Microsoft Shares Temporary Fix for Windows 11 KB5121003 Causing Game Crashes and Freezes

Last week, Microsoft acknowledged earlier reports about the Windows 11 Patch Tuesday Update, KB5121003, triggering crashes and freezing issues in some games following the update. At the time, the company mentioned different types of issues players could encounter in some games like ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and THE FINALS. While Microsoft didn’t share any temporary fixes for the issue, now they are here.

Microsoft shares temporary registry workaround to fix game launch and crashing issues following KB5121003 patch

Over the weekend, Microsoft updated the Issue details’ description with a workaround. The workaround involves changing the Start registry value for the inpoutx64 driver. Microsoft warns users to back up the Registry before making any changes.

The company also cautions that disabling the driver could affect RGB features on peripherals or components. Software responsible for controlling those RGB features could also stop working correctly.

How to disable the inpoutx64 driver

• Open the Windows Registry. Open the Start menu and type “regedit.” Select Registry Editor from the results.
• Navigate to the driver key. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\inpoutx64
  You can use the folders on the left or enter the path in the address bar.
• Back up the Registry first. Microsoft recommends creating a backup before changing the Registry.
• Change the Start value. On the right, find Start and double-click it. Enter 4 under Value data.
• Restart the computer. Close Registry Editor and restart Windows for the change to take effect.

That said, Microsoft has warned users that “disabling this registry key can result in unintended behavior, such as issues with RGB features on peripherals or components, or issues with the software used to control RGB features. If you experience such issues and want to restore that functionality, you may re-enable the driver by restoring the registry key to its previous value.” In case you want to restore the registry, check this official guide.

For now, the registry change appears to be a workaround rather than a permanent fix. Users should therefore consider the potential RGB-related side effects before applying it. Microsoft has also noted that it’ll investigate the relationship between RGB issues and game crashes and share updates soon.