Sound keeps disappearing

[cmdv]

Hi! I keep having an issue where sound just disappears from Premiere Pro. It was there, in the timeline, I can hear it in the monitor - and then it's just gone. I'm not doing complicated proper editing - just removing some audio tracks from a single file and outputting it.

It seemed random at first but then I realized it seems to happen when I click outside Premiere Pro to go do something else for moment.  If the other thing has a potential sound component (even if I'm not using it), like Teams chat box or a web browser or opening the file I just exported in QT to check it - when I go back to Premiere, sound there is gone. If I try to export a file at that point, it will not have sound on it, and I cannot hear or see sound in the timeline. If I click away while the waveform is generating, it will only have like half of it done when I go back.

Weird thing is, this is a suddenly new thing. I used to be able to click on other windows and apps and go back to Premiere without any problems - still using this same version (2021) and same OS (Big Sur). I have no idea why this has started and was hoping someone knew WTF is going on. I can't think of anything that has changed.

Other similar posts on here I found said to check the preferences for audio hardware and set it to No Input but mine is already that. Others said to clear the cache which does work usually - but it is annoying to have to do that repeatedly, especially since I have to quit and reopen to clear the whole cache.  Is there a way to fix this or is this just an annoying glitch I have to deal with?

[Peru Bob]

Try resetting the preferences:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro/faq-how-to-reset-trash-preferences-in-premiere-pro/td-p/...

If that doesn't work, try resetting the Workspaces:
Reset a workspace
Reset the current workspace to return to its original, saved layout of panels.
1. Do one of the following:
• Click the Workspace menu icon and select Reset to Saved Layout.
• Choose Window > Workspace > Reset to Saved Layout.
from here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/workspaces.html

If that doesn't work, try creating a new project and import the old one into it.

[cmdv]

Resetting the preferences did work. But like clearing the cache, once I do something outside Premiere the sound disappears again.

I was hoping there was a way to fix this for good and not have to keep resetting things.

[Peru Bob]

I wonder if there might be some other application that is changing settings somehow?

[LindaJCoate]

I have the same problem. The sound is there, but it disappears before I can get it finished and downloaded. I'm not leaving to do anything else. No sound when I rerecord either. I've even added a professional Tonor microphone and the same thing happens.

[Peru Bob]

Try updating or rolling back your audio driver.