First check whether the audio is out of sync by roughly the same amount at the beginning and end of the recording, or whether the gap grows over time. A steady offset may be corrected with OBS’s Sync Offset setting or by manually moving a detached audio track in Clipchamp. Growing drift needs a different investigation: a single fixed delay usually cannot correct a problem that accumulates during recording.
Diagnose the kind of sync problem
Make a short test recording that includes an easy-to-see event with a matching sound, such as a clap or click. Compare the sound and picture near the beginning, then compare them again later in the file.
- About the same gap throughout: This is consistent with a fixed offset. You can try a capture-time adjustment in OBS or manually realign a separate audio track in an editor.
- The gap grows as the recording plays: Treat this as drift. Investigate the capture devices, their audio settings and clocks, and the workload on the computer rather than relying on one static delay.
This is a practical check, not a formal standard: the cited documentation does not set a universal tolerance or required test duration. Always inspect the saved recording. A delay heard while monitoring an input does not, by itself, establish that the recorded file has the same delay.
Correct a fixed offset in OBS
OBS provides a Sync Offset control in Advanced Audio Properties. The appropriate value depends on the setup; there is no universal number of milliseconds that fixes every recording.
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- Open OBS and select Edit > Advanced Audio Properties.
- Find the affected audio source and adjust its Sync Offset, measured in milliseconds. If you are unsure which source is responsible, test one source at a time.
- Make a short recording with a visible event and matching sound.
- Review the saved file and compare alignment near both the start and the end. Adjust the offset again if needed, then record another test.
- Keep the change only if it improves the saved recording without creating a new mismatch.
Focusrite’s OBS setup guide identifies Advanced Audio Properties and Sync Offset as the relevant control and advises testing for the specific computer and processing setup: How to set up a Focusrite interface in OBS. The guide does not prescribe one correct offset for all users.
Fix an existing recording in Clipchamp
If the audio is available as a separate, detached track, Microsoft Clipchamp lets you edit it on the timeline. This is a manual editing option, not an automatic synchronization repair.
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- Open the project in Clipchamp and locate the recording on the timeline.
- Detach the audio if it is still attached to the video. Microsoft documents detaching audio in its screen recording instructions.
- Move the detached audio track to realign it. If the mismatch changes within the file, split or trim the audio where necessary; Microsoft describes these timeline operations in its audio and music editing instructions.
- Export the project and check the exported file, including a point near the beginning and one later on.
Investigate delay that grows over time
When the mismatch accumulates, a constant Sync Offset may improve alignment at one point while leaving another point out of sync. Check the recording path before changing several settings at once.
Check audio devices and settings
Identify which microphone, capture device, or other source supplies each part of the recording. Separate physical devices may have independent clocks. An OBS Project forum discussion about variable desynchronization raises mismatched audio refresh rates and device clocks as possible troubleshooting leads, but it does not establish a definitive cause for every setup: Video & audio not in sync problem. Inspect the settings for the relevant devices and test changes one at a time.
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Replacing a microphone or capture device is not a generally established fix. An audio interface may be worth considering only if you have multiple physical audio sources and have reason to suspect independent device clocks; it is not a guaranteed cure for drift and will not repair an offset already baked into a recording.
Check whether the computer is overloaded
Recording demands depend on the encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. OBS’s system requirements page cautions that meeting its compatibility requirements does not guarantee a computer can handle a particular workload. Reduce workload or revisit recording settings one change at a time, then compare a saved test file. The page is dated August 25, 2021, so treat it as workload guidance, not a current performance benchmark: OBS system requirements.
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For basic recording setup, OBS’s help portal points users to the Auto-Configuration Wizard and Simple output mode with recording presets. These are starting points for configuration, not guaranteed sync repairs: OBS Help Portal.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes to avoid
- Using one fixed delay to chase growing drift: Recheck the file near the beginning and end; investigate devices, settings, and workload if the gap grows.
- Judging sync only from live monitoring: Inspect the saved recording independently, since monitoring delay does not prove the recorded file is delayed.
- Changing multiple settings at once: Make one change, record a short test, and compare the result so you can identify what helped.
- Buying hardware before identifying the cause: The available documentation does not establish a replacement capture card, microphone, or interface as a universal fix.
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