Some users' microphones have stopped appearing in Teams and Sound Recorder on Surface and Dell devices. Uninstalling the device in Device Manager and scanning for hardware changes brings it back.
A Realtek AudioProcessingObject driver update is a possible suspect, so driver updates are temporarily blocked. Has anyone got other troubleshooting ideas?
If Sound Recorder can't see the mic either, I'd start below the Teams layer. The uninstall and hardware rescan workaround points toward device detection or a driver problem, though it doesn't prove which update caused it.
Compare the audio driver versions and recent updates on affected and unaffected machines. Holding back the suspected update while testing it on a small set of devices seems reasonable, but keep track of the block so it can be revisited once the cause is clearer.
Check Windows microphone privacy settings too, especially if the device appears in Windows but Teams can't use it. An app update can coincide with permissions being turned off, so make sure microphone access is enabled for Teams.
For a mic that's completely missing from Device Manager, try looking for a newer audio driver in the Windows Update Catalog as well as on the device manufacturer's site. A suitable driver isn't always offered through the normal Windows Update interface, and the manufacturer's download may not fix every case.
Worth checking security software if the usual driver fixes don't stick. A microphone conflict with Sophos has been reported on Dell laptops, though that doesn't establish it as the cause here. Compare what's installed and any relevant policy changes on affected machines.
Are the affected users connecting through Remote Desktop? Check the microphone option when starting the session. If it's not enabled, the remote session may not have access to the local microphone even though the device itself is fine.
Answers are reviewed before publication.
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