Record Voiceover in OBS Studio While Watching Video

Recording a voiceover while watching video playback in OBS Studio is a powerful way to create reaction videos, tutorials, and video commentaries. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to import your video, configure your microphone, set up audio monitoring so you can hear the playback without it bleeding into your recording, and capture your voiceover successfully.

Step 1: Add Your Video Playback Source

To watch a video while recording your voiceover, you must first import the video file into OBS Studio.

  1. Open OBS Studio and navigate to the Sources dock.
  2. Click the + (plus) icon and select Media Source.
  3. Name the source (e.g., “Playback Video”) and click OK.
  4. Click Browse, locate your video file on your computer, and select it.
  5. If you want the video to pause when you are not recording, check the box for Show nothing when playback ends. Leave “Loop” unchecked unless you want the video to repeat. Click OK.

Step 2: Add Your Microphone

Next, you need to ensure OBS Studio is capturing your voice.

  1. In the Sources dock, click the + icon and select Audio Input Capture.
  2. Name the source (e.g., “Voiceover Mic”) and click OK.
  3. In the device dropdown menu, select your microphone and click OK.
  4. Speak into your mic and verify that the volume meter for “Voiceover Mic” in the Audio Mixer dock is moving.

Step 3: Configure Audio Monitoring

To sync your voiceover with the video, you need to hear the video’s audio through your headphones without letting that audio feedback into your microphone. Always wear headphones for this process.

  1. Click the gear icon next to any source in the Audio Mixer and select Advanced Audio Properties.
  2. Locate your Playback Video (Media Source) in the list.
  3. Under the Audio Monitoring column, change the setting from Monitor Off to Monitor and Output (if you want the video’s original audio in the final recording) or Monitor Only (mute output) (if you only want to hear the video for timing but do not want its sound in the final file).
  4. For your Voiceover Mic, ensure the monitoring is set to Monitor Off to avoid hearing an annoying echo of your own voice while speaking.

Note: If you cannot hear the video audio, go to OBS Settings > Audio > Advanced, and ensure the “Monitoring Device” is set to your headphones.

Step 4: Record Your Voiceover

With your sources and audio configured, you are ready to record.

  1. In the Sources list, click on your Playback Video and click the Stop button (square) in the media controls below the preview window to reset the video to the beginning.
  2. Click Start Recording in the Controls dock on the bottom right.
  3. Click the Play button under your video source to start the video playback.
  4. Deliver your voiceover as you watch the video play in the OBS preview window.
  5. Once finished, click Stop Recording. Your video and synchronized voiceover will be saved to your designated OBS output folder.