Fix OBS Studio Audio Driver Crash on Startup

If OBS Studio crashes immediately upon launch due to a third-party audio driver conflict, you can resolve the issue by identifying the problematic driver, disabling conflicting audio enhancement software, or running OBS in Safe Mode. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step troubleshooting process to locate the source of the crash and apply the correct fix to get OBS Studio running smoothly again.

Step 1: Identify the Conflicting Audio Driver

To fix the crash, you must first identify which specific audio driver or software is causing OBS Studio to fail.

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type %APPDATA%\obs-studio\crashes and press Enter.
  3. Open the most recent crash log text file.
  4. Scroll down to the section labeled Thread [ID] Crashed or look at the top of the log for the “Fault Module Name.”
  5. Identify the .dll file listed in the crash report. Common culprits include:
    • NahimicService.dll / NahimicOSD.dll (Nahimic Audio)
    • SS2OSD.dll (ASUS Sonic Studio)
    • rtkaudioservice64.dll (Realtek Audio)
    • nahimic_audio_effect.dll (MSI/SteelSeries)

Step 2: Disable or Uninstall the Conflicting Software

Once you know which software is causing the crash, you need to disable or remove it. Nahimic and Sonic Studio are known to inject code into OBS Studio, causing instant crashes.

Option A: Disable the Nahimic Service

  1. Press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Scroll down to find Nahimic Service.
  3. Right-click it and select Properties.
  4. Change the Startup type to Disabled.
  5. Click Stop, then click Apply and OK.
  6. Restart your computer and launch OBS.

Option B: Uninstall Sonic Studio or Virtual Audio Cables

If you use ASUS Sonic Studio, Alienware Sound Center, or outdated virtual audio drivers (like older versions of VB-Cable or Voicemeeter): 1. Open the Windows Settings app and go to Apps > Installed apps. 2. Search for Sonic Studio, Sonic Radar, or the problematic audio driver. 3. Click the three dots next to the software and select Uninstall. 4. Restart your PC.

Step 3: Launch OBS Studio in Safe Mode

If you cannot immediately uninstall the driver, you can bypass third-party integrations by launching OBS Studio in Safe Mode. Safe Mode disables third-party plugins, websockets, and certain driver hooks.

  1. Right-click your OBS Studio desktop shortcut and select Properties.
  2. In the Shortcut tab, locate the Target field.
  3. Go to the very end of the text path, add a space, and type --safe-mode.
    • Example: "C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe" --safe-mode
  4. Click Apply and OK.
  5. Launch OBS Studio using this shortcut.

Step 4: Update or Reinstall ASIO and Virtual Audio Drivers

If you rely on ASIO drivers (such as those for Focusrite, Behringer, or Universal Audio interfaces) and OBS crashes:

  1. Visit the official manufacturer website for your audio interface.
  2. Download and install the latest stable ASIO driver.
  3. If you are using the obs-asio plugin, ensure you update the plugin to the latest version, or temporarily delete it from your OBS obs-plugins folder to restore startup stability.