How to Fix Audio Not Working in Streamlabs Desktop

Audio problems in Streamlabs Desktop usually start in one of three places: the device, the operating system, or the source setup inside the app. The steps below check each place in order. Change one thing at a time so you can tell which change fixed it.

Identify the symptom and environment

Start by noting exactly what is missing or wrong. Most reports match one of these patterns:

• No desktop audio: a game, browser or music player is audible through your headphones or speakers, but the desktop audio meter in the Streamlabs mixer stays still.
• No microphone: the mic meter does not move when you speak, or it moves but viewers cannot hear you.
• Audio is audible in the preview but missing from the stream or recording.
• Audio is present but distorted, crackling, out of sync or full of background noise.
• Audio worked before and stopped after an app update, a new headset, or reconnecting a USB or Bluetooth device.

Also note when the problem happens. It might start at launch, after switching scenes, only while you are live, or after the computer wakes from sleep. Write down your operating system and your Streamlabs Desktop version, because menu labels and options change between releases.

Isolate where the fault occurs

Work from the hardware toward the app, and stop at the first layer where sound disappears.

• Device and connection: open your operating system's sound settings and check whether the input level indicator moves when you speak. If it does not, the problem is below Streamlabs. Check the cable, the port, any hardware mute switch, and the battery or pairing of wireless devices. Bluetooth headsets can switch to a lower-quality hands-free mode when their microphone is in use, which can change both the sound and the output device name.
• Output device: desktop audio is captured from a specific output device. If the system plays sound through headphones while Streamlabs captures a different output, such as speakers or a monitor's HDMI audio, the meter stays flat.
• Permissions: on Windows, check the microphone privacy settings, including the option that allows desktop apps to use the microphone. On macOS, check Privacy & Security and confirm Streamlabs Desktop is allowed under Microphone. If your version needs it for desktop audio, also allow screen and system audio recording. Restart the app after changing a permission.
• App selection: inside Streamlabs, confirm which device each audio source is using. This is covered in the next section.

A second app helps narrow this down. If a voice recorder or video call app hears your microphone but Streamlabs does not, the hardware is likely fine. Look at Streamlabs settings and permissions instead. Browser site permissions do not control Streamlabs Desktop. If the missing sound comes from a browser tab, just confirm the tab itself is not muted.

Try reversible fixes in order

After each change, play sound or speak and watch the meters before moving on. Exact labels can differ between versions, so the names below describe common settings rather than guaranteed menu text.

Check the mixer

In the Editor view, find the audio mixer. Each audio source has a level meter, a volume fader and a mute icon. Unmute any muted source and raise its fader. You should see the meter move when sound plays or when you speak.

Set the global audio devices

Open Settings and go to the Audio section. Set the desktop audio device to the output device you actually listen through, and set the mic or auxiliary device to your microphone. If Default is selected but points somewhere else, choose the specific device instead. A specific device also stays selected when the system changes its default after you plug something in. The matching meter in the mixer should start responding.

Check sources inside each scene

Scenes can contain their own audio sources, such as audio input capture, audio output capture, or sound from a game or window capture, depending on your version. Open each audio source's properties and confirm its device. If the same device is captured twice, for example globally and in a scene, you may hear echo or doubled sound. Disable one of the two.

Review advanced audio properties

The mixer has an advanced audio panel, usually opened from a gear or menu icon. It shows monitoring and track settings for each source. A source set to monitor only plays to you locally but may not reach the stream or recording, so choose an option that includes output. If you use multiple audio tracks, confirm each source is assigned to the tracks your stream or recording uses.

Match the sample rate

Note the sample rate in the Streamlabs audio settings. Then compare it with the default format in the operating system's advanced properties for your input and output devices. A mismatch does not always cause trouble. If you hear crackling, pitch changes or gradual drift, setting both to the same value is an easy test to reverse. Restart Streamlabs Desktop after changing it.

Reconnect and restart

Close Streamlabs Desktop completely and reconnect your USB or Bluetooth devices. Confirm the operating system lists them, then reopen the app. A device connected while the app is running may not appear in its device lists until the app restarts.

Disable filters while testing

Filters such as noise suppression, a noise gate or a compressor can silence quiet speech if their thresholds are too strict. Temporarily disable the filters on the affected source and check whether audio returns. Then re-enable them one at a time and adjust each one. If background noise is the problem, tune the filter instead of lowering the whole input level.

Confirm the result

Recreate the situation where the problem first appeared. For missing desktop audio, play sound from the same app and watch its meter. If the problem only happened while streaming, make a short local recording with the same settings. Play it back in a separate media player and check that both voice and desktop sound are present, balanced and in sync. If the issue followed sleep or a reconnected device, repeat that event and test again. While speaking normally, the mic meter should move clearly without staying in its highest range.

Avoid broad measures such as factory resets, drivers from unfamiliar sources, or turning off security software to get sound working. They hide what actually changed and can cause new problems. If a driver update seems necessary, get it from the device or computer manufacturer.

If the problem remains

Keep a short record before asking for help. Include your operating system and version, your Streamlabs Desktop version, and the device model and connection type. Add the devices selected in Settings and in each scene source, the sample rates on both sides, whether other apps can use the device, and when the problem started.

If no app on the computer can use the device, contact the device manufacturer's support. If you have another computer, try the device there. A device that fails in one setup has not necessarily failed. If other apps work but Streamlabs does not, contact Streamlabs support with your notes. Logs and diagnostic reports can include system details, so check what they contain before sharing them.