Windows 11 Update Triggers Game Crashes on Systems With RGB Lighting Drivers

Microsoft is currently investigating a compatibility issue with Windows 11, in which certain games crash, freeze, or cause unexpected system restarts on devices equipped with RGB lighting hardware and related low-level drivers.

This problem was reported following the release of Windows updates on August 11, 2026, including the KB5121003 update for OS Build 26100.9168.

Microsoft began its investigation on August 19 and provided an update on August 21, suggesting that RGB-enabled peripherals or internal components may be contributing factors.

Windows 11 Update Triggers Game Crashes

According to Microsoft, affected systems may have installed drivers or code components with filenames resembling “inpoutx64.”

These drivers are typically provided by software that controls RGB lighting on peripherals, motherboards, cooling systems, graphics cards, and other internal hardware.

Affected Games

Microsoft has received reports regarding the following titles experiencing issues:

• ARC Raiders
• MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls
• THE FINALS

Users have reported various symptoms that can differ across systems and games. In some instances, the game becomes unresponsive shortly after launching; in others, it closes unexpectedly with an “EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION” error or causes the entire device to restart.

The issue affects both Windows 11 version 25H2 and version 24H2. Notably, no Windows Server editions have been identified as affected.

Microsoft’s ongoing investigation indicates a probable link between the game failures and RGB-capable devices that install components related to inpoutx64.

However, the company has not yet clarified the technical reasons for these crashes or determined whether the issue stems from driver behavior, kernel-level access, anti-cheat interactions, memory handling, or other compatibility problems introduced by the recent updates.

The presence of the access-violation error is significant, as it suggests that a process attempted to access protected or invalid memory.

Nonetheless, Microsoft has not attributed this error to a security vulnerability or determined that the affected RGB drivers are unsafe. The advisory currently describes the situation as a stability and compatibility issue rather than a confirmed security flaw.

Low-level hardware-control drivers can create complex interactions with games, particularly those that utilize anti-cheat protections or perform integrity checks during launch.

RGB management utilities often require privileged access to device registers or hardware interfaces, which increases the potential for conflicts when the operating system’s behavior changes.

Until a permanent solution is available, Microsoft recommends temporarily disabling the inpoutx64 driver through the Windows Registry. Users should first back up their registry. They can then open the Registry Editor and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64

Within that key, users can open the Start registry value and change its Value data to 4, then restart the computer. Setting the service start value to 4 disables the driver.

Microsoft warns that doing this may disrupt RGB features or prevent associated lighting-control software from functioning correctly. Users who experience these side effects can restore the driver by reverting the registry setting to its previous value.

Microsoft encourages affected users to submit reports via the Feedback Hub by pressing Windows + F. The company will continue to investigate the relationship between RGB components and the affected games, with further updates anticipated once the root cause is identified.

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