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Why Is OBS Not Capturing Game Audio? Solved!

By Adela D. Louie, Last updated: November 21, 2025

OBS Studio is one of the most used and most popular recorders. It’s been known especially by many gamers as it’s a good tool for capturing gaming sessions. However, the same with other apps, there could be instances when problems such as the “OBS not capturing game audio” issue will be faced while it’s in use. In this post, our main aim is to focus on this mentioned dilemma. Probable reasons why this is happening as well as solutions to fix it will be highlighted and presented here one by one.

Part 1. Why Is OBS Not Recording Game Sound?Part 2. How to Get OBS to Pick up Game Audio?Part 3. Conclusion

Part 1. Why Is OBS Not Recording Game Sound?

Why is OBS not capturing game audio? Before delving into the solutions, it’s also good to be aware of the probable causes of this dilemma in discussion. Thus, we had this section created.

It may feel frustrating when suddenly OBS Studio won’t function as it normally does. Listed below are some of the most common reasons why it isn’t capturing game audio.

  • You might not have noticed that you accidentally muted the app.
  • There might be an incorrect selection of the audio device that’s in use.
  • You might be using outdated audio drivers.
  • The sound settings could also be the culprit.
  • The incompatibility of your PC and the installed version of OBS might be causing the problem.
  • There might also be some software conflicts.

Regardless of what’s the real root cause of the issue, it would be amazing to find out how it can be addressed. Check out the solution in the next part.

Part 2. How to Get OBS to Pick up Game Audio?

We have learned the reason why is OBS not capturing game audio. When OBS is not capturing game audio while you’re trying to record, here are the workarounds that you can try to fix.

Solution #1. Review the Audio Settings

It is worth checking if the audio setup has been properly configured. Here’s how you can do it.

  1. Launch OBS and then hit “File”. Go to “Settings” afterward.
  2. From the left pane, press the “Audio” section. Ensure that “Stereo” will be selected for “Channels”.
  3. Proceed to choose the preferred device from the “Desktop Audio Device” menu as well as for “Microphone/Auxiliary Audio Device”.
  4. Apply the modifications made and then relaunch OBS.

Review the Audio Settings

Solution #2. Check the Encoding Settings

To address the “OBS not capturing game audio” concern, it is also suggested that you check the current encoding settings as they might have been set up incorrectly. Follow this guide.

  1. Go to the “Settings” menu.
  2. Press the “Output” option and ensure to put 128 for the “Audio Bitrate”. Choose “3500” for the “Video Bitrate”. Customizing “Rate Control” is also possible.
  3. Uncheck the “Use CBR” menu as well. To save all changes, press “OK”.
  4. Just to make sure, it is also recommended that you restart the OBS app.

Solution #3. Try Running OBS as an Administrator

Users have mentioned that running the app as an administrator can also help fix the “OBS not capturing game audio” dilemma. Trying this won’t harm you. Here’s what you need to follow.

  1. Look for the OBS shortcut from your desktop.
  2. Right-click on the icon. From the options listed, select the “Run as administrator” menu.
  3. When done, try opening OBS Studio and check if the problem has now been addressed.

Running OBS as an Administrator

Solution #4. Check if Updated on the Audio Drivers are Available

Having outdated audio drivers could also lead to the “OBS not capturing game audio” concern. Updating it can be done manually and automatically.

Manual Update

  • To update manually, visit the website of the sound card manufacturer and find the latest and correct driver to use. Ensure that you are to get the driver that’s compatible with the OS you’re using.

Automatic Update

It should be easy to perform the automatic updating of the audio drivers for your OBS tool.

  1. Look for “Device Manager” and open it.
  2. Head to the “Audio Inputs and Outputs” section. Select which audio driver to be updated.
  3. Right-click on the selected driver. From the menu shown, pick “Update Driver”.
  4. In the new window that will be shown, select “Search for Drivers Automatically”.
  5. The automatic search will then start. When the latest driver version is found, proceed with installation.

Solution #5. Set up the Default Audio Device

Choosing “Speakers” to set up as the default audio device might also resolve the “OBS not capturing game audio” issue. To do this, follow the below guide.

  1. Go to the homepage. On the “Taskbar”, look for the sound icon and right-click on it.
  2. Via the “Sound settings”, choose “Sound Control Panel”.
  3. Select “Speakers”. Afterward, choose it as the “Default option”.
  4. To continue, tap “Apply”.

Solution #6. Use An Alternative Tool to OBS

Upon doing everything you can to fix the “OBS not capturing game audio” dilemma and yet, it’s not been resolved, you have another good option to consider – trying out a reliable and effective OBS alternative.

When searching on the web, you’ll surely see lots of tools that can assist with screen and audio recording. Choosing the one to use might be confusing. In this instance, we are recommending that you check out and try a professional tool such as the FoneDog Screen Recorder.

This tool can assist you with HD and lag-free screen and webcam recording as well as high-quality audio recording. It ensures that its users will get only the best outputs (without watermarks!). it is packed with advanced editing menus and other features. With the simple UI it has, navigation should be easy even for beginners. This tool is even compatible with both Windows and Mac!

FoneDog Screen Recorder

Part 3. Conclusion

Encountering an issue such as the “OBS not capturing game audio” concern while the app is in use will totally be frustrating and annoying especially when gamers are so into the momentum and would want to capture great gaming sessions. Fortunately, there are lots of fixes that can be applied to address the dilemma. In addition to those solutions, a great OBS alternative was also highlighted previously. Just in case you feel sick of using OBS, you can always turn to apps like the FoneDog Screen Recorder.

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Adela D. Louie

Tech Website Writing /Content Optimization

Singing, smiling, surprising every day!

So as a technical writer, it is my duty to gather effective and reliable solutions to answer questions on how to deal with the issues they are having with their devices.

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