Configure audio in OBS Studio on Windows
- 1
Open Audio Settings
Settings → Audio. Set Sample Rate to 48 kHz (broadcast standard).
- 2
Set Desktop Audio
Set Desktop Audio to your default playback device (usually "Default"). This captures all system sounds — game audio, music, notifications.
- 3
Set Mic/Auxiliary Audio
Set Mic/Auxiliary Audio to your microphone. If using a USB mic or audio interface, select it specifically.
- 4
Set levels in Audio Mixer
In the main OBS window, the Audio Mixer at the bottom shows levels. Aim for voice to peak around −12 dB (green zone). Adjust fader to balance mic vs desktop audio.
Add noise suppression to microphone in OBS
Right-click the Mic source in Audio Mixer → Filters → + → Noise Suppression. Choose:
- RNNoise — AI-based, best quality, more CPU
- Speex — lighter, good for weak hardware
Audio questions
OBS not capturing desktop audio on Windows
Check: (1) Settings → Audio → Desktop Audio is set (not "Disabled"), (2) the Audio Mixer shows the Desktop Audio track is not muted, (3) the correct playback device is selected. Also try setting Desktop Audio to the specific device name instead of "Default".
Microphone sounds bad in OBS — how to improve?
Add filters to the mic source: Noise Suppression (RNNoise), Noise Gate (cuts audio when you are not speaking) and Compressor (evens out volume levels). Also check your Windows mic level: Settings → Sound → Input → your mic properties.