How To Fix OBS Desktop Audio Not Working

Platforms like YouTube & Twitch have opened a new realm of opportunities for creators to stay connected with their audiences. Gone are the days when you had to wait weeks for your favorite creators to upload a video, as now you can follow them on their live streams.

With OBS, an open-source video recording and streaming application, live streaming has been easier than ever. However, these live streams often end abruptly for the creators due to OBS desktop audio not working flawlessly. Since it is an open-source program, there is always a possibility of an error that you may encounter. People who use OBS to record, share their screens in the live stream, or use it to record reaction videos have reported several incidents of audio not working on OBS.

But as they say, there’s always a right for everything wrong! There are ways you can fix the OBS issue on your own. You do not require any professional support to guide you through. All you need is to read this blog and implement the strategies shared & they should fix the issue right away!

Effective Ways To Fix OBS Desktop Audio Not Working

The issue is simple when using OBS to share your desktop screen; it often fails to pick up desktop audio. The OBS desktop audio not working can be a severe problem if you stream games that require in-game chats and coordination.

If you are also facing a similar issue, there are different ways you can fix the issue. Let’s take a closer look at these methods and understand when they should be used.

Check Your Audio Device Settings

If you keep switching your PC’s audio device from headphones to speakers and vice versa, you should check the selected audio device while using OBS. A common mistake often causes the OBS desktop audio to stop working.

To check your audio device settings on Windows 11, follow these steps –

Open Settings
Click on Sounds
Select the device you want your audio output from. To pick up the audio in OBS, speakers should be the preferred choice.
Save the changes, restart the OBS, and your issue should be resolved.

Install Updated Audio Drivers on Your Desktop

The Realtek drivers used commonly on desktops and laptops require regular updates. OBS works best with the latest versions of both video and audio drivers on your PC. To update your audio drivers, follow these steps –

Press Windows + X to bring up the menu

Click on Device Manager to open the list of devices.
In the list, find your audio devices by expanding the Audio inputs and outputs tab.

Select your Realtek speakers and the Right click to find the Update Driver option.
Once you have initiated the process, it will take you to the Update Driver Wizard.

If you have a pre-downloaded driver file, or you still have the disk that came with your audio device, you can choose the option to browse your PC and load the drivers. Or you can let Windows search for it online.
Follow the instructions, and you can find updates for your audio driver.

While it is the integrated way to update drivers in Windows, it seems too much of a task to finish. Especially at the 11th hour when you were about to start your stream, the audio driver stopped you.

To save time & have a better experience, you can download Advanced Driver Updater to download sound drivers instantly. It works flawlessly and takes just a few minutes to install and implement. Here’s how you can get the best results –

Download the Advanced Driver Updater from the button below.

Run the application. You will find an option to scan your PC for missing drivers. Click on Start Scan Now to start the process.

Let the software run the scan in the background. You can use the PC while scanning for missing drivers, so you do not have to engage in the process.

As soon as the scan is completed, you will find a list of outdated/missing drivers.
If you have a trial version, you need to click on update driver for all the drivers one by one. Click on the update driver button next to the audio driver. However, if you have the registered version, you can click on Update All to update outdated driver.

Let the software find, download, and install updated drivers from a reliable driver directory. Once the process is finished, restart your PC, and you will be good to go!

That’s how easy it is to use Advanced Driver Updater. The best part is that it is not a manual process you must repeat for all your devices. You can update all the outdated drivers with just a few clicks. To fix OBS desktop audio not working, this is a must-try tool!

Check Your OBS Plug-ins & Remove Unnecessary Ones

OBS also has many plug-ins that you can install to enhance the usability of your system. If the OBS desktop audio not working issue has arisen after installing a plug-in, make sure you remove it.

Plug-ins are add-ons that help you do something quicker in the system. There are a few features that the OBS does not have by default that can be added using these plug-ins.

However, sometimes these can cause a service to stop, resulting in the audio not working. To remove the plug-ins, follow these steps-

Open Windows Explorer and navigate to your default system drive, Local Disk C.
Open the Program Files folder and look for the OBS folder.
In the OBS folder, you will find a dedicated folder named OBS plug-ins.
Find all the audio-related plug-ins installed on your system. These might include Audio Soundtrack, Tuna, etc.
Look for .dll files of each of these plug-ins.
To remove these plug-ins, simply delete these files.

Once you have followed these steps, restart your OBS and try running the desktop audio again. It should work if the error was caused by any plug-in.

Parting Words

Knowing the history of OBS & audio drivers, the ideal solution to your issue can be found in the second step, i.e., installing the updated drivers. You can choose to update drivers with either method mentioned. However, for error free and effortless driver updates, we recommend Advanced Driver Updater.

What do you think? Was it helpful? Please let us know in the comments. If you face a similar issue and resolved it with some other methods that we missed, mention them as well.

Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.