OBS can record separate audio tracks when you route each source to the tracks you want and enable those tracks in recording settings. If you also need a file that plays back as a complete mix in a standard player, send the relevant sources to track 1 as well as their isolated tracks.
The distinction matters: assigning sources in the mixer alone does not ensure those tracks are written into the recording. You must enable them in Output settings, then make a short test and check the resulting file in the editor or player you plan to use.
Why record separate audio tracks in OBS
Separate tracks give you more control after recording. If your microphone and background music share one track, lowering the music also lowers anything else already mixed into it. With isolated tracks, you can adjust levels, mute a source, or replace a section during editing without changing the other recorded sources.
For example, a small business might record a product demonstration with a presenter on one track and a music bed on another. A study channel could keep narration apart from ambient sound. A local news producer might want the presenter and a remote guest on distinct tracks so that one voice can be corrected without altering the other. These are useful only if OBS receives the sources separately in the first place.
There is a trade-off. A file with isolated tracks is convenient for editing, but a regular video player may play only one audio track at a time rather than combine them. The OBS Project’s Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide says that “all standard video players will only play back one audio track at a time”. If a recording needs to be ready to publish or review without editing, keep a complete mix on track 1.
| Routing choice | What you get | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| One mixed track | A single combined audio track | You need straightforward playback and do not expect to adjust sources separately later |
| Isolated tracks only | Each selected source has its own track | You intend to mix or edit the recording, and have checked your editing workflow |
| Track 1 mix plus isolated tracks | A combined playback track and separate source tracks | You want both convenient listening and flexibility during editing |
The third choice is often the most practical when you are unsure. It makes the intention explicit: track 1 is the listening copy; the other tracks preserve sources for later work. It also uses more recorded audio data than saving only one mix, so consider the length of your recording and available storage rather than assuming additional tracks are free of cost.
Check that your sources are genuinely separate
OBS can route sources independently only when it exposes them as independent audio sources. Before changing track boxes, look at the Audio Mixer and decide what each row represents. A microphone, an application, and a capture device may each appear separately; if several sounds are already combined in a single source, track assignment cannot separate them after the fact.
If a desktop audio source contains both a browser and a music player, sending that row to track 2 records both together. To edit those sounds independently, first arrange for OBS to capture them as separate sources. This is a source-capture question, not a track-number question.
OBS documents Application Audio Capture for supported Windows environments: OBS Studio 28 and later on Windows 10 version 2004 or later, and Windows 11. The Application Audio Capture guide describes adding a selected application as a source, while noting the feature’s beta status. That documentation is not a guarantee that it works in every setup or with every application.
In the Sources dock, use the plus button and choose Application Audio Capture. Give the source a recognisable name, select the target window, and set the matching priority. OBS recommends matching by type for most applications; for applications whose window titles change, such as Chrome or Spotify, matching by executable name can continue to capture them when the title changes. Check the guide for current steps and limitations before relying on this feature.
If you use these application sources, OBS says to disable global Desktop Audio in Settings → Audio to avoid echo. Otherwise, the same application sound may reach the mixer once through its application source and again through Desktop Audio. Listen to the test recording to check for a doubled or phasey sound. Some applications may be incompatible; OBS lists VB-Cable as a workaround, but routing through a virtual cable adds setup and troubleshooting. It is an edge case, not a requirement for basic multitrack recording.
For other inputs, such as a microphone or capture card, make sure each device is added and working as intended before recording. If you are bringing in a console or camera, the explanation of whether an HDMI capture card is needed may help clarify the difference between capturing a device and routing its audio in OBS. Do not treat a device’s presence in the scene as proof that its audio is appearing on a separate mixer row.
Open Advanced Audio Properties
In the Audio Mixer dock, click the gear icon to open Advanced Audio Properties. OBS also documents access through the Edit menu. This window shows the mixer sources alongside checkboxes for the available recording tracks, making it the place to plan routing source by source.
Before clicking boxes, write down or otherwise decide what each track is meant to contain. A simple plan might be: track 1, complete mix; track 2, microphone; track 3, music; track 4, application audio. The track numbers are not special kinds of audio. They are destinations, and your own routing choices determine what each one contains.
Check the source names carefully. Scene changes or multiple devices can make a mixer busy, and a source with a vague name such as “Audio Input Capture” is easy to confuse with another. Renaming sources to “Presenter mic” or “Music player” before a long session is a small housekeeping step that makes a later routing check much clearer.
Assign each source to the intended tracks
For each source, select the track boxes that should receive it. To make isolated tracks, send the microphone to its own track, the music source to another, and each other independent source to a different track. A source can be assigned to more than one track, which is how you can preserve it both in an isolated track and in a combined mix.
For a mix-plus-isolated setup, include each audible source on track 1 and also on its own track. For instance, the presenter microphone might be checked on tracks 1 and 2, while music might be checked on tracks 1 and 3. Track 1 then contains the combined version; tracks 2 and 3 each retain an individual source. This is intentional duplication across tracks, not a second source being captured by mistake.
If you want isolated tracks only for later editing, leave track 1 unchecked for those sources and route them to their separate destinations. But think through how the file will be reviewed: some players will select one track rather than sum several tracks into a mix. Your editing application may offer a way to import or select the tracks, but you should verify that behaviour rather than assuming it.
Use a routing table as a checklist if you have several sources:
| Mixer source | Track 1: playback mix | Track 2: mic | Track 3: music | Track 4: other source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presenter microphone | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Music player | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Other independent input | Yes | No | No | Yes |
This example is not a required layout. Change the source names and assignments to fit your recording. The useful discipline is to ask, for each row, “which track should contain this sound?” and then check only those destinations. A source should not be sent to another isolated track unless you intend that track to contain it.
Enable tracks in Output settings
Track assignment and recording-track enablement are separate steps. After setting the checkboxes in Advanced Audio Properties, open Settings → Output and find the recording audio-track selections. Enable each track you intend to include in the recording. OBS’s multitrack guide illustrates a combined track 1 alongside separated tracks 2–6; use the tracks that match your routing plan rather than copying a layout without checking it.
If you use Advanced output mode, confirm that you are looking at the recording settings, not configuring a different output path by mistake. Then compare the enabled-track selections with your routing notes. A source can be assigned to track 3 in the mixer while track 3 is not enabled for recording; in that case, selecting it in the mixer is not enough to ensure it appears in the file.
This is why a quick visual check is worthwhile before pressing Record. If track 1 is your playback mix, enable it. If tracks 2 and 3 are the microphone and music, enable those too. The complete route has two parts: tell each source where to go, then tell OBS which destinations to write.
Keep a combined mix if playback needs it
If somebody needs to open the recording in an ordinary player, a track 1 mix is the safer workflow. The OBS guide recommends sending all audio sources to track 1 when the recording will not be processed in an editor before publishing. This does not mean every player will behave identically; it means the file includes a single track intended to be the complete listenable version.
An isolated-track-only file can still be right for a post-production handoff. The editor can use the individual sources to balance levels or remove a sound, provided it recognises the recording container and audio tracks. But the person opening the file must know which track to select or how to mix them. Sending every source to track 1 as well gives that person a ready mix to audition before making edits.
Consider who receives the file. If it is just you, and you are comfortable importing it into a multitrack editor, isolated tracks may be enough. If it is a client, volunteer, colleague, or family member who may open it on a television or phone, keep track 1 as a complete mix and explain what the other tracks contain. Do not promise that their device will combine those other tracks automatically.
For a channel that uses OBS for a continuing YouTube broadcast, recording is a separate workflow from the live output. A guide to setting up a nonstop YouTube stream with OBS on a Windows cloud PC can help you think through the broadcast side; it does not replace checking recording-track selection in OBS. Likewise, routing a recording cleanly cannot fix a source that was never captured correctly.
Choose a container and editor workflow
A recording’s container is separate from its track routing. The container holds the video and audio streams, and an editor or player must support the container and the codecs used. A correct routing plan may still lead to a confusing handoff if the recipient’s software does not show the tracks as expected.
The OBS Project’s Standard Recording Output Guide recommends MKV because an interrupted recording will not corrupt the whole file. Its Audio/Video Formats Guide describes MKV as the default container and explains the trade-off: it is resilient, but editing-software support may be weaker. MP4 and MOV generally have stronger editor support, while a direct recording in those formats may require finalisation and can be unrecoverable if interrupted.
A straightforward workflow is to record in MKV and remux a completed recording if you need MP4. OBS provides File → Remux Recordings; automatic remuxing can also be enabled in Advanced settings. Remuxing changes the container without serving as an audio mixdown, so it does not turn separate tracks into a combined one. Check the editor’s current documentation for supported container, codec, and track behaviour before a production session.
OBS’s formats guide also describes fragmented MP4/MOV as an alternative intended to combine fault resistance with broader compatibility. Support still depends on the particular codec and editor combination, so do not switch to a different format simply because its name sounds more compatible. If an editor has a required delivery format, make a short test recording and test the remux or export workflow before depending on it.
If your recordings feed a long-running loop, track hygiene also matters when you prepare the final video. The guide on fixing a black screen in an FFmpeg YouTube loop addresses a different stage of that workflow; the point here is to confirm that your edited export contains the intended audio mix before it is used in a stream.
Record and verify the resulting file
Make a short test recording before a long session. Include each source you plan to use, and make a recognisable sound on each one at a different moment: speak into the microphone, play the music source, and trigger other audio inputs. Stop recording, then open the file in the actual editor or player you intend to use.
Check three things. First, confirm that the file opens and has a video and audio. Second, inspect the track list in your editor, if it provides one, and confirm the expected isolated tracks are present. Third, listen to track 1 on its own if you planned a combined mix; it should contain all sources you intended to be audible together. A player that plays only one track cannot prove that all the other tracks are missing, so inspect the file with a tool that exposes them.
If a track is absent, compare the route in order: was the source an independent mixer row, was its checkbox selected for the intended track, and was that recording track enabled in Output settings? If a track exists but is silent, check whether the source was active during the test and whether the application or device was captured at all. If you hear doubled audio, check for duplicate paths such as an application source plus Desktop Audio.
Do not rely only on the OBS mixer meters. They show that audio is reaching a mixer source, not that the intended track was enabled and written to the file. Nor does seeing a checkbox selected in Advanced Audio Properties prove the result. The test recording is the verification step: it checks the route, output selection, container, and intended playback workflow together.
When the test works, save the routing plan or take a screenshot of the settings if the session is important. That record is useful if you later add a source or change scenes, because new routing choices can alter what the next file contains. Keep the test modest and repeat it after a meaningful change to sources, output mode, or recording format.
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FAQ
Does selecting a track in Advanced Audio Properties enable it for recording?
No. The mixer checkboxes assign sources to destinations, while Settings → Output determines which audio tracks OBS records. Check both places and verify the resulting file before a long session.
Can I record my microphone and music separately and still have an easy playback copy?
Yes. Assign the microphone and music to separate tracks, and also assign both to track 1 for the combined mix. Enable track 1 and the isolated tracks in recording settings, then check track 1 in your intended player or editor.
Why does my video player only play one of the tracks?
OBS notes that standard video players play one audio track at a time. Track selection and track mixing are different behaviours, so use an editor that exposes multitrack audio or include a complete mix on track 1 when the recording needs straightforward playback.
Does MKV change how the tracks are mixed?
No. MKV is a container choice, not a routing or mixing setting. OBS recommends it for resilience if recording stops unexpectedly; if you need MP4, you can remux a completed recording, but you should still verify that your editor recognises the tracks.