How to Add Discord to the OBS Audio Mixer

Before you start

This procedure runs locally on one computer. You need OBS Studio installed, the desktop version of Discord installed or running, and an audio output available to Discord that is separate from the audio you want to record or stream. The setup is easier when Discord voice chat uses a different playback device from your system or desktop sounds. If you only have one output device, you can still add Discord audio, but it will be mixed with other application sounds before OBS sees it.

Check that your playback and capture devices use a matching sample rate. A mismatch between an input device and an output device can cause crackling, pitch changes, or dropped audio. The values you choose affect the final audio path and should stay consistent across Discord, the operating system, and OBS.

Step-by-step instructions

The most controllable method is to give Discord its own audio output and then capture that output in OBS. Start by opening Discord settings and selecting Voice & Video. Choose an output device that is not used by your microphone or your main desktop mix. This can be a virtual audio cable, a spare monitor output, or another available playback route. If you are using a virtual audio device, select it as the Discord output device.

Next, open OBS Studio and go to the Audio section of the settings. In the Global Audio Devices area, add the same output device as one of the desktop audio devices only if you want OBS to capture it globally. A cleaner approach for a separate mixer channel is to skip the global capture and add the device to a scene instead.

In the Sources panel, select the plus button and choose Audio Output Capture. Give the source a clear name such as Discord Voice. In the properties window, pick the device that you configured as the Discord output device. Leave the source visible in the audio mixer and mute it only if you plan to use another route. This source now represents Discord call audio separately from your microphone and other desktop applications.

If you are using an application audio capture method, the steps depend on the OBS version and your operating system. On Windows, some versions let you choose an application as the capture source. On other systems, you may need to route Discord through a dedicated output device first and then capture that device with Audio Output Capture. Check your current OBS version before assuming that direct application capture is available.

After adding the source, open the OBS audio mixer. Find the Discord Voice channel and set its input level so that normal speech does not stay in the red range. Balance it against your microphone and desktop audio channels while a friend speaks in a test call. Changing the input level in OBS affects only what OBS captures and does not change what you hear in Discord.

Check the output

Make a short test recording in the format and quality you normally use. Speak locally, ask someone to speak in the Discord call, and play a quiet sound from the desktop. Stop the recording and listen back. The expected result is that Discord voices appear only in the Discord Voice channel and can be raised or lowered independently.

Pay attention to background noise, clipping, and whether voices sound delayed. The recording format and bitrate influence final audio quality, while frame rate is not part of this audio check. If the audio is clean but you still hear Discord through two channels, you may have captured the device both globally and in a scene. Remove one of the duplicate capture sources and test again.

Common problems and next steps

A common issue is no sound in the Discord source. Confirm that Discord is still set to the same output device and that the device has not changed after a restart. In OBS, inspect the audio mixer level meter while someone speaks. If the meter stays flat, reopen the source properties and verify that the correct device is selected.

Another problem is crackling or robotic voices. This often points to a sample rate mismatch between the virtual capture device, the operating system output, and OBS. Set the same sample rate in all three places and restart Discord and OBS. Avoid changing encoding or bitrate as a first fix because those settings affect the stream or file data, not the basic device sync.

If Discord audio is too quiet compared with your microphone, adjust the Discord Voice input level in OBS first. If a participant remains too quiet, ask them to check their own input level. The separation that you created makes these corrections possible without lowering the whole desktop mix.

For privacy, remember that adding Discord to OBS captures whatever is being said in the call unless you mute the Discord Voice channel. Tell people before recording if your local rules require consent. The setup does not give OBS access to Discord settings; it only receives the audio that Discord sends to the selected output device.