If you open Control Panel → Sound → Recording and see the Dante Virtual Soundcard WDM inputs listed, but their level meters stay flat even while Dante audio is arriving. Recording apps that use those inputs, such as Audacity or OBS, may also record silence.
This usually happens when Windows Let desktop apps access your microphone setting is turned off. DVS doesn't have to appear in the app list under that setting for it to have this effect.
This happens, as Windows treats the DVS WDM inputs as "microphones" endpoints and blocks desktop apps from reading them when microphone access is off.
Solution
Turn on microphone access for desktop apps:
- Open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone. On Windows 10, open Settings → Privacy → Microphone.
- Make sure Microphone access is On.
- Turn Let desktop apps access your microphone On.
- Close and reopen Control Panel → Sound → Recording. The DVS input meters should now move when Dante audio is present.
Good to know
- Playback devices aren't affected. Meters on the Playback tab keep working, because the setting only applies to inputs. This is a quick way to confirm DVS itself is running.
- ASIO isn't affected. In ASIO mode, DVS bypasses the Windows audio system, so the privacy setting has no effect.
- Dante Controller still shows audio arriving. The audio reaches DVS normally and is only blocked when a desktop app tries to read it.