How to Record Audio on Windows Using OBS Studio [2026 Guide]

Recording high-quality audio on Windows can be challenging, especially if you need precise control over audio sources, bitrates, and multiple inputs. Whether you're podcasting, creating video content, conducting remote interviews, or recording meetings, OBS Studio offers powerful (and completely free) recording capabilities that rival expensive software.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn how to set up OBS Studio for audio recording on Windows, configure optimal audio settings for professional results, and work around OBS's video-first design to capture clean audio files. By the end, you'll have a reliable recording workflow that delivers broadcast-quality audio.

We'll cover everything from installation to advanced audio configuration, troubleshooting common issues, and what to do with your recordings afterward.

What You'll Need

Before getting started, make sure you have:

• A Windows 10 computer (Version 2004 or later) or Windows 11
• Administrator access to install software
• A microphone or audio input device
• At least 500MB of free disk space for OBS installation
• 15-20 minutes to complete initial setup

No prior experience with OBS Studio is required—this tutorial is beginner-friendly with step-by-step instructions and detailed explanations of settings.

Why Use OBS Studio for Audio Recording?

OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) is primarily known as a live streaming and screen recording tool, but it's also one of the most powerful free audio recording solutions available for Windows.

Here's why content creators choose OBS for audio recording:

• Completely free and open source - No subscriptions, watermarks, or hidden costs
• Professional-grade audio quality - Supports up to 320kbps bitrate and 48kHz sample rate
• Flexible audio routing - Mix multiple audio sources (microphone, desktop audio, applications) simultaneously
• Built-in audio filters - Noise suppression, gain control, compression, and EQ without external plugins
• Multi-track recording - Record up to 6 separate audio tracks for advanced editing workflows
• Cross-platform - Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux with consistent features

Step-by-Step: Recording Audio with OBS Studio

Step 1: Download and Install OBS Studio

1. Visit the official OBS Project website
2. Click the "Download" button and select "Windows" (approximately 80MB download)
3. Run the installer (OBSStudioSetup.exe) and follow the setup wizard
4. When OBS launches for the first time, the Auto-Configuration Wizard will appear
5. Select "Optimize just for recording, I will not be streaming" and click "Next"
6. Choose your base canvas resolution (1920x1080 recommended) and FPS (30 is sufficient for audio focus)
7. Click "Apply Settings" to complete the initial configuration

Step 2: Configure Audio Sources

1. Launch OBS Studio if not already open
2. Click "Settings" in the bottom-right corner (or go to File → Settings)
3. Select the "Audio" tab from the left sidebar
4. Under "Global Audio Devices", find the "Desktop Audio" dropdown
5. Select "Default" to capture system audio (browser sounds, app audio, etc.) or "Disabled" if you only need microphone input
6. Find "Mic/Auxiliary Audio" and select your microphone from the dropdown
7. Set "Sample Rate" to 48kHz (best for general recording) or 44.1kHz (if recording music)
8. Click "Apply" then "OK"

You should now see the "Audio Mixer" panel in the bottom center of OBS showing volume meters for your configured sources. When you speak, the meter next to "Mic/Aux" should display green bars. If you play audio from your computer, the "Desktop Audio" meter should respond.

Step 3: Set Up Audio-Only Recording (Method 1: FFmpeg Custom Output)

This method lets you record directly to MP3 or other audio formats without video.

1. Open Settings again and select the "Output" tab
2. Change "Output Mode" from "Simple" to "Advanced" using the dropdown at the top
3. Click the "Recording" tab (not Streaming)
4. In "Type" dropdown, select "Custom Output (FFmpeg)"
5. In "FFmpeg Output Type", select "Output to File"
6. In "Container Format", type or select "mp3" for MP3 files (or "flac" for lossless quality)
7. Scroll down to "Video Encoder" and select "None" from dropdown (this disables video entirely)
8. In "Audio Bitrate", enter "320" for highest quality (or "192" for good quality with smaller files)
9. Leave other settings as default
10. Click "Apply" then "OK"

Step 4: Alternative Method - Record Video and Extract Audio

If you prefer a simpler approach or want video as a backup, you can record normally and extract audio afterward.

1. In Settings → Output, keep "Output Mode" as "Simple" (or "Advanced" with standard recording)
2. Set "Recording Format" to "MP4" or "MKV"
3. Set "Audio Bitrate" to 192 or 320
4. Record as normal (video + audio)
5. After recording, use free tools like Audacity, HandBrake, or VLC Media Player to extract the audio track

This method is helpful if you later decide you want the video, or if you encounter any issues with FFmpeg custom output.

Step 5: Optimize Audio Quality with Filters (Optional but Recommended)

OBS includes powerful audio filters to improve recording quality. Here's how to add them:

1. In the "Audio Mixer" panel, click the gear icon next to your microphone source (Mic/Aux)
2. Select "Filters" from the menu
3. In the Audio Filters window, click the "+" button in the bottom-left
4. Noise Suppression: Select "Noise Suppression" and click "OK". Set method to "Speex" (default) or "RNNoise" for AI-powered suppression
5. Noise Gate: Click "+" again, select "Noise Gate". Set "Close Threshold" to -40dB and "Open Threshold" to -35dB (this cuts audio when you're not speaking)
6. Compressor: Click "+", select "Compressor". This evens out volume levels. Use default settings or set Ratio to 3:1 for gentle compression
7. Gain: If your microphone is too quiet, click "+", select "Gain", and increase by 5-10dB
8. Click "Close" when finished

Step 6: Test Your Recording

1. Click "Start Recording" in the bottom-right corner of OBS (or press your hotkey if configured)
2. Speak into your microphone and watch the audio meters—they should show green bars (occasionally yellow is OK, but avoid red)
3. Record for 30-60 seconds as a test
4. Click "Stop Recording"
5. Click "File" → "Show Recordings" to open the folder with your audio file
6. Play the recording to verify audio quality and that all sources are captured correctly

If audio quality is poor, see the Troubleshooting section below. If it sounds great, you're ready to record!

Step 7: Adjust Audio Levels for Optimal Recording

Proper audio levels prevent distortion and ensure clear recordings:

• Green bars (-20dB to -12dB): Perfect—clear audio with plenty of headroom
• Yellow bars (-12dB to -6dB): Acceptable for loud moments, but shouldn't be constant
• Red bars (above -6dB): Distortion risk—reduce microphone gain or move farther from mic

Adjust levels by dragging the volume sliders in the Audio Mixer panel. Aim for peaks around -12dB to -6dB for the best balance of clarity and headroom.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

No Audio in Recording

If your recording file has no sound:

• Verify audio levels are visible in the Audio Mixer panel while recording (green/yellow bars should move when you speak)
• Check that your microphone is set as the default recording device in Windows Sound settings
• If using FFmpeg custom output, ensure "Audio Bitrate" is set (not blank) and "Audio Encoder" is not "None"
• Test your microphone in another application (like Voice Recorder) to confirm it's working
• Restart OBS Studio after changing audio device settings

Audio Sounds Distorted or Clipped

If audio quality is poor or harsh:

• Lower the input gain if levels are hitting the red zone (above -6dB) constantly
• Move farther from your microphone or reduce microphone sensitivity in Windows Sound settings
• Increase audio bitrate in Settings → Output (try 256 or 320 kbps instead of 128 kbps)
• Disable unnecessary audio filters that might cause artifacts (remove filters one by one to identify the culprit)
• Check for interference from other applications using the microphone simultaneously

Desktop Audio Not Recording

If system sounds aren't being captured:

• In Settings → Audio, ensure "Desktop Audio" is set to "Default" (not "Disabled")
• If using application-specific audio capture, make sure you're using Windows 10 Version 2004+ or Windows 11
• Try changing Desktop Audio to a specific device name instead of "Default"
• Check Windows Sound settings to ensure the correct playback device is set as default

FFmpeg Custom Output Errors

If you encounter errors with custom output:

• Verify you typed the container format correctly (lowercase "mp3", not "MP3")
• Ensure "Video Encoder" is set to "None" when recording audio-only
• Try using "flac" or "wav" instead of "mp3" if MP3 encoding fails
• Switch to Method 2 (record video and extract audio) as an alternative

For more help, consult the OBS Wiki or search the active OBS Forums.

Advanced Tips for Power Users

Multi-Track Recording

If you're recording interviews or podcasts with multiple speakers, OBS can record each audio source to a separate track:

1. In Settings → Output → Recording (Advanced mode), find "Audio Track" section
2. Enable multiple tracks (e.g., Track 1, Track 2, Track 3)
3. In Audio Mixer, click the gear icon next to each source and select "Advanced Audio Properties"
4. Assign each source to different tracks (Mic to Track 1, Desktop Audio to Track 2, Guest mic to Track 3)
5. Record to MKV or MOV format (MP4 doesn't support multi-track)

You can then edit each track separately in audio editing software like Audacity or Adobe Audition.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow with hotkeys:

• Go to Settings → Hotkeys
• Set "Start Recording" (try Ctrl+F1)
• Set "Stop Recording" (try Ctrl+F2)
• Set "Mute/Unmute" for your microphone (try Ctrl+M)

Application-Specific Audio Capture

To record audio from only specific applications (like Zoom, Discord, or a game):

1. In the Sources panel, click "+" and select "Application Audio Capture (BETA)"
2. Name your source (e.g., "Zoom Audio")
3. Select the target application from the dropdown
4. Click "OK"
5. Disable "Desktop Audio" in Settings → Audio to avoid echo

This feature requires Windows 10 Version 2004 or later.

What to Do with Your Audio Recordings

Now that you have high-quality audio recordings, the next step is making them searchable, shareable, and actionable. Raw audio files are difficult to search through, reference specific moments, or extract insights from—that's where transcription becomes invaluable.

Converting your recordings to text transcripts allows you to:

• Search across all recordings for specific topics, keywords, or discussions without listening to hours of audio
• Share key insights with team members who prefer reading or need quick reference points
• Generate meeting notes and action items automatically from recorded meetings or interviews
• Create accessible content for team members with hearing impairments or language barriers
• Repurpose audio content into blog posts, documentation, training materials, or social media posts
• Archive conversations with searchable text for future reference and knowledge management

Whether you're recording podcasts, meetings, interviews, lectures, or creative content, having a text transcript transforms audio from a linear listening experience into a searchable, skimmable, and shareable asset.

Ready to transform your OBS recordings into searchable, shareable transcripts? Try Noteo.ai free and experience AI-powered transcription that turns hours of audio into organized, actionable text in minutes. Simply upload your OBS recordings and get accurate transcripts with speaker labels, timestamps, and automatic summaries—perfect for podcasters, content creators, researchers, and teams who record meetings.

Sources & References

• OBS Project Official Website - Official documentation, downloads, and community resources
• OBS Application Audio Capture Guide - Official guide for capturing application-specific audio on Windows
• EaseUS: How Does OBS Record Audio Only - Comprehensive tutorial for audio-only recording methods
• Hollyland: How to Record Audio on OBS - Complete guide covering audio quality settings and best practices
• VideoProc: How to Make OBS Record Audio Only - Alternative methods and troubleshooting for audio recording