Fix OBS Studio Audio Monitoring Latency

Audio monitoring latency in OBS Studio can disrupt live streams and recordings, making it difficult to monitor your own voice or game audio in real time. This article provides a straightforward guide on how to minimize and eliminate this delay by adjusting OBS audio settings, matching system sample rates, and utilizing low-latency audio drivers like ASIO or WASAPI.

Step 1: Match Audio Sample Rates

The most common cause of audio latency and crackling is a mismatch between the sample rates of your operating system and OBS Studio.

1. In OBS, go to Settings > Audio.
2. Note the Sample Rate (typically 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz).
3. In Windows, right-click the sound icon in your taskbar, select Sounds (or Sound Settings > More sound settings), go to the Playback and Recording tabs, double-click your active devices, and under the Advanced tab, ensure the default format matches the sample rate set in OBS.

Step 2: Use WASAPI or ASIO Drivers

By default, Windows uses standard audio drivers that introduce noticeable delay to protect against audio dropouts. To bypass this processing lag:

• Use WASAPI Exclusive Mode: Ensure your monitoring device in OBS is set to use a WASAPI interface where possible.
• Install ASIO Drivers: If you use a USB audio interface (like a Focusrite Scarlett or Behringer), install the official ASIO drivers from the manufacturer. You can then use the “OBS-ASIO” plugin to capture and monitor audio with virtually zero latency.

Step 3: Change the OBS Audio Monitoring Device

Using the wrong monitoring device can route audio through slow Windows software pipelines.

1. In OBS, go to Settings > Audio > Advanced.
2. Set the Monitoring Device specifically to your headphones or audio interface rather than “Default.”
3. Avoid monitoring through HDMI-connected monitors or Bluetooth headphones, as Bluetooth naturally introduces 150–300ms of latency.

Step 4: Adjust the Audio Sync Offset (For Stream Alignment)

If your microphone audio is perfectly timed for you, but out of sync on the actual stream or recording, you need to adjust the Sync Offset.

1. Click the three dots next to any audio source in the Audio Mixer and select Advanced Audio Properties.
2. Locate your microphone or desktop audio source.
3. Adjust the Sync Offset (ms). If the audio is ahead of the video, add a positive delay (e.g., 200 ms). If the audio is behind, you may need to add a delay to your webcam/video capture source instead.