Important Notice: Windows 11 Update Causes Communication Failure Between vMix 29 and MIDI Control Panel – Data Cannot Be Read.
Microsoft has updated the MIDI stack in Windows 11, and the Preview Update KB5074105 has caused compatibility issues for tools and systems using MIDI looping. For more details, please refer to Microsoft’s official documentation: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/windows-music-dev/windows-midi-services-rollout-known-issues-and-workarounds/
Issue Cause
Microsoft reconstructed the underlying MIDI data stack as part of the February 2026 Windows 11 update. This reconstruction has caused a communication error between vMix 29 and hardware MIDI control panels, resulting in most MIDI control panels not functioning properly.
Symptoms
– The control panel appears correctly in the MIDI devices list within vMix.
– All button presses, fader movements, and other control data sent from the control panel cannot be read by vMix.
– vMix can still send LED lighting and feedback data to the control panel normally.
Affected Users
This issue only affects users with: Windows 11 (with the February 2026 update installed) + vMix 29
The following users are NOT affected:
– All versions of Windows 10
– Windows 11 users who have not installed the February 2026 MIDI-related update
Solutions
Option A
Roll back Windows 11 to the system state before the February 2026 update. For detailed rollback steps, please refer to Microsoft’s official guidelines. (Recommended by vMix Official)
Option B
Contact the iSanKeys support team to upgrade your control panel’s firmware/driver, which will resolve the compatibility issue with the new Windows 11 MIDI stack.
Firmware Upgrade Video Guides:
RP400 (SK-R290): https://youtube.com/shorts/cYW_5o4N_8o?si=GV9EUMnE0ZiPNPXl
RP800 (SK-R420): https://youtube.com/shorts/s4DHhDPeO98?si=b3DKPMQGoxhVBTVb
For technical support regarding the firmware upgrade, please contact: support@sanwarm.com