How to Add a Mic to OBS Studio Audio Mixer

Adding a dedicated microphone to OBS Studio is essential for capturing high-quality audio during live streams or video recordings. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough on how to add your microphone to the OBS Studio audio mixer using two different methods: as a global audio device for all scenes, or as a scene-specific source.

Method 1: Add as a Global Audio Device (Recommended)

Configuring your microphone as a global audio device ensures that your voice is active across all scenes in OBS Studio, eliminating the need to add it manually to every new scene you create.

1. Open OBS Studio.
2. Click on Settings in the bottom-right corner of the screen (or go to File > Settings in the top menu).
3. In the Settings window, click on the Audio tab in the left-hand sidebar.
4. Locate the Global Audio Devices section.
5. Find the Mic/Auxiliary Audio dropdown menu and select your dedicated microphone or audio interface.
6. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

Your microphone will now appear as a dedicated channel in the Audio Mixer dock at the bottom of the main OBS interface.

Method 2: Add as a Scene-Specific Source

If you only want your microphone to be active in specific scenes (such as a gameplay scene, but not a “Be Right Back” screen), you can add it as an Audio Input Capture source.

1. In the Scenes box, select the specific scene where you want to add the microphone.
2. Go to the Sources box next to it and click the + (plus) icon.
3. Select Audio Input Capture from the list.
4. Choose Create New, name the source (e.g., “My USB Mic”), and click OK.
5. In the Properties window, open the Device dropdown menu and select your dedicated microphone.
6. Click OK.

The microphone will now appear in the Audio Mixer, but only when this specific scene is active.

Testing and Adjusting Your Microphone Levels

Once your microphone is added to the Audio Mixer, speak into it to test the input:

• Watch the Volume Meter: The colored bar should bounce green and yellow when you speak at a normal volume. Aim to keep your voice in the yellow zone (-15 dB to -10 dB) for optimal volume.
• Avoid the Red Zone: If the meter hits the red zone (0 dB), your audio will clip and distort. Lower the volume slider in the Audio Mixer if this happens.
• Add Filters if Needed: To improve your sound quality, click the three dots (or gear icon) next to your microphone in the Audio Mixer, select Filters, and add helpful tools like Noise Suppression to block background noise or a Limiter to prevent clipping.