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Windows 11’s February 2025 update fixes annoying bugs

Windows 11 logo on a laptop.
Microsoft

Microsoft’s February 2025 cumulative update brings much-needed relief to Windows 11 users, fixing Auto HDR issues that caused game crashes, audio output disruptions, and USB webcam detection problems, as reported by Bleeping Computer. The patch, KB5051987 for Windows 11 24H2 users and KB5051989 for 23H2 addresses these irritating bugs and is mandatory.

The update fixes the Auto HDR problem that interfered with the colors and caused game crashes, improving the gaming experience. Furthermore, the update fixes a bug that cut off audio output, especially if you were using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), though others were affected. Moreover, a rare issue displayed a “This device cannot start” message, but you may not have seen that one.

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It is excellent news to hear the Auto HDR fix we first saw in the January preview update passed the final testing without issues, and it’s now available for all Windows 11 PCs. More great news: the compatibility issue that prevented users from updating to 24H2 is now resolved. If you couldn’t update before, you sure can now.

It’s your choice whether to update to Windows 11 24H2, and you may even think twice about it with all the issues linked to it. For example, there were bugs for visual layouts, users without administrative privileges could not change the time zone in the Date & Time view, and certain wallpaper apps. But if you’re ready to make the switch, you can check for any pending updates by going to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates. If the update is available, it will start downloading automatically and require your PC to restart at least two times.

Judy Sanhz
Judy Sanhz is a Digital Trends computing writer covering all computing news. Loves all operating systems and devices.
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