To mute one source’s audio while keeping its picture and your OBS YouTube stream running, click that source’s speaker-shaped mute button in the Audio Mixer. Do not click the eye icon in the Sources dock: that hides the picture instead of muting its sound.
Mute the source in the Audio Mixer
- In OBS Studio, find the Audio Mixer. If you cannot see its source rows, make the mixer dock visible in your current layout.
- Match the audio row’s name to the video source whose sound you want to stop.
- Click the speaker-shaped mute button on that row. OBS describes it as the control to “mute and unmute the source to your output” (OBS Audio Mixer Guide, published April 3, 2026).
- Leave the source’s eye icon enabled in the Sources dock if you want its picture to remain visible.
This mutes that mixer source’s audio; it is not a command to stop the YouTube stream. OBS documentation describes the mixer control, but does not guarantee behavior for every custom audio-routing setup or YouTube-side configuration. If your setup is complex, check the resulting output after muting.
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Mute versus hide: which control should you use?
| OBS control | What it changes | Does the picture stay visible? |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker-shaped button in Audio Mixer | Mutes or unmutes that source’s audio to output. | Yes, if the source remains visible in the Sources dock. |
| Eye icon in Sources dock | Hides or shows the associated source. | No, while the source is hidden. |
OBS documents the eye icon as a visibility control in its Sources Guide. For audio-only muting, use the mixer speaker button.
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Another OBS source may be capturing the same device or application. Check the Audio Mixer for any other row that could be carrying that sound, including global desktop or audio-device capture and scene-level capture sources. OBS warns that capturing a device both globally and as an Audio Input/Output Capture source can cause echo (Audio Sources guide).
#1 Best Overall
- [XLR Mic Input] One XLR microphone input interface is set on the gaming audio mixer, which is great to up your audio quality with your XLR setup. The XLR mixer is a stepping stone to upgrade your live streaming. Audio mixer offered built-in 48V phantom power which opens up more choices for mics. Directly use it with your condenser microphone but do not solve added peripherals. (NOT available for USB mic)
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If you are using Application Audio Capture, check whether duplicate global desktop audio capture is also enabled. OBS documents Application Audio Capture support for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11 (Application Audio Capture guide). Interface labels and routing behavior can vary with OBS version and configuration.
Why recording tracks are not the live mute control
OBS’s multiple audio tracks are intended to provide separate tracks for post-recording editing. They are not the direct control for muting a source during a live stream; use the source’s Audio Mixer row instead. OBS notes that standard video players play one audio track at a time (Multiple Audio Track Recording guide).
Rank #2
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Quick Recap
Best Value
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- Featuring studio grade discrete class A D PRE amps with inverted Darlington circuit providing fat, natural sounding bass and smooth, soaring highs
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