Find where the sound disappears: play the video locally, check the Media Source or VLC Video source in OBS, watch its Audio Mixer meter, then verify the stream’s audio output and YouTube preview. A still meter points to the file, playback, or source; a moving meter means OBS is receiving audio, so check mute and output routing next.
1. Check whether the video file has sound
- Open the recording in a local media player and play a section where audio should be present.
- If it is silent there too, check whether the file contains an audio track or try a known-good file. Do not assume the file is corrupt; the cause could be its track or playback handling.
- If the local player has sound, continue in OBS. You do not need to add Desktop Audio just because a video’s embedded audio is missing.
2. Confirm the OBS source and playback settings
Select the scene containing the prerecorded video and check the source that plays it. OBS Media Source supports common video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM, as well as audio formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV. Its properties include the file selection and playback options such as looping and restarting playback when the source becomes visible. Check that the intended local file is selected and playback is active. OBS Media Sources
If the scene uses VLC Video, make sure VLC is installed, confirm the right file or playlist is selected, and check the selected audio track. VLC Video supports playlists and provides an audio-track selection. OBS Media Sources
3. Use the Audio Mixer meter to locate the break
Start the clip and watch the meter for its Media Source or VLC Video source in the Audio Mixer. The meter indicates source level; it is the quickest way to distinguish a source-side problem from a routing problem. OBS Audio Mixer
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If the meter does not move
- Recheck the selected file, playback state and source properties.
- Test the file locally again or try a known-good supported format.
- For VLC Video, check its chosen audio track.
- Do not add Desktop Audio capture as a reflex when OBS is already playing the clip through a Media Source. Device capture is relevant only if the audio actually comes from a separate application or external device.
If the meter moves
- Check that the source is not muted in the mixer.
- Verify that the audio is assigned to an output track used by the stream. Do not assume the monitoring mix or a separate recording track is the mix YouTube receives.
- If sound is missing only from a saved OBS recording, note that ordinary video players generally play one audio track at a time. OBS recommends assigning all sources to track 1 when a recording is intended for standard playback without editing; a player may otherwise select a different track. OBS Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide
4. Treat monitoring and stream output as separate checks
The mixer’s Monitor control routes a source to OBS’s configured monitoring device. Hearing that monitored audio does not prove it is included in the stream output. Follow the signal from its source through mute and track/output selection, then verify the encoded result with a test. OBS recommends recording a normal test session and listening back before going live. OBS Audio Mixer
5. Test the YouTube output before the real stream
- Make a short local OBS recording with the same scene and clip, then listen to it.
- Run a YouTube preview or test stream with representative audio and movement.
- Listen on the YouTube-side output and check stream health before relying on the setup for the event.
YouTube recommends testing audio and movement similar to the planned stream and monitoring stream health during the event. Its encoder settings list AAC or MP3 as audio codecs. A working mixer meter alone is not the final check: confirm sound reaches YouTube. YouTube encoder settings · YouTube live streaming tips
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6. Capture a separate device only when the audio comes from one
If the sound is played in another application or enters through external audio hardware, add the matching capture source rather than treating it as embedded Media Source audio. OBS Audio Input/Output Capture can capture a chosen device in a scene on Windows and macOS. On Linux, OBS directs users to ALSA or PulseAudio sources. If the same device is selected as a scene capture source and globally under Settings → Audio, it may be captured twice and create echo; disable the duplicate global selection if you use the scene source. OBS Audio Input/Output Capture
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