To record only the audio you choose in OBS, capture each source separately, assign it to the tracks you want in Advanced Audio Properties, then enable those tracks under Settings → Output. This separates sources in the recording file; it does not change the live mix or guarantee that every player will handle the tracks as you expect.
The practical choice is whether you need editable isolated audio, a ready-to-play mix, or both. Capture method depends on your operating system and application: some sources can be captured directly, while others may need a virtual audio device.
Decide what belongs in the recording
Start by naming the sounds you want to retain independently. For a gaming recording, that might be game audio, voice chat and a microphone. For a music or talk programme, it could be the playback application and presenter microphone. If you only need the final combined sound, separate tracks may add work without helping.
Think about how you will use the file. An editor can use isolated tracks to lower music under speech, remove a noisy microphone section or adjust voice chat without changing game audio. A file intended for immediate playback needs more care: a multi-track file is not necessarily mixed by ordinary players.
Sketch a track plan before changing settings. For example, track 1 can contain the complete programme mix, track 2 the microphone, track 3 the game, and track 4 voice chat. This is an example, not a required layout. You can choose another arrangement, but keep a note of it so the track names and their contents remain clear when you open the file later.
Also decide which sound should not enter the recording. Notifications, browser audio or a second copy of desktop sound can be distracting. A source that is audible in the room is not automatically a source you want in the file. Being explicit about inclusion is more reliable than trying to remove unwanted sounds in editing.
If the file is part of a longer YouTube programme, audio routing is only one part of preparing a dependable recording. The live streaming checklist is useful for the wider checks around the channel and broadcast, while this guide focuses on the audio tracks in an OBS recording.
Add or capture sources separately
Track assignment can only separate audio that OBS receives as distinct sources. If the microphone, game and voice chat have already been combined into one desktop-audio source, OBS cannot use track checkboxes to reconstruct their original separation. Give each sound its own capture source where the available capture method supports it.
In OBS, add the relevant device or application sources and check the Audio Mixer while each one is active. Speak into the microphone, play a test sound in the game and let the voice-chat application produce audio. Confirm that the expected mixer meter moves for each source. If a source is silent, solve that capture issue before working on tracks.
Avoid adding the same sound twice by capturing it both through a specific source and through global Desktop Audio. Duplicate capture can produce echo or a louder, phasey sound in a combined mix. OBS’s Application Audio Capture guide advises disabling the global Desktop Audio source when using per-application sources on the supported Windows setup. Check your own mixer and listen to a short test rather than assuming a duplicate is harmless.
A source name should help you recognise its content later. Rename generic entries such as “Audio Input Capture” to “Microphone” or “Voice chat”, especially if several devices are involved. That small step makes it easier to audit track assignments and identify a muted or misrouted source before a long recording.
Assign sources in Advanced Audio Properties
Open Advanced Audio Properties from the Audio Mixer. Each source has a row and a set of track checkboxes. Check the tracks that should receive that source. For example, if track 1 is your compatibility mix, you might check track 1 and track 2 for the microphone, track 1 and track 3 for game audio, and track 1 and track 4 for voice chat.
This arrangement gives you a combined version on track 1 and individual source versions on the other tracks. If you do not need a combined mix, you can omit it and assign sources only to their individual tracks. The important distinction is that assigning a source to a track is separate from enabling that track for recording; both parts must be configured.
Review every row, including sources you do not want in the recording. Unchecked tracks mean that source is not routed to those tracks. If Desktop Audio remains active alongside application-specific sources, decide whether it belongs on any track; otherwise, the same sound may be captured twice or an unwanted notification may be included.
OBS documents this source-by-source process in its Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide. The settings determine what the recording contains. They do not rearrange what viewers hear in a live broadcast, and they cannot make unsupported applications appear as separate sources.
Enable the recording tracks in Output
After making assignments, open Settings → Output and select the recording options. Enable the audio tracks you intend the recording to include. If you checked a source for track 4 in Advanced Audio Properties but did not enable track 4 for recording, that track will not be written as intended. Conversely, enabling a track does not put audio on it unless sources are assigned to it.
Check that the output mode exposes the recording track choices in your OBS version. The exact interface can change between releases, so use the current OBS labels and documentation if your panel differs from the descriptions here. The two-step mental model remains useful: first send each source to the selected tracks, then enable those tracks in recording output.
For an edit-oriented layout, you could enable track 1 for the complete mix and tracks 2 to 4 for the individual microphone, game and voice-chat recordings. Do not copy that layout without checking what each source is assigned to. Track numbers have no inherent meaning; your plan and a test recording establish what each one contains.
If you are preparing audio to accompany a pre-recorded YouTube stream, track layout and video preparation are separate concerns. The guide to streaming a playlist of multiple MP4 videos to YouTube Live with FFmpeg covers a different playback workflow; it is relevant when your goal is a continuous playlist, not a substitute for OBS source routing.
Keep a compatibility mix where needed
A set of isolated tracks is convenient in an editor, but it can be confusing when opened in an ordinary player. OBS’s multiple-track guide notes that standard video players play back one audio track at a time. A player may select one track rather than combine every isolated track into a complete programme mix.
If you expect the recording to be watched or checked outside an editor, consider assigning all intended programme sources to track 1 as a full mix, then sending individual sources to separate tracks as well. In the example above, track 1 contains microphone, game and voice chat together; tracks 2, 3 and 4 hold the corresponding isolated sources. This gives an editor a useful mix and gives a basic player a track that contains the whole programme.
A compatibility mix is not a guarantee that every playback application will select that track automatically. Check the file in the actual player or editing application you plan to use, and select the intended track if necessary. If the recording is only an intermediate file for an editor, you may prefer to omit the combined mix and use isolated tracks exclusively.
This trade-off matters for channels that archive a programme or pass recordings to someone else. A recipient may not know which track to select. A full mix on a predictable track can reduce that ambiguity, while independent tracks preserve control during post-production. Decide based on the next step in your workflow rather than assuming one layout suits every use.
Choose direct capture or virtual routing
Capture options depend on both operating system and application. OBS documents Application Audio Capture for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. When supported, it can provide a distinct source for an application instead of taking all desktop audio together. It does not work for every app or setup, so verify that the source appears and produces sound before relying on it.
| Method | Where it can fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Separate OBS device or application sources | Audio already available to OBS as distinct sources | Confirm each source has its own mixer meter and is not duplicated through Desktop Audio. |
| Windows Application Audio Capture | Supported applications on Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11, as described by OBS | Verify the app is captured; disable global Desktop Audio when using per-app capture to avoid duplication or echo. |
| Virtual audio device | An application that is not captured properly through direct application capture | Add the virtual device as an OBS input and route only the intended app to it; this adds configuration steps. |
| macOS capture options | Configurations that match OBS’s documented macOS method | Confirm OBS and macOS versions and follow the relevant current guide. |
On Windows, OBS documents a virtual-cable fallback for applications whose output is incompatible with direct Application Audio Capture. The broad sequence is to route the target application to the virtual cable in the Windows Volume Mixer, then add the cable’s capture device as an OBS audio input. Device names can be counter-intuitive: follow the current OBS instructions for which cable endpoint is selected in the application and which is selected in OBS. Do not route all system sound through the cable if you only intend to isolate one app.
This fallback adds a virtual device and another point where routing can go wrong. After setting it up, confirm that the target app reaches the cable input and that OBS receives the corresponding capture device. If the cable is silent or other desktop sounds appear on it, revisit the operating-system routing before assigning tracks.
macOS has distinct version-specific options. OBS’s macOS Desktop Audio Capture guide describes the macOS Audio Capture Source with OBS Studio 30 on macOS 13 Ventura and higher, and also discusses virtual-device routing. Check that your actual versions match the instructions rather than assuming Windows steps apply. Software such as Loopback or Sound Siphon is mentioned in that guide for per-application routing; choosing it is an additional workflow, not a requirement for basic OBS track assignment.
If your recording is part of a continuous channel workflow, keep capture setup distinct from the system that runs the broadcast. For example, running a prerecorded YouTube Live stream on Linux with systemd concerns a Linux server workflow; it does not establish that OBS’s desktop application capture steps apply there. Use guidance for the operating system and software you are actually running.
Test tracks before relying on them
Make a short recording with each intended source active at a different moment if possible. Speak into the microphone, play the game or music, and produce voice-chat audio. A brief sequence where only one source is active at a time makes it easier to identify track contents than a test where everything plays together throughout.
Open the resulting file in the editor you expect to use and inspect its audio tracks. Confirm that the complete mix is present if you configured one, and that each isolated track contains the intended source without the others. Then try the ordinary player or upload workflow that will receive the file. A track layout that looks right in OBS still needs to be checked in the application where it matters.
Listen for practical faults: silence, clipping, duplicated desktop sound, missing voice chat, or a microphone that is much louder than the programme. Track separation does not correct levels by itself. Adjust source levels in the mixer as needed, make another short recording and verify again.
If only one track plays in a basic player, do not conclude immediately that the other tracks were lost. Select the track controls in the player if available, or inspect the file in an editor that exposes multiple tracks. Keep the full mix on track 1 if ready-to-play compatibility is important, but still test the target application because playback behaviour varies.
For a channel that repeats the same recording or playlist over a long period, an unnoticed silent source can persist beyond the initial setup. Keep a note of which tracks you tested and repeat the check after changing capture devices, application versions or the audio route. The test is verification, not a promise that all future sessions will behave identically.
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FAQ
Does assigning a source to another track change what viewers hear live?
No. Track assignment controls which recording tracks receive a source; it does not change the live mix. Check the live audio path separately if you need to change what an audience hears.
Why does my recording seem to contain only one audio source?
Your player may be playing only one track, which is normal for many standard players. Inspect the recording in your editor or select another track in the player, and check that the intended tracks were enabled in Settings → Output.
Should I use Application Audio Capture or a virtual cable?
Use direct application capture when your operating system, OBS version and application support it and a test confirms it works. A virtual audio device is a possible fallback for an app that is not captured properly, but it adds routing steps and is not universal.
Do I need mixer software such as Wave Link?
No. Basic separation uses OBS sources, track assignments and recording output settings. A mixer application can be useful if you already rely on its routing, but it is a separate workflow; Elgato’s Wave Link guide describes its own virtual outputs and OBS assignments.