Game Bar and Console Companion will not pickup my microphone

I am slowly losing my mind trying to resolve this issue. I am on a PC, trying to use xbox game bar to chat in a party with my friends. Heck, I would use console companion if it was behaving any differently. I have a microphone in an audio interface that
is plugged in (usb 3.0-- tried multiple ports) and I have a headset. The headset works as an input in game bar and console companion and is picked up but when I change the xbox party input, the expensive audio interface and mic do not. I am unable to get the
apps to pickup sound from the mics. Here are the things I have tried doing:

reset, repair, terminate game bar

reinstall game bar

restart computer (a million times)

turn off audio interfaces

change the usb port I'm using for the interface

adjust networking setting and make sure port forwarding and toredo etc are good to go (they werent before)

make sure mic was set to default

change sample rate (DVD, CD, studio, etc)

toggle exclusive mode on the advanced tab of the input settings

tried using console companion instead (same results)

the mic works everywhere else. Just not on game bar or console companion. It allows me to listen in the control panel.

I have tried reinstalling the drivers/software for my audio interface

I have made sure that all privacy settings for microphone are turned on.

Any and all help would be hugely appreciated.

:)