Problem with Windows 10 ver. 21H1 -- all audio input/output devices missing in Sound settings, red X on volume icon

This solution, surprisingly.... worked for me.... WOW. This is incredibly stupid Microsoft..... I have been spending 12+ hours today trying to find the solution to this issue. Windows removed all of my Playback and Recording devices although they all still existed in Device Manager under Sound, video and game controllers. My sound icon in the system tray had the red circle X and I could not select any of my audio devices at all.

I have tried all of the following that did NOT resolve this:

1. Uninstalled, Reinstalled Realtek drivers from Device Manager & Rebooted
2. Uninstalled Realtek drivers and Reinstalled via my Motherboard's Manufacturer website driver (AsRock Z370 Extreme4)
3. Ran DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth with no success.
4. Ran sfc /scannow with no success
5. Ran chkdsk /f /r with no success
6. Restarted the Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services with no luck.
7. Restored my system to a previous version (Had 20H2 installed, and rolled back to 2004.) - I believe this issue occurs if the 21H1 update is pending via your Windows Update screen.... so it doesn't even necessarily need to be installed at all.

You guys have a serious problem here with the past few months of Windows 10 updates and this issue needs to be escalated to someone higher up. I can't believe this solution fixed my issue.... FYI I turned mono audio option back off and "Stereo" audio returned.

Thanks, random changes in ease of use audio settings fixed it! Edit: sadly only temporarily :(

I was going crazy reinstalling drivers etc. even though they showed as working in the device manager all the time.

19043.985 was the base release of 21H1. You mentioned that you had separately updated to 19043.1023. That is KB5003214 which was a "preview" update. Microsoft sends these "preview" updates out usually in the final week of the month. They are usually flagged as 'optional" updates, but it seems some people get them regardless. I don't know if it actually has a "preview" moniker associated with it once you install it, but if you installed it separately, it should be listed separately in your updates. If you installed 21H1 from the Media Creation Tool and it already contains it, then that KB would not show up. The second Tuesday of the following month is when Microsoft releases the "final" version of these updates. If you could back out KB5003214, then you would be back to 19043.985. Here is more information on KB5003214: https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/179986-kb5003214-windows-10-2004-19041-1023-20h2-19042-1023-21h1-19043-1023-a.html

I don't see any sound issue complaints there. Most people complaining about Taskbar issues and the new "News and Interest" icon on the taskbar.

Good luck. I hope you can get your problem resolved.

JohnD

Hello,

it is definitely due to 21H1 update, once rolled back my pc started again to let me see audio devices.

Please consider that mostly input devices are affected and that on older PCs this update drives you to even BSOD during boot.

21H1 too me is definitely a must NOT to have.

Yes, just after the Sound was blocked again as you mentioned.

I could make it work a few minutes and after a reboot or other change... again No output device found.

Like you all drivers are fine (updated a few ones) but impossible to find why the in-between link like you say is blocking.

Troubleshooter is not helping and no solution yet

Thanks so much for the reply & chiming in!

Maybe we should contact Microsoft and/or our mobo manufacturer(s) about this?

I will try to contact ASUS and see if they can suggest something useful.

We cannot be the only 2 people in the world with such an issue. :) 

You are so right.  Your description perfectly matched my experience.

Have spent hours on phone with MS to no avail...they ruined my laptop!