Microsoft Drops Built-In Dolby Digital (AC-3) Codec

Microsoft has announced that the latest Windows 11 update, version 24H2, will no longer include the AC-3 audio codec, commonly known as Dolby Digital.

The AC-3 Codec is popular for supporting multi-channel, surround-sound audio playback.

Up until now, this codec was available as a standard feature on Windows versions prior to Windows 11, 24H2.

For users upgrading from older Windows versions, there’s some good news: the AC-3 Codec will still be retained during the upgrade, meaning Dolby Digital playback will remain available.

Also, many device manufacturers are expected to continue pre-installing the AC-3 Codec on their systems, ensuring that playback of AC-3-encoded files should still work on new devices.

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