To record selected apps or devices in OBS, first add each one as its own audio source, then assign those sources to the recording tracks you want. Capturing audio selectively and separating it into editable tracks are two different steps. The right setup depends on your operating system, OBS version, and whether you need separate editing tracks, different mixes, or hardware inputs.
Choose what you need OBS to do
Before adding sources, decide which outcome you want. These workflows overlap, but they are not interchangeable:
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- Capture selected apps: Include specific programs, such as a game and Discord, while excluding other desktop sounds.
- Record separate tracks: Save sources to distinct tracks so you can adjust them independently in an editor.
- Create different mixes: Send different combinations of audio to a stream, headphones, or a recording.
- Capture hardware inputs: Record a microphone, instrument, or computer playback routed through an audio interface.
For many recordings, OBS’s built-in app or device sources plus track assignments are sufficient. A virtual cable or interface loopback is only needed if OBS’s native sources do not expose the audio or routing you require.
Capture individual applications
Windows 10 version 2004 or later, and Windows 11
- In the OBS Sources dock, select + and add Application Audio Capture.
- Choose the application window to capture. OBS recommends matching by window type for most apps. For programs whose window title changes, such as browsers or music apps, matching by executable name can keep the source attached as the title changes.
- Repeat the process for each application you want as a separate source—for example, one source for a game and another for Discord.
- Open Settings → Audio and disable global Desktop Audio when using application audio sources. Otherwise, the same sound can be captured twice, causing duplication or echo.
OBS documents Application Audio Capture for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. Its Application Audio Capture guide covers the available matching options.
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If an app does not work with native capture
For an application that OBS cannot capture this way, OBS documents a Windows fallback using VB-CABLE: route the app’s output to the cable in the Windows Volume Mixer, then add the cable’s recording endpoint in OBS as an Audio Input Capture source. This is a workaround for specific compatibility problems, not a required part of every setup. Follow VB-Audio’s current installation guidance and confirm the actual endpoint name shown on your system.
macOS 13 Ventura or later with OBS Studio 30 or later
- Add a macOS Audio Capture source in OBS.
- Choose whether it should capture desktop audio or a particular application.
- Alternatively, configure a supported macOS Screen Capture source to capture application or window audio along with the screen.
These instructions require macOS 13 Ventura or later and OBS Studio 30 or later for the macOS Audio Capture source. OBS 28 or 29 on macOS 13 uses a different screen-capture-source workflow. Older combinations may require additional software routing; the VB-CABLE setup described by OBS for older macOS versions uses a Multi-Output Device and does not provide per-application capture. Do not apply the Windows Application Audio Capture steps to a Mac. See OBS’s macOS desktop audio capture guide for version-specific details.
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Assign sources to separate recording tracks
Adding separate sources does not automatically place them on separate tracks. Set track assignments in OBS, then enable those tracks for recording.
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- In the Audio Mixer, open Advanced Audio Properties from the gear or menu.
- For each source, select the track or tracks it should be recorded to. For example, assign the game and Discord to different tracks to edit their levels separately.
- Open Settings → Output and enable the audio tracks you want included in the recording.
- Make a short test recording and confirm the tracks in the editor or player you intend to use.
A useful editing layout is a combined, ready-to-hear mix on track 1 plus isolated source tracks alongside it. Adapt the track numbers to your project. Many standard media players play only one audio track at a time, so a file containing only isolated tracks may sound as though audio is missing in ordinary playback. OBS explains the purpose of multitrack recording in its Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide.
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Prevent duplicate audio and feedback
- Do not capture the same device twice. If a device is added as a source in a scene, disable that same device in global Settings → Audio if both would capture it. OBS warns that capturing a device in both places can cause echo.
- Check your routing before monitoring. If an interface’s loopback channel is sent back into a mix that feeds the loopback, it can create a feedback loop. Keep loopback out of any mix that routes back into itself.
- Mute loopback channels when needed. Focusrite warns users to mute loopback channels in recording software to avoid a feedback loop. Check the instructions for your specific interface and routing configuration.
OBS’s audio sources documentation describes the distinction between global audio devices and sources added to scenes.
When to use a cable, interface, or routing app
Use the simplest route that meets the need. App capture, multitrack recording, and custom mixes solve different problems, and the right option depends on OS support and any hardware already in your setup.
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| Route | Best fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS-native app capture | Capturing selected applications on supported Windows versions or modern macOS/OBS versions. | Confirm OS and OBS version support, then assign sources to recording tracks separately if needed. |
| Virtual cable | Routing a Windows app that is incompatible with OBS’s native application capture. | Set the app’s output to the cable and add its recording endpoint as an OBS input. It adds software configuration. |
| USB audio interface with loopback | Bringing computer playback into a recording input alongside microphones or instruments. | Loopback is model- and generation-dependent. Verify the exact interface’s support list and your capture app’s routing options before buying or configuring one. Focusrite describes loopback as capturing computer audio on a separate channel alongside mics or instruments in its loopback overview; see its compatibility list for model differences. |
| Dedicated routing or mixing software | Creating independent mixes for uses such as stream, headphones, or VOD. | RØDE UNIFY describes source routing, multitrack recording, and submixes, with application routing identified as Windows-only. Elgato Wave Link 3.0 describes separate mixes for stream, headphones, and VOD and says it supports any microphone. Check each vendor’s current compatibility, licensing, and availability. |
OBS-native capture is the most direct starting point when your OS and version support it. A routing utility or hardware loopback is an optional alternative when you need a source or mix OBS does not expose in your setup.
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Verify the setup before an important recording
- Play audio in each target application or speak into the microphone, one source at a time.
- Watch the Audio Mixer meters to confirm that the expected source responds. If a meter stays still or the wrong source is active, choose the device manually under Settings → Audio or check the source’s selected application/device.
- Record a short sample, then inspect the combined and isolated tracks in the editor or player you will actually use.
- If the audio is duplicated, revisit global Desktop Audio and any scene-level device sources. If it is absent, check the source selection and track enablement in Settings → Output.
OBS recommends making a test recording before relying on a configuration; its Quick Start Guide also covers checking audio and video before a session.
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Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The same audio appears twice or echoes. | The app is captured both by an application source and global Desktop Audio, or a device is configured globally and in a scene. | Disable the duplicate global or scene-level capture. Test again with only one capture path active. |
| An app’s audio does not move an OBS meter. | The wrong app/device is selected, the app is not supported by the native capture route, or it is not currently producing sound. | Check the source selection and OS version. On Windows, use the documented VB-CABLE route if the app is incompatible with Application Audio Capture. |
| A recording has no audio or the wrong mix. | The needed track is not enabled for recording, or sources are assigned to different tracks than expected. | Review Advanced Audio Properties and Settings → Output, then make and inspect another short sample. |
| A multitrack recording sounds incomplete in a regular player. | The player may be playing one isolated track rather than the combined mix. | Include all intended sources on a combined track, typically track 1, and use a multitrack-capable editor to inspect isolated tracks. |
| Loopback causes a squeal, repeated audio, or feedback. | A loopback channel may be routed back into the mix it captures. | Remove the loopback channel from that return path and mute it in recording software when appropriate. Consult the interface vendor’s routing guidance. |
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