No audio after latest windows update. How to fix?

TL:DR: Latest Realtek Audio Universal Service breaks audio services; System restore works.

Local Service account logged on to manage Windows Audio service does not seem to have proper permissions it requires.

Symptoms:

No Sound output devices present after restart.

Offending Driver:

Realtek Audio Universal Service

2023-05-09

1.0.616.0

HWID: SWC\VEN_10EC&SID_0001

Device:

Acer Nitro 5, Nitro AN515-58

OS: Windows 11, 22H2

OS build 22621.1848

Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22642.1000.0

Details:

In my case, what breaks my audio is when the Realtek Audio Universal service gets updated.

I saw that happen a few weeks ago - I was able to narrow it down to that driver. The problem since today is that the driver I avoid updating manually is now part of Windows update, which breaks my audio every time.

If your system has been installed for quite some time, the System Restore will work but at the expense of messing system defaults for some reason. If that happens, a workaround is to download a script that fixes some apps but you'll have to manually "fix" other apps by clicking on "Repair" in Settings. Based on what I've seen, there hasn't been any reliable solution to the issue since breaking. If you decide to reinstall Windows 11, just be sure that VMA is disabled (for some laptops) but you'll end up at the same situation every time the Realtek AUS is updated.

Just to add. I've also noticed that the Windows Audio service is in a non-restartable state since the Local Service seems to have lost permissions or that the driver that came with the update or maybe just that specific version has issues (just a guess). I changed it to local System account and having it interact with the desktop but even though that leads to a visible audio icon in the task bar there is no Audio.

Observations:

Audio icon visible when resolving the issues with the Logon Service account from Local Service to Local Systems account - no audio output from any output device.

Did a system restore and still nothing. Anyone know any fixes?

I too am having this same issue after the security update. Nothing fixed yet, I am trying to roll back the updates now

I am having the exact same problem. Along with what the people above tried, I also tried deleting lower and upper filters, deleting driver and reinstalling it, advanced startup with option 7 to disable driver signature enforcement, and resetting my windows. Nothing works. What else can I try?

first i Downloaded the zip file of the audio driver of my laptop(Lenovo ideapad).

I runned the uninstall execution file after extracting the zip file.

Now you will no more see any audio device in the laptop, since it will delete the old version audio driver.

Then i runned the official audio driver setup( downloaded from Lenovo support) and it worked .