Fix OBS Audio Cutting Out When Discord Opens

When launching Discord alongside OBS Studio, users often experience a frustrating conflict where OBS audio cuts out entirely. This article provides a straightforward guide to diagnosing and resolving this performance clash. By aligning system sample rates, disabling exclusive audio control in Windows, and tweaking Discord’s subsystem settings, you can quickly restore seamless audio to your streams and recordings.

Step 1: Disable Windows Exclusive Mode

Windows Exclusive Mode allows a single application (like Discord) to take priority control of an audio device, which can completely mute that device in OBS Studio.

  1. Press Windows Key + R, type mmsys.cpl, and press Enter to open the Sound Control Panel.
  2. Under the Playback tab, right-click your active audio device and select Properties.
  3. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
  4. Uncheck “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device” (this will also uncheck “Give exclusive mode applications priority”).
  5. Click Apply and then OK.
  6. Repeat these steps under the Recording tab for your microphone.

Step 2: Match Audio Sample Rates

If OBS and Discord are trying to use different sample rates (e.g., one at 44.1 kHz and the other at 48 kHz), the audio driver may crash or cut out when both apps are active.

  1. Open the Sound Control Panel again (mmsys.cpl).
  2. Right-click your playback device, select Properties, and go to the Advanced tab.
  3. Note the sample rate listed under Default Format (typically 16-bit, 48000 Hz or 24-bit, 48000 Hz).
  4. Do the same for your recording device (microphone). Ensure both are set to the same frequency (48000 Hz is highly recommended).
  5. Open OBS Studio, go to Settings > Audio, and set the Sample Rate to match your Windows settings (e.g., 48 kHz).
  6. Restart both OBS and Discord.

Step 3: Change Discord’s Audio Subsystem

Discord’s default audio subsystem can sometimes clash with OBS’s audio capture hooks. Switching Discord to its Legacy system often bypasses these driver conflicts.

  1. Open Discord and click the User Settings (gear icon) in the bottom-left corner.
  2. Select Voice & Video from the left sidebar.
  3. Scroll down to the Audio Subsystem dropdown menu.
  4. Change the setting from Standard to Legacy.
  5. Click Okay to confirm and relaunch Discord.

Step 4: Run OBS Studio as Administrator

Running OBS with administrative privileges ensures it has the necessary permissions to capture system audio, even when another resource-intensive app like Discord is launched.

  1. Right-click the OBS Studio shortcut on your desktop or start menu.
  2. Select Properties.
  3. Go to the Compatibility tab.
  4. Check the box for “Run this program as an administrator”.
  5. Click Apply and OK.