First find out whether the mismatch is a steady offset, grows during a long run, or appears only in the platform playback. For a steady offset, measure it and correct the affected source in OBS; for growing drift, investigate clocks, timestamps, source stability and encoder behavior before trying a fixed adjustment. Test the finished stream, not just the OBS preview.
Measure the problem before changing settings
Make a representative test
Record locally and, if your platform supports it, run a private or unlisted test. Include a repeatable event with a clear visual and sound, such as a hand clap or a planned visual marker paired with a distinct audio cue. Check the same event near the beginning and later in a representative run. YouTube Help advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream. Tests should include audio and movement in the video similar to what you’ll be doing in the stream.” YouTube’s live encoder guidance also recommends monitoring stream health.
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Do not assume the OBS preview matches the delivered stream. Compare the local recording with the platform playback using the same cue. Note your encoder/software version, platform, audio sample rate, channel format, audio route, video source, and when the mismatch appears. A reported OBS forum case describes a preview that looked synchronized while YouTube playback did not; it is an example of why to compare outputs, not proof that YouTube caused a particular problem.
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- The offset is about the same at both checks: this points toward a stable timing difference. Measure it and correct the affected source.
- The stream starts aligned, then separates: investigate timing stability, clocks, timestamps, sample-rate or configuration mismatches, source reconnects and encoder behavior. A fixed offset may not correct a changing difference.
- The local recording is aligned, but platform playback is not: inspect the encoded and delivered path, check stream health, and repeat the test with the same cue.
- Picture and sound are both late by the same amount: that is overall live latency, not an audio/video sync mismatch. Latency is how late the combined program reaches a viewer; sync is whether its picture and sound match each other.
Correct a stable offset in OBS
Adjust the source that is actually out of sync
- In OBS, open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties and find the audio source that reaches the stream.
- Change that source’s Sync Offset by the amount you measured. A positive value delays audio; a negative value moves it forward.
- If sound happens before its matching picture, delaying audio with a positive value may correct it. If sound follows the picture, moving audio forward with a negative value may help; delaying video with an OBS Render Delay filter is another option where appropriate.
- Change one setting at a time, keep the previous value noted, then repeat the same recording or platform test and inspect the result.
There is no universal millisecond value to copy: measure the mismatch in your own output. Kick’s help article gives 100–400 ms as a typical range for its own OBS troubleshooting guidance, but that is platform-specific context, not a target for YouTube or every setup. If a test adjustment has no effect, verify that you selected the source actually reaching the stream; changing a different audio source will not fix the output.
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Investigate drift in a long-running stream
If the mismatch grows over hours, do not keep adding static offsets as a substitute for diagnosis. Check whether audio and video use different clocks or timing paths; confirm sample-rate configuration is consistent; and look for source reconnects or encoder instability around the time the drift changes. Compare local output with platform playback and review stream-health information.
A third-party 24/7 streaming guide describes FFmpeg audio-sync correction as a possible approach when a radio source clock differs from the encoder. That applies to an FFmpeg-based workflow, not as a command to paste into OBS. Validate any FFmpeg option against the installed version and the behavior of your source before using it.
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Check the platform’s audio format requirements
YouTube Live
YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists AAC or MP3 audio over RTMP/RTMPS. It recommends 44.1 kHz for stereo audio and 48 kHz for 5.1 surround sound. Confirm the format against the current YouTube guidance and your actual channel configuration before changing settings; changing a sample rate alone does not establish that it will fix sync.
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Kick’s help article specifies stereo and a maximum sample rate of 48 kHz, along with its own OBS offset guidance. These are Kick-specific requirements and should not be applied as though they were YouTube rules.
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Isolate audio gear and routing only when indicated
If the mismatch follows a separate audio interface, mixer, capture card or duplicated audio route, test that path independently. Compare the affected source with other available paths and check whether the difference starts after a particular device or reconnect. Published examples involving a Tascam Mixcast 4 with an ATEM Mini Pro, and a separate audio-interface/video-capture chain, show possible diagnosis paths—not a general defect or a reason to replace equipment. Consider new hardware only after the fault has been isolated to a path that needs it.
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