How do I set up audio in Streamlabs Desktop? Select your microphone under Settings > Audio, confirm that its mixer meter responds, then configure desktop sound separately for your operating system. A microphone can work while game or computer audio is missing, because these are distinct inputs.
On Windows, the quick-start workflow is to match Desktop Audio to the default device in Windows Sound Settings. On macOS, Streamlabs says desktop-audio capture needs audio-routing software added as a Mic/Aux source; that is a separate step from selecting a Mac microphone. Make a short test before relying on the mix for a stream or recording.
Select your microphone in Settings > Audio
Open Streamlabs Desktop and go to Settings > Audio. Find Mic/Auxiliary Device 1 and select the microphone you intend to use. Do not assume the correct device is already selected just because a microphone is connected: a webcam mic, headset mic and external mic can all appear as different choices.
If you are just starting, use equipment you already have. A laptop microphone, webcam microphone or headset microphone can be enough for a first test. An external microphone is optional; if you add one later, return to this setting and select it explicitly. If Streamlabs asks for microphone permission, allow it in the operating system as well as choosing the device in the app.
Give the device a name you can recognise if the interface lets you do so, and avoid switching inputs midway through a test. The aim is to make one deliberate choice, then verify that this exact input is reaching the mixer. If you are following a video tutorial, remember that device labels differ between computers. Choose by the actual microphone or interface name rather than copying a label shown on another person's screen.
Keep the first pass simple: select one microphone and leave filters alone until you know what the unprocessed sound is doing. If the meter does not move, filters will not solve the underlying selection, permission or connection problem. If the meter does move, you have established the basic input path and can decide later whether the sound needs adjustment.
Confirm the mic meter responds
With the intended microphone selected, speak at your usual distance and look for movement on its channel in the Audio Mixer. The meter should respond to your voice. This confirms that sound is reaching Streamlabs; it does not by itself confirm that your audience can hear it, that the level is comfortable, or that desktop audio is also routed.
Watch the meter while speaking at the level you expect during a real stream. A quiet test whisper can give a misleading impression if you normally speak more loudly, and shouting into the mic is not a useful way to set everyday levels. If the meter repeatedly reaches its highest range when you speak normally, reduce the input level rather than trying to solve clipping with a filter later.
A moving meter is a useful checkpoint, not a complete recording test. Once the basic route works, make a brief local recording and listen back using headphones. Check that the voice is clear, that it is not unexpectedly doubled, and that the level is reasonable beside any music or game audio. A stream preview or recording can reveal problems that a meter cannot, including an unintended device, monitoring echo or a mix that is badly balanced.
If you use a headset with an integrated mic, check that Streamlabs has selected the headset input rather than the computer's built-in microphone. If you use an audio interface, choose the relevant input and confirm that the microphone is connected to the interface input you expect. Change one thing at a time, then speak again; changing device, gain and filters together makes it harder to identify what fixed the issue.
Set desktop audio on Windows
On Windows, microphone input and desktop audio are separate choices. Desktop Audio is the route for sounds such as a game, browser video or music playing on the computer. Streamlabs' quick-start guide directs Windows users to match Desktop Audio to the default audio device shown in Windows Sound Settings.
Open Windows Sound Settings and note which playback device is the default. Then open Streamlabs Desktop's Settings > Audio and set Desktop Audio to that same device, if the control is available in your layout. Play the particular sound you want to capture and watch the Desktop Audio meter. Test with the intended headphones or speakers connected: changing the Windows default output during a session can change where sound is sent and may leave the stream listening to a different device.
This default-device workflow is convenient when you want the general computer mix. It can also capture more than you intended: a notification, browser tab or other application may reach the same desktop route. If your goal is to let viewers hear only one game or programme, use a selective application-capture workflow instead of assuming Desktop Audio can distinguish sounds by itself. Streamlabs documents Application Audio Capture for selecting a window; in that workflow, disable Desktop Audio to avoid also sending all computer audio.
If you are building an unattended channel from a playlist, also consider what the desktop route contains during a hand-off between files. A notification or a sound from another open application can become part of the broadcast even if the video looks correct. For a channel based on a video loop rather than a live desktop session, the separate guide to streaming mixed MP4 and MKV files from a VPS covers a different workflow; it does not remove the need to check audio in whichever streaming setup you use.
Capture desktop audio on macOS
Do not follow the Windows device-matching steps as if they applied unchanged on a Mac. Streamlabs' quick-start guidance says that capturing desktop audio on macOS requires audio-routing software to be added as a Mic/Aux source. This is a platform-specific route for computer sound, not a requirement for selecting or testing the Mac's microphone.
First choose your microphone normally in Settings > Audio and confirm its meter. For desktop sound, consult Streamlabs' current instructions and its macOS desktop-audio guide, which points readers to a routing-software workflow. The setup needs to direct the sound you want captured through the routing path and then make that path available to Streamlabs as an input. The names and compatibility of routing applications can change, so check current documentation for your macOS version and the software you plan to use before installing or configuring it.
After setup, play the target sound and watch the relevant Mic/Aux meter in Streamlabs. Make a short recording and listen back. Check both the computer sound and the microphone, and be alert for duplicated audio if the same source is being sent through more than one route. If the routing source does not appear, re-check the routing application's own setup and macOS permissions before changing the microphone selection that already works.
The trade-off is control against setup effort. A Mac mic can be selected and used without creating a desktop-audio route, but getting the computer's sound into the stream requires additional routing steps. If you only need voice, keep the setup to the microphone. If viewers need music, a video or application sound, verify the routing path with the precise source you plan to play rather than treating any one device setting as universal.
Open advanced audio controls
When the basic inputs work, open the gear menu for the Audio Mixer to find advanced audio controls. Streamlabs describes expanded controls for items such as device properties and audio monitoring. The interface can change, so if your layout differs, use the mixer or audio settings gear and inspect the current options rather than relying on a screenshot from an older version.
Device properties can help when you need to inspect an input's settings. Audio monitoring controls whether you hear a source locally through the monitoring route; it is not the same as whether viewers receive it. If you monitor a microphone through speakers, you may hear feedback or echo. Headphones are a safer way to check what is being monitored, and monitoring should be changed only when you have a reason to listen to that source.
Use microphone filters only to address a sound problem you have actually heard. Streamlabs describes noise suppression for steady background sound such as a fan or air conditioner, a noise gate for low-level sound while you are not speaking, compression to smooth differences between loud and quiet speech, and a limiter to prevent excessive peaks. A filter is not a substitute for selecting the right input or placing the mic sensibly.
For example, if a steady hum remains in a recording while you are silent, try noise suppression and compare another short recording. If the room is quiet but small keyboard or room sounds remain between phrases, a gate may help, though it can also cut off quiet syllables if set too aggressively. If your voice varies between soft speech and sudden loud phrases, compression may make the difference less abrupt. If peaks are the issue, a limiter can cap them, but it cannot restore audio that has already distorted.
Gain raises the input level, and raising it too far can raise background noise along with your voice. Avoid adding several filters at once: change one control, record a short sample, and listen before deciding whether to keep it. No preset is guaranteed to suit every voice, room or microphone. The sensible goal is clear, intelligible sound with enough level, not processing for its own sake.
Troubleshoot missing or incorrect sound
Work from the source towards the stream. If the mic meter does not move, check that the microphone is connected, not muted on the device or cable, and selected under Mic/Auxiliary Device 1. Then check operating-system microphone permission and return to Streamlabs Audio settings to select the intended device again. Speak into the microphone you chose, not a nearby laptop or webcam mic, while watching the mixer.
If the mic works but game or system sound is absent, leave the microphone selection alone and inspect Desktop Audio as a separate route. On Windows, check that it matches the default playback device in Windows Sound Settings, then play audio and watch its meter. On macOS, check that the routing software is configured and selected as the Mic/Aux source for desktop capture. A working mic meter does not establish that either desktop route is working.
If viewers hear the entire computer when you wanted one application, check whether Desktop Audio is still enabled. For Streamlabs' Application Audio Capture workflow, select the target window and disable Desktop Audio as its instructions specify. This reduces the chance that unrelated computer sounds enter the broadcast, though you should still make a recording or test stream to confirm the actual mix.
If the voice sounds noisy, first check mic placement and input level. Too much gain can make room noise more obvious; use suppression for steady hum only if that is the diagnosed problem. If speech clips at its loudest points, lower the level and consider a limiter for peaks, then record again. A limiter cannot repair distortion that occurs before the signal reaches it.
If the same source sounds doubled, check whether it is entering through more than one route or being monitored back into the capture path. Temporarily disable one suspected route at a time and test. For a long-running channel, it is useful to revisit the power-cut restart checklist and the UPS guidance for a 24/7 stream in India: neither fixes audio routing, but both address interruptions that can stop a computer-based broadcast altogether.
A useful final check is a short recording with the exact combination you plan to use: microphone only, microphone plus desktop audio, or one application plus microphone. Listen once on headphones, then verify that the intended sounds are present and unwanted sounds are absent. If you are making a continuous channel from a prepared file rather than keeping Streamlabs Desktop open on a computer, StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream, which removes the need to leave your own computer running for that file-based broadcast; it does not configure Streamlabs audio inputs or capture a live desktop mix.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
How do I get my mic to work in Streamlabs?
Choose the intended device under Settings > Audio > Mic/Auxiliary Device 1, then speak and check that its Audio Mixer meter moves. If it does not, check the device connection and mute state, confirm operating-system microphone permission, and select the intended input again.
How do I capture desktop audio?
On Windows, match Streamlabs Desktop Audio to the default playback device in Windows Sound Settings and check its meter while audio plays. On macOS, Streamlabs' workflow requires audio-routing software added as a Mic/Aux source; selecting a microphone alone does not capture computer sound.
How do I capture only game audio?
Use Streamlabs' Application Audio Capture source and choose the game window, then disable Desktop Audio for that workflow so other computer audio is not also sent. Test the result, because the available routing choices can depend on your operating system and device setup.
Should I add microphone filters before going live?
Only add a filter to address a problem you have heard in a test. Suppression may help steady hum, a gate may reduce quiet sound between phrases, compression may smooth uneven speech, and a limiter may constrain peaks; listen again after each change.