Microsoft Shares Registry Workaround for Windows 11 Gaming Crashes Linked to RGB Peripherals

Microsoft has shared a temporary workaround for Windows 11 gaming crashes that players began reporting shortly after the August 11, 2026 Patch Tuesday update, publishing step-by-step registry instructions while its investigation continues.

In a note added to its Windows 11 known issues pages on Thursday, Microsoft confirmed that games including ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and THE FINALS can become unresponsive, close unexpectedly, throw an "EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION" error, or trigger an unexpected system restart after KB5121003 and later cumulative updates on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.

According to Microsoft, ongoing investigation indicates the issue is related to peripherals or internal device components that include RGB lighting features. "Such devices may install drivers or code components with file names similar to inpoutx64," Microsoft said. "In systems where these drivers are found, the issue is then triggered by launching certain games." The company said it is still working to understand the relationship between the RGB components and the games that trigger the crash.

Microsoft's workaround asks affected players to disable the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows registry. The steps are:

• Back up the registry, since the change may need to be reverted once Microsoft ships a fix in a future update.
• Open the Start menu, type "regedit", and launch Registry Editor.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64.
• Double-click the Start value and change its Value data to 4.
• Close the window and restart the computer.

Microsoft warned that disabling the key could affect RGB features on peripherals or components, and that players who experience problems can restore RGB behaviour by setting Start back to its previous value. The company also asked affected users to file a report through the Feedback Hub app.

Embark Studios, the developer behind THE FINALS and ARC Raiders, has separately confirmed that the inpoutx64.sys driver is the trigger and pointed to changes Microsoft made to the Windows kernel driver, providing public guidance that mirrors Microsoft's own registry workaround while a permanent fix is in development.

This is the latest in a string of Windows 11 compatibility issues that have hit games since the August 2026 Patch Tuesday. Microsoft has separately lifted upgrade blocks and compatibility holds that previously affected titles such as Asphalt 8: Airborne, Star Wars Outlaws, multiple Assassin's Creed games, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Players still seeing crashes after applying the workaround are encouraged to file Feedback Hub reports so Microsoft can finish identifying which RGB components are responsible.

For the official workaround and full registry steps, see Microsoft's Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues page.