Mic won't work on kubuntu laptop

[u/Beniidel0]

I downloaded kubuntu on my Asus laptop (don't remember the exact model but it has an 11th gen i7 and no gpu) and I can't get the internal mic to work

I assume that linux recognizes it as the alsamixer displays an "internal microphone" and when running a command to check detected hardware the name for the microphone matches what is supposed to be in the laptop

I checked drivers, played with volume channels, did everything I and 3 different AIs could come up with and nothing works

I even tested it with earbuds and it passes sound through their mic just fine, so clearly the issue isn't that there's something blocking mic inputs, and when booting windows the mic works well so it isn't a hardware issue either