs with audio, Bluetooth, webcams, and more. At this point, Microsoft has confirmed the audio glitches.
Bugs and glitches
The troubles stem from multiple Windows updates rolled out on Jan. 14, including KB5050009 for Windows 11 24H2, KB5050021 for Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, and KB5049981 for Windows 10. The problems affect all those versions of Windows, including 24H2, which has been plagued by its own unique bugs.
As detailed by Mayank Parmar for Windows Latest, the update clobbered the audio on his Bluetooth headphones. Though the headphones were still connected, they produced no audio. Unpairing and then re-pairing them didn’t resolve the problem, nor did resetting Bluetooth.
Also:Â Windows 11 24H2 bug list updated: One fixed, 12 to go
Other people have reported similar audio glitches even with non-Bluetooth headphones. Citing an issue with Bluetooth headphones and audio, Parmar was able to fix the glitch only by removing the problematic patch.
The update may also interfere with built-in webcams. Here, Parmar said his Spectre’s built-in camera was no longer detected after he installed the Windows 11 KB5050009 update. Users on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub have also reported “Device cannot start” errors on Dell 4K monitors with built-in webcams.
Another new bug found in the January updates for Windows 11 24H2 and 23H2 affects headphones connected through USB digital-to-analog converters. In this case, the DAC no longer works, producing an error message that says: “Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.”
With many reports about this on the Feedback Hub, the issue seems to impact devices such as JDS Labs ODAC, Fiio E17K USB DAC, FX-Audio DAC-X6, Hifime Sabre DAC, HyperX USB headsets, and Denon CEOL Carino.
There are still more issues hitting users who’ve installed the latest patches, as reported by Windows Latest.
Pressing Alt+Tab could freeze and crash your PC when switching away from certain games. Ctrl+Alt+Del and Task Manager may not work, affecting games such as Fortnite and Assassin’s Creed. In some cases, trying to apply the KB5050009 patch triggers installation errors. And some people who do manage to install the update say that Microsoft’s Smart App Control now incorrectly blocks certain apps.
Also:Â Microsoft is forcing Windows 11 24H2 update on all eligible PCs, but is it stable enough?
Microsoft has also confirmed a few bugs introduced by the January updates.
In one glitch, PCs with certain Citrix components may not be able to complete the installation of the January patches. Microsoft said it found this issue on devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411, which was released in December. The company is currently working with Citrix to resolve the problem.
Microsoft also verified the reported issues with USB audio devices and DACs, saying a bug in the January updates may cause the device to stop working, preventing audio playback. In this case, however, the company issued a patch for the problem with KB5050094, released on Jan. 28.
The only resolution so far
Otherwise, most of the other problems have yet to be fixed. For now, the only resolution is to uninstall the update you applied. To do that in Windows 11, go to System, select Windows Update, and then click Update History. In Windows 10, go to System, select Update & Security, and then click View Update History. Click the link for Uninstall Updates, choose the update you wish to remove, and then select Uninstall.
Also:Â Your Windows 11 PC is acting up? 4 essential settings I always check first
With so many different Windows PCs and configurations used around the world, a certain number of bugs and conflicts are inevitable. But Microsoft and Windows users have been going through a particularly rough patch. Windows 11 24H2 has been a mess, with one glitch after another popping up, causing Microsoft to pause this version for affected PCs.
The irony is that the company has been pushing people to upgrade to Windows 11 as support for Windows 10 is due to end in October. But with so many problems caused by the latest updates, Microsoft needs to ensure that users will be able to upgrade and still be able to work and play on their PCs.