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Windows 11 Games Crashing After August 2026 Update? Here's How to Fix It

#windows11 #gaming #troubleshooting #windowsupdate

You install the latest Windows updates.

You launch your favorite game.

And then — nothing.

A black screen. A sudden crash to desktop. Or worse — your entire PC restarts without warning.

You might think:

"Is my graphics card dying? Do I need to reinstall Windows?"

Probably not.

On August 11, 2026, Microsoft released the KB5121003 security update for Windows 11 (versions 24H2 and 25H2). It patched over 400 security vulnerabilities. But following this update, Microsoft received reports of certain games becoming unresponsive. After investigating, Microsoft determined that the issue was related to RGB-related drivers or components with filenames similar to inpoutx64, rather than being directly caused by the Windows update itself.

This guide walks you through exactly how to fix the issue — step by step.

Which Games Are Affected?

Microsoft has confirmed that the following titles are currently affected:

Game Developer
ARC Raiders Embark Studios
THE FINALS Embark Studios
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls NetEase Games

Symptoms include:

  • Games failing to launch
  • Games freezing or becoming unresponsive
  • Games closing without any error message
  • An EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error
  • In some cases, the entire PC restarting unexpectedly

What's Actually Causing the Problem?

Following user reports, Microsoft investigated and identified the root cause:

  • The issue is related to peripherals or internal device components with RGB lighting features.
  • Such devices may install drivers or code components with file names similar to inpoutx64.
  • On systems where these drivers are present, launching certain games triggers the issue.

Important: Microsoft does not recommend uninstalling the KB5121003 update, because doing so would also remove the security fixes it contains.

Fix 1: The Official Microsoft Fix

Good news: Microsoft has already started rolling out a fix!

On August 26, 2026, Microsoft began pushing a fix through Windows Update that blocks the inpoutx64 driver from loading on affected systems.

How it works:

  1. Windows will automatically detect the inpoutx64 driver on your system
  2. It will block the driver from loading
  3. After that, your games should launch normally

What you need to do:

  • Restart your PC and check for the latest updates. The fix is being delivered through Windows Update and applies automatically when you restart.
  • The rollout began on August 26 at 6 PM PT and may take up to 24 hours to reach all devices.

To manually check for the fix:

  1. Open Settings → Windows Update
  2. Click Check for updates
  3. Install any pending updates
  4. Restart your PC

Note: The driver block will also be included in the September 2026 Windows security updates.

Fix 2: Temporary Workaround (If You Need to Play Right Now)

If the official fix hasn't reached your PC yet and you want to play immediately, Microsoft has provided a temporary workaround: disable the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows Registry.

⚠️ Warning: This is a temporary workaround. It may affect RGB lighting functionality on your peripherals or components.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Back up your registry (important!):

    • Open Registry Editor (press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter)
    • Click File → Export
    • Save the backup to a safe location

  2. Navigate to the driver key:

    • In Registry Editor, go to: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64
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  1. Disable the driver:

    • On the right side, find the registry value named Start
    • Double‑click it and change Value data to 4
    • Click OK

  2. Restart your PC

To re‑enable the driver later (if needed), simply change the Start value back to its original number (usually 2 or 3) and restart.

Fix 3: Remove the inpoutx64.sys File (Alternative Workaround)

Some game developers, including Embark Studios (the developer behind THE FINALS and ARC Raiders), have suggested removing the inpoutx64.sys file directly as an alternative temporary solution.

How to do it:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Stop the service: 

sc stop inpoutx64
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  1. Delete the service: 

sc delete inpoutx64
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  1. Navigate to the drivers folder:

    • Open File Explorer and go to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\
    • Find the file inpoutx64.sys
    • Rename it to inpoutx64.old (or delete it)

  2. Restart your PC

What NOT to Do

Don't uninstall KB5121003 just because of this issue.

Microsoft has explicitly advised against this because removing the update also removes the 400+ security fixes it contains.

Instead, use the official fix (Fix 1) or the temporary workaround (Fix 2).

How SysPulse Can Help

Dealing with unexpected issues after Windows updates is frustrating — especially when they affect your games.

If you're tired of discovering problems after they've already impacted your system, you need a way to monitor what's happening on your PC in real‑time.

SysPulse is a lightweight Windows monitor that watches for important system changes and alerts you instantly.

SysPulse can:

  • Detect new processes and show their full file paths
  • Monitor CPU and RAM anomalies
  • Detect USB connections in real‑time
  • Detect startup changes
  • Send Telegram alerts for monitored events
  • Use less than 30MB of RAM

You can set it up and let it monitor your PC in the background — so you know when something changes, even if you're not at your desk.

You can find it at: syspulse.pro

Summary Table

Issue Cause Fix
Games crashing after KB5121003 inpoutx64.sys driver conflict with RGB software Restart Windows and install the latest available updates
Games freezing or not launching Driver triggered by game launch Manual registry workaround (change Start to 4)
EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error Low‑level driver incompatibility Remove or rename inpoutx64.sys
PC restarting unexpectedly Kernel‑level driver crash Use official fix (restart + check for updates)

Final Thought

Following the August 2026 Windows 11 update (KB5121003), Microsoft received reports of certain games becoming unresponsive. Microsoft later determined that the issue was related to RGB-related drivers or components with filenames similar to inpoutx64, rather than being directly caused by the Windows update itself.

Start with the simplest solution:

  1. Restart your PC and check for the latest updates
  2. If that doesn't work, manually check for Windows updates
  3. As a last resort, use the registry workaround

The key: Don't panic. This is a known issue, and Microsoft has already started rolling out a fix. And if you want to stay informed about system changes, consider a monitoring tool that alerts you in real‑time.

Have questions about fixing game crashes? Drop a comment below — I read every one.

Happy gaming!

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