If you mean separate, editable sound sources, you need a recorder that can save multiple audio tracks. In OBS Studio, add your microphone and system or app audio, assign each source to tracks, and enable those tracks for recording.
A microphone toggle or system-audio option can include sound in a screen recording, but it does not by itself create independent tracks. After recording, check the file in an editor that exposes its tracks: OBS notes that standard video players play only one audio track at a time.
Decide what “separate audio” means
The phrase can describe three different results, and the right setup depends on which one you need. You may want sound mixed into the screen video, independent tracks in one video file, or an audio file saved apart from the video. These are not interchangeable outcomes.
If you are recording a short phone demonstration and only need to hear your voice, a built-in microphone control may be enough. If you are making a software tutorial and want to lower a keyboard noise or replace narration without changing the computer sound, you need those sources on independently editable tracks. If you need a clean narration file for later use elsewhere, decide whether your recording workflow can produce that separate file as well as the screen capture.
| Desired result | What gets saved | Can you adjust sources independently afterwards? | Typical setup burden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound included | Audio is captured with the video; the sources may be mixed | Not necessarily | Low when a built-in recorder offers the needed audio control |
| Separate tracks | Multiple audio tracks are stored in one video file | Yes, in software that can select and edit those tracks | Requires assigning and enabling tracks, then checking the file |
| Separate audio file | Audio is stored as a file apart from the screen video | Yes, subject to the recording and editing workflow | May require recording or exporting audio separately |
A practical example is a lesson with spoken instructions and a browser demonstration. If the browser sound is quiet during recording, a mixed file leaves you with less room to adjust the voice alone. With separate tracks, you can change the voice and computer audio independently in an editor. You still need to record the sources correctly; separate tracks cannot restore sound that was never captured.
Before choosing software, write down the sources you need: for example, microphone, desktop output, or audio from a selected application. Also decide whether you need them separated after recording, or simply audible in the finished video. This small decision prevents a common disappointment: finding a microphone toggle, recording a clip, and later discovering that it did not produce the editable tracks you expected.
Choose a recorder that supports multiple tracks
For a desktop recording in which microphone narration and computer sound must remain editable, OBS Studio documents recording multiple audio tracks. Its workflow lets you assign audio sources to tracks and enable tracks for recording. Other recording applications may also support multitrack output, but check the current documentation for the specific version and operating system rather than assuming that a general “record audio” feature means independent tracks.
OBS is a useful fit when you want one application to capture the screen and route several audio sources into a recording. Its setup takes more care than pressing the screen-record button on a phone: you have to identify the right sources, map them to tracks, and confirm the recording in a suitable editor. If you are only making a quick clip and do not expect to change the sources later, that extra setup may not be worth it.
Consider where the sound comes from. “System audio” is a broad description of the computer’s output; it may include more than the application you intended. If you need only one application, check whether your operating system and OBS version offer a capture route that suits that goal. Device support and permissions vary, so do not assume that every platform exposes the same controls. OBS’s audio sources guide describes its available audio-source types and platform distinctions.
If your work is focused on a continuous YouTube programme rather than a one-off tutorial, recording and streaming are separate questions. A guide to RTMP ingest explains how a live encoder sends a broadcast to YouTube; it does not replace the need to manage and verify audio tracks in a local recording. Keep the purpose of each workflow clear before you build it.
Add the audio sources in OBS
Start by adding the microphone and the computer sound you want to capture. OBS may expose desktop audio through its global audio settings, while audio input or output capture sources can select particular devices. The exact choices depend on the operating system and setup. On Linux, OBS documents using ALSA or PulseAudio sources; its documented audio capture options differ across platforms.
You can use a built-in or USB microphone. An external microphone is optional, not a requirement for separate tracks. The important point is that OBS can receive the source you intend to record. Before a full recording, speak into the microphone and play a short sound from the relevant application. Watch the Audio Mixer meters and confirm that the intended sources respond. A moving meter indicates incoming signal, not that the signal will land on the right recording track; that is configured next.
Avoid capturing the same physical device twice. For example, if you add a microphone directly as an OBS scene source and also leave that same device enabled as a global source, you can hear an echo or doubled audio. OBS warns about duplicate capture. Choose one route for each device and disable the duplicate in Settings → Audio where needed. If you hear echo, mute sources one at a time to identify whether the signal is being picked up twice.
Give sources clear names in OBS, such as “Voice mic” and “Browser audio”, rather than leaving several generic device names. That makes the assignment step easier to check. If you switch headphones or microphones between sessions, recheck the selected input device; a source name does not guarantee the same hardware remains connected.
You can also make a short screen test at this stage. Confirm the screen capture is present, the microphone meter responds when you speak, and the computer-audio meter responds when you play sound. Do not infer that a track is saved simply because a meter moves. Source capture and track assignment are separate parts of the workflow.
Assign each source to tracks
Open the Audio Mixer’s Advanced Audio Properties in OBS. The panel shows which recording tracks each source is assigned to. Tick the tracks you want for each source. A practical arrangement is to put microphone and system or app audio on separate tracks, and also put both on a combined track if you want a version that plays readily in ordinary video software.
For example, you might put the voice on track 1 and track 2, and browser audio on track 1 and track 3. In that arrangement, track 1 contains both sources, while tracks 2 and 3 keep the voice and browser sound separate. The numbers are an example of a layout, not fixed OBS requirements. Choose a mapping you can remember, then note it down if you record repeatedly.
A combined track is useful because many standard players select only one track at a time. If you save only isolated tracks, a basic player may play just the microphone or just the computer audio, rather than mixing them together for playback. That does not mean the other source is missing. OBS’s multiple audio track recording guide explains the track workflow and the player limitation. A combined track gives you an easy listening copy, while the isolated tracks give you control in an editor.
Do not tick every track for every source without a reason. If the same voice appears on several tracks, or the computer audio is duplicated, you may be unsure which track is the isolated source later. Map each source deliberately and check the track labels against your plan. The goal is not the largest track count; it is a file whose contents you can identify and edit.
Enable the tracks in Output settings
Source assignment alone is not enough. In OBS, open Settings → Output and make sure the recording configuration enables the tracks you assigned. OBS separates track assignment in Advanced Audio Properties from the selection of tracks to include in the output. If you map a source to a track but do not enable that track for recording, it will not be included as intended.
Check that the recording format you have chosen is suitable for your editing workflow. OBS’s guide covers its supported recording-track workflow; consult the current OBS documentation for format details rather than assuming every container and editor handles tracks identically. If you already have a preferred editor, check that it can read the resulting file and expose the audio tracks before committing to a long recording.
Make a brief test recording. Speak a sentence, play a known sound from the target application, then stop. This is a simple check, not a guarantee that a long session will remain trouble-free. A test helps catch a muted source, a wrong device, a track left disabled, or a microphone routed only to the combined track. It also lets you see whether the levels are usable before you record a full tutorial.
For recurring work, keep a small checklist beside your recording setup: selected microphone, intended system or app source, track mapping, enabled output tracks, and test playback. If you change scenes, devices, or settings, repeat the test. This is particularly helpful when a computer is shared, when you connect a headset only for some sessions, or when a software update changes available device names.
Inspect tracks in a multitrack editor
Open the test file in an editor that displays its audio tracks. A standard video player is not a reliable way to confirm that every track exists, because OBS says ordinary players play one audio track at a time. Select each track in the editor and listen separately: the voice-only track should contain the microphone, while the computer-audio track should contain the chosen system or application sound. The combined track, if you made one, should contain both.
Check alignment as well as presence. Speak while a visible action occurs, such as clicking a menu, then compare the sound and picture. If the sources are offset, inspect the capture route and device settings before making a longer recording. A short test makes it easier to tell whether the problem is a routing mistake or a timing issue.
If the editor shows only one track, first distinguish between a playback limitation and a recording problem. Try an editor that exposes tracks, confirm that the recording format is understood by it, and revisit the OBS output-track selection. If you can see several tracks but one is silent, check the source assignment and whether that source was actually active during the test. Avoid diagnosing a missing source only from a basic player’s sound.
The same discipline is useful if you later prepare video for a live channel. For example, checking a pre-recorded YouTube Live keyframe setup concerns the outgoing video stream, while verifying these audio tracks concerns the recording you are editing. They are connected production tasks, but success in one does not verify the other.
When built-in recorder audio is enough
Built-in screen recorders can be the right choice when you only need audio included and do not need to adjust sources independently afterwards. Their options vary by platform, and the available controls should not be read as proof of multitrack output.
On Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Bar instructions describe including computer sounds and toggling the microphone while capturing. Microsoft says recordings are saved as MP4 clips in Videos/Captures. That is a convenient route for a quick screen clip, but the instructions do not establish independently editable microphone and system-audio tracks. See Microsoft’s Game Bar recording instructions for the current controls.
On a Mac, Apple’s built-in screen recording instructions let you choose a microphone for audio with the screen. This establishes microphone capture, not a general promise of separate microphone and system-audio tracks. If you need independent recording inputs in a production workflow, Apple’s Logic Pro documentation covers assigning inputs to tracks; that is an audio-recording workflow, not a screen recorder by itself. Consult Apple’s screen recording instructions and check your own macOS options.
On iPhone, Apple describes opening Control Centre, holding Screen Recording, enabling Microphone, and starting the capture. Some apps may not allow their content to be recorded, and screen recording cannot run at the same time as screen mirroring. The microphone control adds audio to the recording workflow; it does not promise independent editable tracks. Apple’s iPhone screen recording guide sets out the steps and caveats.
On Android, Google’s general instructions describe starting Screen recorder from Quick Settings and choosing whether to record audio. The available choice can depend on Android version and the device maker; Google directs users to the manufacturer when the general steps do not work. Its Android screen recording help does not specify a universal source selection or separate-track capability across Android phones.
These built-in paths are sensible when speed matters and the finished clip only needs to be heard as recorded. Choose a multitrack recorder when you expect to balance the voice against app sound, remove a noise from one source, or rework narration. If you plan to publish tutorials on a continuing channel, consider the whole workflow: a video playlist streaming guide covers a different publishing need, while this guide helps you prepare and check source audio before that material is used.
A repeatable recording check
Before an important session, verify the setup with a brief test that resembles the real recording. Use the same microphone, application sound, scene, and recording settings you plan to use. A quiet test in a different scene may not reveal that the chosen app is muted or that a headset has become the active input.
After recording, check three things in the editor: each expected isolated track is present, each one contains the intended source, and the sources remain aligned with the video. Listen to the combined track too if you created one. If a track is missing, return to the OBS source mapping and Output settings; if it is silent, check the device selection and whether the source was active.
Keep a note of settings that work for your regular setup, including source names and which tracks carry them. This makes it easier to reproduce a known arrangement without relying on memory. Recheck after changing audio devices, updating software, or moving the project to another computer, because those changes can affect available devices and editor behaviour.
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FAQ
Does turning on my microphone create a separate track?
No. A microphone toggle can include microphone audio in a screen recording, but it does not by itself create an independently editable track. For that result, use a recorder with multitrack support and verify the file in an editor that exposes its tracks.
Why can I hear only one source in my video player?
OBS notes that standard video players play only one audio track at a time. Your file may contain other tracks that the player does not mix together for playback. Inspect the recording in a multitrack editor before concluding that a source is missing.
Do I need an external microphone to record separate audio?
No. An external microphone may suit your narration, but it is optional. Separate tracks depend on capturing the sources and routing them to distinct tracks, not on buying a particular microphone.
Can a phone’s built-in screen recorder save separate audio tracks?
The general Apple and Google instructions cited here describe microphone or audio choices, not a universal promise of independently editable tracks. The controls vary by device, operating system, and app. Check the manufacturer’s current guidance, and use a verified multitrack workflow if separate editing is essential.