In this guide
In OBS on supported Windows versions, capture Discord as an application audio source and your microphone as a separate input. Make a short test with everyone’s agreement, play the saved file and check both voices before recording the full conversation.
To record Discord audio on Windows, add Discord as an Application Audio Capture source in OBS Studio and add your microphone as an audio input. Ask a participant to speak, record a short test, then play the saved file to confirm you can hear both the conversation and your own voice.
Let everyone know you intend to record and obtain the agreement required for your situation. A recording may include private conversation or notifications, so choose what you capture and where you store it. This walkthrough uses OBS on Windows; application capture availability depends on the Windows and OBS versions.
What you need before recording
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Discord | Join the intended voice call and confirm the correct input and headphone output in Voice & Video settings. |
| OBS Studio | Use a version that offers Application Audio Capture on your Windows system and check the recording path and available disk space. |
| Microphone and headphones | Choose the microphone separately in OBS; headphones help prevent other voices playing back into it. |
| Participants | Explain the recording and intended use, and agree on how the file will be handled. |
OBS documents per-application capture for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11 starting with OBS Studio 28. The control may be labeled beta and can change between releases. See the OBS application audio guide for current availability.
1. Check Discord’s input and output
- In Discord, open User Settings → Voice & Video and select the microphone and headphones you intend to use. Discord’s voice troubleshooting guide describes these settings.
- Ask another participant to speak and verify you can hear them in your headphones. Check that you are not muted or deafened and that the other person can hear you.
- Keep the Discord application or call active while configuring OBS. If Discord is running in a browser, the capturable application may be the browser rather than a separate Discord process, so verify what else it includes.
2. Add Discord and your microphone to OBS
- In OBS, choose a scene. In Sources, select + and choose Application Audio Capture if available. Create the source and select the Discord window or application in its properties.
- Have the other person speak and watch the source meter in the OBS Audio Mixer. A moving meter shows that OBS is receiving a signal; it does not prove the correct track is being saved.
- Add Audio Input Capture for your microphone if it is not already configured as a global Mic/Aux source. Speak and check its meter. The OBS quick-start guide explains the mixer and default audio sources.
- Check for duplicate capture. If OBS is recording both desktop audio and a separate Discord application source, the same voices can be recorded twice. Likewise, avoid adding the same microphone as both a global source and a second scene source. Disable only the duplicate you do not need and retest.
Use headphones and avoid monitoring a captured source back into the microphone, which can cause feedback or echo. Check your own microphone and Discord separately; the other participants’ voices and your microphone are different sources.
3. Record and play a short test
- In OBS Settings → Output, review the recording path and format. Start a test recording while you and another participant each speak.
- Stop recording, open the saved file from the recording location and play it. Listen for both sides, clipping, echo and unexpected desktop sounds.
- Adjust source levels and routing if needed, then repeat the test before recording the full session. Watch the OBS meters during louder speech and reduce input or mixer level if the signal clips.
OBS normally creates a recorded media file rather than a separate audio-only file. If you need an audio file for editing, use an editor to export the wanted soundtrack. For a supported short MP4 or MOV up to five minutes and 50 MiB, the local video-to-audio converter can create WAV or MP3 when the browser can decode the file. It reads a browser-selected audio stream and cannot choose a specific OBS track.
Keep your microphone and Discord on separate tracks
For editing, OBS can assign sources to multiple recording tracks. Open Advanced Audio Properties from the Audio Mixer and assign the microphone and Discord sources to their respective tracks. A common arrangement also sends both sources to track 1 as a combined listening mix, while individual sources go to additional tracks. Enable those tracks under Settings → Output for the chosen recording mode and format.
Test the resulting file in an editor that can access its separate tracks. OBS notes that standard video players normally play one audio track at a time; hearing only one track in a player does not prove the others were not saved. Read the OBS multitrack guide and the separate-track walkthrough before a long recording.
Application capture separates the Discord application from your microphone; it does not automatically give each Discord participant an individual track. If independent speaker editing matters, plan separate participant recordings and align them in an editor after the call.
Why is the Discord recording silent or doubled?
| Problem | Check |
|---|---|
| Other people are missing | Confirm the selected application, that Discord is active, its output device and the OBS source meter. Verify the source is assigned to an enabled recording track. |
| Your own voice is missing | Discord output capture does not replace a microphone source. Check the selected input, mute state, meter and track assignment in OBS. |
| Voices sound doubled | Look for desktop audio plus application capture of the same Discord output, or a microphone captured twice. Check monitoring and headphone leakage too. |
| Only one track is audible | Open the file in a multitrack-capable editor and inspect its tracks. A normal player may play just one. |
| Noise overlaps speech | Improve the recording setup or compare a cleanup method on a copy. Aggressive processing may change words; keep the original. |
Common questions
Can OBS record Discord and a microphone separately?
Yes, on a supported setup, configure Discord application audio and the microphone as separate sources and assign them to enabled recording tracks. Verify the actual saved file in an editor.
Does recording Discord capture each speaker on a separate track?
Not by itself. Application capture generally receives the Discord output as a mix of what you hear. Separate participant files require another recording arrangement.
Can I record Discord audio on a Mac?
OBS documents macOS Screen Capture with desktop audio on macOS 13 and later, but source options and permissions differ from the Windows application-capture steps above. Check the OBS sources guide for your system and test the recording.
Can I clean up the recording afterward?
Yes, use an editor and keep the original. For a distinct competing sound in a supported short file, the separate voice isolator can estimate a voice; it may alter words or leave noise, and AI downloads require an account and credits.