Windows bugs and fixes September 25 2026: status
Chapters
What broke on Windows 11?
Cybersecuritynews, published September 25, 2026, says Windows 11 can show a black screen after sign-in when Explorer fails to start.
BleepingComputer, published September 25, 2026, says the failure followed the August 2026 preview updates and subsequent updates, primarily affecting Azure Virtual Desktop hosts that use FSLogix profiles. A person can authenticate without reaching a usable desktop, while the Windows Application event log may record Windows Explorer crashes, according to Cybersecuritynews on September 25, 2026.
BleepingComputer, published September 25, 2026, names KB5120996 for Windows 11 26H1, KB5120998 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, and the later KB5124008 and KB5122880 updates. Microsoft lists the incident as mitigated rather than permanently resolved, and Cybersecuritynews said on September 25, 2026, that engineers were still developing a correction for a future Windows update.
I would not treat the Windows known issues behind these black screens as an unexplained help-desk mystery, because the affected updates, symptoms, temporary command and rollback policies are documented in the dated reports. Waiting for an IT provider is reasonable on a managed virtual desktop, but BleepingComputer’s September 25, 2026 report gives a keyboard-level workaround for an individual session.
TL;DR
Cybersecuritynews, published September 25, 2026, says Windows 11 can leave people at a black screen after sign-in because the desktop shell does not start. Tech Insider, published September 24, 2026, says KB5124010 fixes the File History failure, but The FPS Review, published September 25, 2026, links the same optional update to game crashes for which no fix has shipped.
- BleepingComputer, published September 25, 2026, says manually launching
explorer.exerestores the affected desktop session. - Cybersecuritynews, published September 25, 2026, says Microsoft has provided separate Known Issue Rollback policies for Windows 11 26H1 and versions 25H2 and 24H2.
- Tech Insider, published September 24, 2026, says updates released on and after September 22, 2026, including KB5124010, resolve the File History failure.
- The FPS Review, published September 25, 2026, says removing KB5124010 stopped reported game crashes, but the mechanism remains unconfirmed.
Which Windows fixes have shipped?
Tech Insider, published September 24, 2026, says KB5124010 fixes the File History failure caused by KB5124008.
The File History problem began after the September 2026 Windows security update and could prevent customers from creating or updating backups, according to Tech Insider on September 24, 2026. Microsoft’s documentation says the problem is resolved in updates released on and after September 22, 2026, including KB5124010, according to the same dated report.
BleepingComputer, published September 24, 2026, says KB5124010 is a non-security preview update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 with 46 changes and fixes. Its shipped repairs include a Bluetooth Settings toggle that could remain on when the radio was off and a crash with error code 0x139 during Bluetooth audio streaming, according to BleepingComputer on September 24, 2026.
The black-screen regression has not received a permanent Windows update fix, despite KB5124010 shipping other repairs, according to Cybersecuritynews on September 25, 2026. Microsoft has instead issued Known Issue Rollback policies that disable the problematic non-security change, while the earlier File History sequence remains available in my Windows bugs and fixes September 24 2026: File History report.
Is KB5124010 causing game crashes?
The FPS Review, published September 25, 2026, ties KB5124010 to Battlefield 6 crashes shortly after launch.
The report describes Battlefield 6 dropping to the desktop after about 20 seconds without an error, while player reports describe crashes after 20 to 30 seconds across three Windows 11 PCs. The FPS Review said on September 25, 2026, that Windows 10 was unaffected in that reported test, but those player accounts do not establish the underlying cause.
The game developers also connected the Wardogs WD-L020 launch error to KB5124010 and said the team was still investigating a fix, according to The FPS Review on September 25, 2026. Battlefield 6 and Wardogs use kernel-level anti-cheat, but the same report says nobody has confirmed that anti-cheat is the mechanism behind the Windows 11 bug.
No game-crash fix has shipped, according to The FPS Review on September 25, 2026, so the available workaround is to uninstall KB5124010 and restart the PC. The cost is losing the preview’s quality fixes and features, although BleepingComputer said on September 24, 2026, that optional monthly updates such as KB5124010 do not contain security fixes.
What can a Windows user do today?
BleepingComputer, published September 25, 2026, says launching explorer.exe manually restores the affected desktop session.
For a black screen after sign-in, I would press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, select Run new task, enter explorer.exe, and select OK, following BleepingComputer’s September 25, 2026 instructions. The workaround restores access only for the current session and does not remove the underlying regression, according to Cybersecuritynews on September 25, 2026.
For managed Windows 11 26H1 devices, Cybersecuritynews said on September 25, 2026, that administrators should deploy the KB5124006 260924_20071 rollback policy. Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 require KB5124010 260924_20021, followed by configuration under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates and a device restart, according to the same dated report. The cost is that the offending non-security change remains disabled until Microsoft releases a permanent correction.
For game crashes that began after KB5124010, I would open the installed update list, remove KB5124010 and restart, following The FPS Review’s September 25, 2026 guidance. For broken File History backups, I would install an update released on or after September 22, 2026, including KB5124010, because Tech Insider’s September 24, 2026 report says those releases contain the shipped repair.
Frequently asked questions
Has Microsoft permanently fixed the black screen after sign-in?
No. Cybersecuritynews, published September 25, 2026, says Microsoft lists the incident as mitigated while engineers prepare a permanent correction for a future Windows update.
Should every Windows 11 user uninstall KB5124010?
No. The FPS Review, published September 25, 2026, describes removal as optional and at the user’s own risk for affected games, while BleepingComputer’s September 24, 2026 report lists shipped quality fixes in the update.
Does KB5124010 contain security fixes?
No. BleepingComputer, published September 24, 2026, says KB5124010 is an optional non-security preview containing quality improvements, fixes and new features.