AVAudioEngine failing with -10877 on macOS 26 beta, no devices detected via AVFoundation but HAL works

I’m developing a macOS audio monitoring app using AVAudioEngine, and I’ve run into a critical issue on macOS 26 beta where AVFoundation fails to detect any input devices, and AVAudioEngine.start() throws the familiar error 10877.

FB#: FB19024508

Strange Behavior:

  • AVAudioEngine.inputNode shows no channels or input format on bus 0.
  • AVAudioEngine.start() fails with -10877 (AudioUnit connection error).
  • AVCaptureDevice.DiscoverySession returns zero audio devices.
  • Microphone permission is granted (authorized), and the app is properly signed and sandboxed with com.apple.security.device.audio-input.

However, CoreAudio HAL does detect all input/output devices:

  • Using AudioObjectGetPropertyDataSize and AudioObjectGetPropertyData with kAudioHardwarePropertyDevices, I can enumerate 14+ devices, including AirPods, USB DACs, and BlackHole.
  • This suggests the lower-level audio stack is functional.

I have tried:

  • Resetting CoreAudio with sudo killall coreaudiod
  • Rebuilding and re-signing the app
  • Clearing TCC with tccutil reset Microphone
  • Running on Apple Silicon and testing Rosetta/native detection via sysctl.proc_translated
  • Using a fallback mechanism that logs device info from HAL and rotates logs for submission via Feedback Assistant

I have submitted logs and a reproducible test case via Feedback Assitant : FB#: FB19024508]

AVAudioEngine failing with -10877 on macOS 26 beta, no devices detected via AVFoundation but HAL works
 
 
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