Capture Game Audio Without Desktop Alerts in OBS

This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to utilize the “Application Audio Capture” feature in OBS Studio. By isolating your game’s audio directly, you can record or stream high-quality game sound while completely excluding system notifications, Discord pings, browser music, and other unwanted desktop alerts.

Step 1: Ensure OBS Studio is Updated

The Application Audio Capture feature requires OBS Studio version 28.0 or newer. Ensure your software is updated to the latest version before proceeding.

Step 2: Disable Default Desktop Audio

To prevent system alerts and other background noises from being captured, you must disable the global Desktop Audio source. 1. Open OBS Studio. 2. Click on Settings in the bottom-right corner (or go to File > Settings). 3. Select the Audio tab from the left menu. 4. Under the Global Audio Devices section, locate Desktop Audio and set it to Disabled. 5. Click Apply and then OK.

Step 3: Add the Application Audio Capture Source

With the global desktop audio disabled, you will now target your specific game. 1. Launch the video game you wish to capture. 2. In OBS Studio, go to the Sources dock at the bottom of the screen. 3. Click the + (plus) icon to add a new source. 4. Select Application Audio Capture from the list. 5. Name the source (e.g., “Game Audio Only”) and click OK.

Step 4: Target Your Video Game

  1. In the properties window that appears, locate the Window dropdown menu.
  2. Select the executable file or window title of your active video game.
  3. Keep the Window Match Priority set to the default option (“Match title, otherwise find window of same executable”).
  4. Click OK.

Step 5: Test and Monitor

Your Audio Mixer dock will now display a dedicated volume slider for your game. Play some audio in the game to verify that the green, yellow, and red volume bars light up in OBS. Because global Desktop Audio is disabled, any Discord notifications, email alerts, or web browser sounds will be completely ignored by OBS, leaving you with a clean, game-only audio track.