Record Specific Chrome Tab Audio in OBS Studio

This guide explains how to use the “Application Audio Capture” source in OBS Studio to record or stream audio from a single, specific Google Chrome tab. By isolating your browser audio, you can prevent unwanted sounds from other tabs, background applications, or desktop notifications from ruining your recording or stream.

Step 1: Isolate the Chrome Tab

Because OBS Studio captures audio based on windows and processes, you must separate the tab you want to record from your main Chrome window.

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Click and hold the tab you wish to record.
  3. Drag the tab downwards and release it to separate it into its own independent window.

Step 2: Add the Application Audio Capture Source in OBS

Ensure you are running OBS Studio version 28.0 or newer, as this feature is not available in older versions.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Navigate to the Sources dock at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Click the + (Add) button.
  4. Select Application Audio Capture (BETA) from the dropdown list.
  5. Name the source (e.g., “Chrome Tab Audio”) and click OK.

Step 3: Configure the Capture Settings

To ensure OBS only captures the audio from your isolated tab, configure the source properties as follows:

  1. In the properties window that appears, locate the Mode dropdown menu.
  2. Select Capture specific window.
  3. In the Window dropdown menu, select the Chrome window that contains your target tab (the window title will match the name of the active tab).
  4. Under Window Match Priority, select Match title, otherwise find window of same type. This ensures OBS targets the specific tab even if Chrome updates or restarts.
  5. Click OK to save the settings.

Step 4: Verify and Test the Audio

  1. Play audio or video in your isolated Chrome tab.
  2. Look at the Audio Mixer dock in OBS Studio.
  3. Verify that the volume bar for your new “Chrome Tab Audio” source is moving.
  4. Play audio in a different Chrome tab in your main window; the volume bar in OBS should remain still, confirming that only the specific tab is being captured.