To get computer audio into a live stream with OBS, first check whether OBS is already capturing it: look for moving meters in the Audio Mixer. If the sound is missing—or you need to capture one application separately—select an audio device in Settings → Audio, add an application-audio source where supported, or route the app through a virtual audio cable. The exact steps depend on your operating system and OBS version.
Choose the right audio route
Use direct capture when OBS can capture the desktop or application on your system. It is usually the simpler setup. Use a virtual audio cable when direct application capture is unavailable or does not work for the app you need; it adds a software driver and a separate device-selection step.
| Method | Best for | Operating-system notes | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct capture in OBS | Desktop sound, or an individual app when supported | Features vary by OS and OBS version. Windows application capture is supported on Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. Linux and macOS use different source and routing options. | Lower when the source is supported |
| Virtual audio cable | An app whose sound you need to route into OBS as a distinct input, particularly when direct capture is unsuitable | The VB-CABLE steps below are for Windows. macOS and Linux require different routing approaches. | More: install a driver, assign the app’s output, then add the cable as an OBS input |
Method 1: Capture desktop or application audio directly
Check whether OBS is already receiving sound
- Open the OBS scene you plan to stream and find the Audio Mixer.
- Play the sound you want viewers to hear. If the relevant mixer meter moves, OBS is receiving audio from that source.
- If no meter moves, or the wrong device is active, open Settings → Audio and select the intended desktop-audio or microphone device. Labels and available options vary by operating system and OBS version.
OBS’s Quick Start Guide says desktop audio and microphone are captured by default. That default is not a guarantee that the correct device is selected on every system, so verify the meters rather than assuming the route is right.
Capture one application separately on Windows
On Windows 10 version 2004 or later, and Windows 11, OBS supports an Application Audio Capture source for an individual application. Add that source to the scene and select the application you want to hear. Keeping an application separate can help you control sources independently or maintain separate audio tracks. OBS 30.1 also added an option to include audio with Window Capture or Game Capture; if you use that option, check the source’s audio settings in your installed version.
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Use the operating-system-specific route
- Windows: Use the Audio Mixer and Settings → Audio for desktop devices, or add Application Audio Capture for a supported app.
- Linux: OBS’s audio-source guidance uses ALSA or PulseAudio audio sources. Do not follow Windows or macOS source instructions as if they were universal.
- macOS: Consult OBS’s macOS Desktop Audio Capture Guide. Its documented options include macOS Screen Capture and other routing approaches; the right method depends on the macOS and OBS setup.
Method 2: Route an application through a virtual audio cable
A virtual audio cable is a software audio driver: it routes an application’s output to a selectable input for OBS. It is not a physical cable, and this software route does not require buying audio hardware.
Set up VB-CABLE on Windows
- Install VB-CABLE from its publisher, following the publisher’s installation instructions.
- Open the Windows Volume Mixer and set the target application’s output device to CABLE Input.
- In OBS, add an Audio Input Capture source to the scene and choose CABLE Output as its device.
- Play audio in the target app and confirm that the new source’s meter moves in the OBS Audio Mixer.
This creates a distinct OBS input for the routed application. If you are on macOS or Linux, do not assume these Windows device names or steps apply: use the relevant routing guidance for that operating system.
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Prevent duplicate audio and verify the stream mix
Capturing one signal through more than one OBS route can produce echo or doubled sound. OBS cautions that selecting the same device globally and adding it again as a scene audio source can cause this. Its Application Audio Capture guidance also advises disabling global Desktop Audio when you use application-capture sources to avoid capturing the same sound twice.
- In the Audio Mixer, check which meters move when the target sound plays.
- If the same sound reaches OBS through both a global desktop source and an application or scene source, disable the duplicate route.
- Make a short test recording or stream. Listen back to confirm the intended sound is present, is not doubled, and that any microphone is at the level you want.
- Run this check before your first live session, and repeat it after changing audio devices, scenes, or routing.
When external audio hardware is needed
The two methods above are software routes for computer audio. If the sound comes from a physical microphone, mixer, or another external audio device, it may need to feed OBS through an audio interface. Focusrite publishes a setup guide for using one of its interfaces in OBS; the appropriate connections and settings depend on the specific interface and source. A console or second computer may need a video capture device, but there is no single capture-card setup that applies to every configuration.
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Troubleshoot missing, doubled, or misrouted audio
| What you notice | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No meter movement in OBS | Wrong device selected, app output sent elsewhere, or source not added to the scene | Check Settings → Audio and the source’s selected device. For VB-CABLE, verify the app outputs to CABLE Input and the OBS input uses CABLE Output. |
| Echo or doubled sound | The same signal is captured by global desktop audio and a scene or application source | Identify the duplicate route and disable either the global Desktop Audio source or the overlapping source. |
| Desktop sound works, but one application does not | That app may not be captured by the selected direct-capture route | On supported Windows versions, try Application Audio Capture. If direct capture is unsuitable, route the app through a virtual cable. |
| Windows device names or steps do not match | You may be following instructions for a different operating system, OBS version, or cable installation | Use the guidance for your actual OS and installed OBS version; the VB-CABLE procedure here is Windows-specific. |
| A physical mixer or console is silent in OBS | A computer-audio route cannot capture a source that is not reaching the computer as an audio device | Check whether the source needs an audio interface or, for a console or second computer, a capture device. Follow that hardware’s setup guidance. |
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