No input detected of any microphone

[Nik42]

I've been paying attention to this recently via Discord but I can guarantee that until about two months ago everything worked without any problems. The strangest fact is that my voice input is detected only in the Windows settings (gear icon) but not in the control panel. Then, if I open Windows settings to check that the microphone is working and in parallel open the control panel I can clearly see that on either side my voice is detected, but if I close the settings and leave only the control panel open the microphone input stops working.

This is very weird.

Initially I thought it was a problem related only to one microphone, but I later found out that actually EVERY microphone I try to connect behaves this way. I have tried applying literally every possible solution on the net:

- I uninstalled and reinstalled devices drivers. 

- I disabled the Windows audio enanchements 

- I disabled Intel Smart Sound Technology but nothing changed

- I uninstalled Windows updates but nothing changes again

- I made sure the input volume of the devices was at 100%

- I changed privacy settings in order to make my microphone usable by apps

I don't know what to do anymore, this situation sucks and it's driving me insane. I own an HP OMEN DH0010NL with Windows 11 24H2 version.

[Max3Aj]

@Nik42, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

This sounds like a genuinely frustrating and bizarre issue, especially with the strange behavior where the mic only works if Windows Settings is open. That’s not typical, and it suggests something deeper in how Windows 11 (especially 24H2, which is still fresh) is handling audio device routing or permissions.
Here’s a tailored breakdown of things to check beyond the usual steps you've already tried:

Check if Audio Services Are Being Suspended or Redirected

When you open the Settings panel and mic input starts working, that might wake up a dormant or suspended audio session. This sounds like a power management or session handling issue.

Try:

• Run services.msc → Find “Windows Audio” and “Windows Audio Endpoint Builder”
  • Right-click → Restart both.
• Also, go to:
  • Control Panel → Sound → Recording tab
  • Right-click your mic → Properties → Advanced tab → Disable “Allow applications to take exclusive control”
  • And uncheck "Give exclusive mode applications priority"

Check HP’s Audio Driver Customizations

HP often loads custom audio driver enhancements (Realtek HD Audio Manager, Bang & Olufsen Audio Control, etc.), and these can interfere.

Try:

• Open Task Manager → Startup tab, disable anything audio-related (like Realtek or HP Audio Control).
• Go to Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers:
  • Uninstall all Realtek/Intel Smart Sound-related audio drivers.
  • Then go to HP's website and reinstall only the latest Realtek driver without HP Audio Control, if available.

Check Audio Driver Mode Conflicts

Windows 11 has two audio driver types now:

• HDA (High Definition Audio)
• UAD (Universal Audio Driver)

If both are installed or clashing, it can cause strange bugs.

Try:

• Use DriverStore Explorer (RAPR.exe) to check for duplicate audio drivers.
• Remove all but the most recent valid one.

Use Process Monitor or LatencyMon

Let’s see what’s happening in the background when your mic works only with Settings open.

Try:

• Download LatencyMon → Run it while testing the mic behavior.
• Or use Process Monitor (SysInternals):
  • Filter for audio services or audiodg.exe and see what kicks in when you open Settings.

Group Policy or Registry Conflicts

There may be some policy or registry entries corrupted due to a recent Windows update.

Try:

Registry Key Check:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Capture
  • Look for your devices here. Make sure DeviceState is 1 (active), not 4 (disabled) or 8 (removed).
• Also check:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Audio
  • Look for any odd values relating to "PolicyConfig" or "AudioSrv".

You can export these keys first, then reset them by deleting and rebooting to let Windows re-initialize.

Temporary Workaround to Confirm Root Cause

Try creating a dummy app that opens the mic stream (like Audacity or Voice Recorder) and keeps it running in the background. If this also "unlocks" the mic when Settings isn’t open, we can confirm it’s a session/activation issue.

Clean Install (as Last Resort) with Minimal Drivers

You may need to do a clean install of Windows 11 23H2 or even backtrack to 22H2, using Media Creation Tool, without letting HP/Windows install extra audio enhancements.Use a NVCleanstall-style approach:

• Install Windows cleanly.
• Install only essential Realtek drivers manually.

If you’re comfortable, I can help you generate a PowerShell script to:

• Check mic device states.
• Reset audio services.
• List conflicting audio sessions.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support