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OBS Studio captures desktop audio and a microphone by default, so a headset often works with no changes. The only way to know is to watch the Audio Mixer meters while you speak and play sound. If a meter stays flat or the wrong device is being captured, pick the devices yourself in Settings → Audio. This guide covers that, plus scene-specific capture, echo, monitoring and level-setting.
Know what your headset is doing: two devices, two jobs
A headset is usually two devices in the eyes of your operating system: a playback device (the earcups) and a microphone input. OBS lists them by the names the OS gives them, so don’t expect one combined entry. You choose the microphone for what viewers hear of your voice. You use the playback side for monitoring, or as a capture source if you want it in a scene. OBS’s documentation describes the capture source as a way to add “an audio input or output device (i.e. microphone or headset respectively)”.
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The official OBS guides don’t verify individual headset models or promise USB or Bluetooth compatibility. If the OS doesn’t list your headset, OBS won’t either, so fix that first.
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- Test the defaults. Speak into the headset mic and play some computer audio. Watch the meters in the Audio Mixer. OBS’s Quick Start Guide says desktop audio and microphone capture are on by default.
- If a meter is idle or the wrong device is captured, open Settings → Audio. Choose your headset microphone in the microphone (auxiliary) input field. Choose the device you want for desktop audio in the desktop audio field.
- Decide between global and scene-specific capture (compared in the next section).
- Avoid capturing one device twice. If you add a device as a scene source, disable the same device in Settings → Audio.
- Set levels in the order described below.
- Record a short test and play it back before you go live.
Global device or scene-specific capture?
Both are legitimate. They differ in scope and in risk.
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| Question | Global (Settings → Audio) | Scene source (Audio Input/Output Capture) |
|---|---|---|
| Where is it active? | Across all scenes | Only in the scene where you add it |
| Platform support | Device selectors in Audio settings | Listed for Windows and macOS; Linux users are pointed to ALSA/PulseAudio sources |
| Echo risk | Low on its own | Echo if the same device is also selected globally |
| Maintenance | One place to check | Check every scene that uses one |
For a consistent setup, global selection is simpler. Use a scene source when a device should only be live in certain scenes. To add one, use the + under Sources and choose Audio Input Capture or Audio Output Capture, then pick your device. The OBS guide warns: “Audio Input/Output Capture source can cause an echo effect if you have the same device selected in Settings -> Audio.”
Set levels without guessing
OBS’s mixer guide describes green, yellow and red meter regions. Speech should sit in the upper yellow range, and the meter reaching red means you’re close to clipping. Treat that as a starting point, because a recording tells you more than a meter does.
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- Adjust at the device first (headset gain or volume control, if it has one).
- Then check the operating-system and application volume.
- Use the OBS fader last.
OBS says how your system’s main volume slider affects the signal OBS receives should be tested on your own machine. It also notes that microphone audio is often quieter than computer-generated audio. Balance voice against game or desktop sound by listening to the resulting mix, not just by matching meters.
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The mixer’s Monitor control plays a source through the monitoring device set in OBS’s Settings. Monitoring only decides what you hear. It doesn’t decide what OBS captures. Confirm both: the meter shows what OBS receives, and monitoring shows what you’re hearing. If you monitor a source back into a device that is itself captured, you can create a loop. The OBS pages explain monitor output but don’t cover every hardware loopback arrangement, so test any unusual routing.
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Troubleshooting
Why is OBS not picking up my headset mic?
Confirm the OS sees the microphone. Then select it manually in Settings → Audio and watch the meter while speaking. If you meant it to be scene-only, check that the scene’s capture source exists and points at the right device.
No game or desktop audio
Check the desktop audio device in Settings → Audio. On macOS, desktop capture works differently (see the platform notes).
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Why is my OBS audio echoing?
First look for the same device captured both globally and as a scene source, which OBS explicitly warns about. Then check whether monitoring is feeding sound back into another captured input.
Meters move but the recording sounds wrong
An active meter doesn’t prove the headset is routed where you intended. Play back a test recording, then adjust device gain, OS and app volume, and the OBS fader in that order.
Only one stereo side is audible
OBS shows stereo channels separately. A one-channel source can be downmixed to mono in the mixer’s advanced audio properties. First work out whether the source is truly mono or misrouted, and only then change channel settings.
Platform and version notes
- Windows and macOS: the Audio Input/Output Capture source is available for device capture.
- Linux: OBS directs users to ALSA/PulseAudio sources instead.
- macOS desktop audio: OBS’s guide says that in OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 (Ventura) or newer, you can use the macOS Audio Capture source to capture all desktop audio or one selected application’s audio. The macOS Screen Capture source can also capture audio. Older macOS versions may need extra routing software. Because OBS and macOS keep changing, check the official guide for the version you run.
Final test before going live
Record a minute or so and play it back. Check that your voice is clear, computer audio is present at a sensible level, left and right channels behave as expected, and there’s no echo or clipping. Do this after every change to devices or sources.
Quick Recap
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