gaming issues Archives

Winsage

August 20, 2026

Microsoft says August Windows updates may cause gaming issues

Microsoft is investigating issues related to the August 2026 updates that may affect the launch of certain games or cause crashes on select Windows 11 systems. Users have reported problems such as games freezing, closing unexpectedly, encountering "EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION" errors, and unexpected system restarts. The updates in question include KB5121003, which was part of the August 2026 Patch Tuesday and included enhancements like Secure Boot updates and improvements to File Explorer and Windows Search. Microsoft has encouraged affected gamers to report issues via the Feedback Hub app. In the past, Microsoft had to block Windows 24H2 upgrades due to known issues and lifted compatibility holds for several popular games.

Winsage

August 17, 2026

Windows 11 KB5121003 now crashing games and causing Windows Hello issues

A surge of reports regarding game crashes and launch issues on Windows platforms has prompted Microsoft to provide resources through its Update Catalog to assist users. Players have faced unexpected crashes and difficulties launching games due to factors like software incompatibilities and outdated drivers. The Microsoft Update Catalog offers driver updates, patch releases, and guides to help users troubleshoot these gaming issues.

Winsage

February 16, 2026

How to uninstall Windows updates for Windows 11: Step-by-step guide and process

Trust in Windows 11 has declined significantly after the January 2026 update, which disrupted key applications like Notepad and Xbox, and caused users to be unable to shut down their PCs. The update also negatively impacted gaming performance on NVIDIA GPUs, leading to widespread user dissatisfaction. Microsoft has recommended that users uninstall the January 2026 update. To uninstall Windows updates on Windows 11, users can follow these steps: 1. Open the Settings app and select "Windows Update." 2. Click on "Update history" and note the KBxxxxx number of the update to uninstall. 3. Click on "Uninstall updates," find the KBxxx number, and click the Uninstall button. 4. Confirm the uninstallation and restart if prompted. If uninstallation fails, users may need to enter Safe Mode by holding the Shift key while restarting, selecting Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, and Startup Settings to access Safe Mode. Once in Safe Mode, users can repeat the uninstallation steps.

Winsage

February 15, 2026

Windows 11 KB5077181 fixes gaming bugs, Nvidia black screen, and performance issue affecting explorer.exe, taskbar, and Start menu

Windows 11 KB5077181 is a mandatory update that resolves up to 58 critical vulnerabilities, including a serious flaw in Windows Notepad that could allow for remote code execution. It introduces new features like an Apple Handoff-like Resume function and addresses gaming issues, particularly graphical artifacts in games such as Forza Horizon 5. The update fixes the black screen problem affecting certain Nvidia GPUs and resolves issues related to explorer.exe freezing or crashing upon login. Microsoft has confirmed that the update addresses black screen problems in isolated multiuser environments and rectifies boot failures linked to specific GPU configurations. Users can check if the update is installed by navigating to Settings > System > About, with the latest version being Build 26200.7840 or newer.

Winsage

November 22, 2025

Nvidia confirms October Windows updates cause gaming issues

Nvidia has acknowledged that recent security updates have caused gaming performance challenges for users on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. To address these issues, Nvidia released the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 581.94. This hotfix driver is a beta version and has not undergone the standard quality assurance procedures, allowing for quicker deployment. Users may experience diminished performance in certain games after installing the Windows 11 October 2025 update, specifically KB5066835. The hotfix drivers are optional and have been expedited to provide timely solutions. Users can access the driver for both Windows 10 x64 and Windows 11 x64 systems via Nvidia's Customer Care support site. Additionally, Microsoft has addressed various bugs in recent Windows updates, including issues with localhost HTTP connections, smart card authentication, and the Windows Recovery Environment.

Winsage

July 22, 2025

Microsoft adds telemetry to monitor Windows 11 sluggishness in latest beta, dev builds — logs reportedly only sent when users submit feedback

Microsoft has rolled out new telemetry features in the latest preview builds of Windows 11 to monitor system performance and address user concerns about responsiveness. This advanced telemetry will automatically detect performance issues and log them in the %systemRoot%TempDiagOutputDirWhesvc folder, facilitating user feedback through the Feedback Hub. The upcoming Windows 11 25H2 will include this feature, alongside a revamped resource management system aimed at improving responsiveness compared to Windows 10. However, users have reported ongoing performance challenges, including gaming issues and general sluggishness. Additionally, Microsoft claimed that Windows 11 is more than twice as fast as Windows 10, based on comparisons using different hardware configurations, which has drawn scrutiny.

Winsage

December 20, 2024

Windows 11 24H2 is the unwanted holiday gift that keeps on giving thanks to Auto HDR game crashes, audio device woes, odd bouts of stuttering and more

Microsoft's 24H2 update for Windows 11 has caused various issues for users, including game stuttering, unexpected crashes, and disappearing audio devices. The update has led to problems with Auto HDR, resulting in incorrect game colors and crashes, particularly affecting certain display configurations. Audio issues have been reported with devices using Dirac Audio, but others have experienced similar problems without it. Users have also faced driver disruptions, notification glitches, animation issues, and browser freezing. The update has been withheld from machines with certain Ubisoft games installed to prevent crashes, and previous issues included an audio bug and a BSOD bug related to Western Digital SSDs.

Winsage

December 20, 2024

Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 update on more PCs due to new gaming issues

Many users view Windows 11 as a reimagined version of Windows 10, but it includes exclusive features for gamers. Microsoft has restricted access to the latest Windows 11 update due to complications with the Auto HDR feature, which enhances visuals by converting SDR content to HDR. A bug in Auto HDR has caused games to display incorrect colors or freeze. Microsoft has not specified which devices or games are affected and has implemented a compatibility hold on devices using Auto HDR, preventing them from installing Windows 11 version 24H2. Users are advised to disable Auto HDR to proceed with the update. Additionally, there have been other gaming-related issues with Windows 11 version 24H2, including crashes in games using Easy Anti-Cheat and responsiveness issues in titles like Asphalt 8, along with compatibility challenges with certain Ubisoft games.

Winsage

November 26, 2024

Microsoft Pauses Certain Players’ Windows Updates Over Ubisoft-Game Stability Issues

Microsoft has halted the automatic deployment of Windows updates for PCs with specific Ubisoft games due to compatibility issues reported by users. The Windows 11 24H2 update, which began rolling out last month, caused instabilities in games such as Star Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla, leading to startup failures and crashes. Microsoft is investigating the situation and has advised players to avoid manually updating their systems. The problematic Ubisoft games identified include: - Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Assassin's Creed Origins - Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Star Wars Outlaws - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Ubisoft is also working on solutions, with a patch for Star Wars Outlaws providing a temporary workaround, though it may still lead to performance issues. Users are advised to avoid the 24H2 update and consider rolling back to a previous Windows version if necessary.

AppWizard

November 25, 2024

Microsoft warns that the latest Windows 11 update may crash PC games now

Microsoft has paused the deployment of the Windows 11 update 24H2 due to significant issues affecting users playing select Ubisoft games, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Players have reported problems such as black screens, freezing, and unresponsiveness during gameplay. Ubisoft has provided a temporary fix for Star Wars Outlaws, but Microsoft advises users against manually installing the 24H2 update and suggests using Task Manager to close unresponsive games. Microsoft is working with Ubisoft and other developers to resolve these issues, but no specific timeline for a fix has been provided. Previous compatibility challenges with the 24H2 update included issues with multiplayer games using Epic’s Easy Anti-Cheat software and certain Western Digital SSDs.