Gamers using Windows 11 24H2 systems are getting jumpscared by this one weird audio bug

Shocked young arabic gamer wearing headphones screaming playing video game on personal computer, play in eSport cyber games tournament in neon light. — (Image credit: Andrii Lysenko via Getty Images)

No one enjoys being jumpscared by their own gaming PC. I'm not talking about horror stories where a glass pane suddenly shatters, or a tube of cooling fluid starts to leak. This tale of terror centres on a (deafening) call coming from inside the house.

While the infamous blue screen of death has been keeping us on our toes for decades (especially when it changed to a much more ominous colourway), some Windows 11 users are reporting a much more frightening issue—and there's no jumpscare toggle for this one.

If you're using a Windows 11 machine that's running the most recent 24H2 update, you may want to consider ear protection, as Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a bug that whacks your volume all the way up to 100% if you're using USB DAC audio devices (via Windows Latest).

This isn't the only bug Windows 24H2 systems have recently had to contend with. For one thing just last month, folks storing files on select Western Digital SSDs were being barraged by blue screens. Data management makes my palms sweat at the best of times, but it definitely doesn't help when a certain Windows update leaves behind a hefty 8.36 GB cache file that simply refuses to get punted into my recycle bin.

With no error message pop up or anything else to really clue you in, this latest bug's sudden shift to max volume is likely to get you every time. Microsoft has identified the cause as "a timing problem in the AudioEndpointBuilder service," and are currently working on a fix. In the meantime, if you're running the latest Windows 11 version and you use a USB DAC sound system, it might be best to keep your audio unplugged for now.

As for those of you who have been putting off that Windows update, you're allowed to feel quietly smug.

Jess has been writing about games for over ten years, spending the last seven working on print publications PLAY and Official PlayStation Magazine. When she’s not writing about all things hardware here, she’s getting cosy with a horror classic, ranting about a cult hit to a captive audience, or tinkering with some tabletop nonsense.