Want crystal-clear audio in OBS Studio? In this tutorial, I’ll show you the best OBS audio settings to get professional sound quality for your streams and recordings. Learn how to fix bad audio, reduce background noise, and boost your microphone performance. Perfect for beginners and advanced users in 2025.
To optimize audio settings in OBS Studio on Windows system, consider the following recommendations based on official OBS resources and community insights:
🎚️ 1. Configure Global Audio Devices
Navigate to Settings → Audio in OBS Studio.
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Desktop Audio: Select your primary playback device (e.g., speakers or headphones).
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Mic/Auxiliary Audio: Choose your main microphone input.
If you're utilizing per-application audio capture, it's advisable to disable global desktop audio to prevent duplication or echo.
🎧 2. Utilize Application Audio Capture (Windows 10 Version 2004+)
OBS Studio 28 and later versions support per-application audio capture on Windows 10 (Version 2004 or later).
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Add a new source by clicking the "+" button in the Sources dock and selecting Application Audio Capture (BETA).
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Assign a distinct name to the source for easy identification.
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Choose the specific application window from which you want to capture audio.
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Set the window match priority based on the application's behavior. For applications with changing window titles (like Google Chrome), matching by executable name ensures consistent audio capture.
This feature allows for granular control over audio sources, enabling you to capture audio from specific applications separately.
🎛️ 3. Adjust Audio Levels and Monitoring
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Set Levels: In the Audio Mixer, adjust the volume sliders to ensure optimal audio levels without peaking. Aim for levels that stay within the green to yellow range.
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Monitor Audio: To monitor audio, right-click on the audio source in the Audio Mixer, select Advanced Audio Properties, and choose the appropriate monitoring option (e.g., Monitor and Output).
Proper monitoring helps in identifying issues like echo or latency in real-time.
🔧 4. Apply Audio Filters for Enhanced Quality
Enhance your audio quality by applying filters to your audio sources:
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Expander: Reduces background noise by decreasing the volume of quieter sounds. This is useful for minimizing ambient noise like computer fans or keyboard clicks.
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Limiter: Prevents audio clipping by setting a maximum output level, ensuring that loud sounds don't distort.
To add filters, right-click on the audio source in the Audio Mixer, select Filters, and then add the desired filter from the list.
🎚️ 5. Configure Multiple Audio Tracks for Recording
If you wish to record multiple audio sources separately (e.g., microphone, game audio, music), OBS allows you to set up multiple audio tracks:
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Go to Settings → Output and switch the Output Mode to Advanced.
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Under the Recording tab, enable multiple audio tracks by checking the desired track numbers.
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In the Audio Mixer, click the gear icon and select Advanced Audio Properties.
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Assign each audio source to the appropriate track(s) by checking the corresponding boxes.
This setup is beneficial for post-production editing, allowing you to adjust each audio source independently.
🛠️ 6. Stabilize Audio Settings Against Windows Updates
Windows 10 updates can sometimes alter default audio devices, affecting OBS settings. To mitigate this:
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In OBS, instead of using default devices, manually select specific audio devices in Settings → Audio.
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This approach ensures that OBS consistently uses the designated devices, regardless of system changes.
🔍 7. Additional Tips
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Set Windows Audio Levels: In the Windows Sound panel, set playback and recording device levels to around 99%.
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Avoid Clipping: Ensure that audio levels in OBS do not exceed 0 dB to prevent distortion.
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Test Your Setup: Before going live, conduct test recordings to verify audio quality and make necessary adjustments.
For further assistance and community support, consider visiting the official OBS resources:
Feel free to ask if you need guidance on specific configurations or troubleshooting steps.
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