How to Add Spotify to the OBS Audio Mixer

Before you start

Spotify is not added as a media source or browser source inside OBS. OBS receives whatever your operating system sends to the selected desktop audio input device. This process is local to the computer: install the Spotify app, confirm that its audio is playing, then make OBS monitor the same output device that the app uses.

Open OBS and check Settings, Audio, Global Audio Devices. Note the device selected for Desktop Audio or the equivalent desktop output. On Windows this may be the system default speaker device; on macOS or Linux the available device names depend on the chosen audio subsystem. Keep this menu open while you set up Spotify.

Start playing a track in Spotify before continuing. Lower the Spotify app volume to a moderate level and make sure normal system sound can be heard. OBS cannot separate individual apps unless the operating system or an audio routing tool provides separate virtual devices.

Step-by-step instructions

Start Spotify and begin playback. Pause the track after confirming that audio is audible through the computer's normal speakers or headphones.

In OBS, open Settings, Audio. Look at Global Audio Devices and set Desktop Audio to the output device that is currently playing Spotify. If you are not sure which device is correct, play the track while OBS is open and watch which level meter reacts.

Return to the main OBS window. If Desktop Audio is missing from the Audio Mixer, go to a scene and add the audio source manually by selecting Audio Output Capture, choosing the appropriate output device, and naming the source for example Spotify desktop sound.

With the track playing, find the new source in the Audio Mixer. Adjust the source's volume slider so the meter stays strong but does not constantly hit the red area. Use the gear icon above the meter to rename the source or open Advanced Audio Properties if your OBS version includes it.

To keep Spotify separate from other system audio, split the app into a virtual output device. On Windows this typically involves installing a virtual audio cable tool, setting one cable as the desktop audio input in OBS, and selecting that same cable as Spotify's output. Version and driver support vary by operating system, so confirm that the routing tool is compatible with your setup.

Check the output

Create or open a short test recording, not a live broadcast. Play Spotify at the volume you expect during the stream and watch the Audio Mixer meters for the desktop capture source. A healthy input level usually peaks below the red zone; adjust the source slider rather than relying on maximum volume.

Stop the recording and play it back. Check that Spotify audio is present, the level is stable, and the sound does not clip or disappear when other programs play audio. If you are using a virtual cable, test whether other apps still bleed into the same capture source.

OBS captures what the selected device provides at the current sample rate of the audio chain. Some software and drivers can switch rates between devices. If the recording sounds pitched incorrectly or crackles, check that the sample rate shown in OBS matches the rate used by the system output device.

Common problems and next steps

If Spotify appears in the mixer but the meter does not move, confirm that the desktop audio input device is still the one selected in Settings, Audio. Some systems rename devices after an update or after unplugging headphones. Play a track, open the mixer, and test a different output device if the selected meter remains silent.

When Spotify is too quiet next to a microphone, lower the microphone's input level first. Raising the desktop source can introduce background noise or distortion. Click the gear on the desktop audio source and open the audio properties or filters to balance the two signals.

If the stream sounds compressed or flat, check the streaming output settings separately from the mixer. The recording format, video bitrate, and audio encoding used by the current streaming service are independent of how Spotify appears in the OBS mixer. Correct the source level first, then review the audio bitrate recommended for your chosen platform.

Some platforms block musical recordings or muting of copyrighted audio, but that is not an OBS mixer issue. If you need Spotify as a reliable music bed, test the full audio path with a private recording before going live.

• Check that the correct output device is selected for desktop audio before opening other menus.

• Use a separate virtual cable only when you need to isolate Spotify from the rest of the system sound.

• Make a test recording instead of relying on the live meter alone.