To capture one app’s sound in OBS, add an application-specific audio source: on Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11, use Application Audio Capture; on macOS 13 (Ventura) or later, use OBS’s macOS audio or screen-capture sources, depending on your OBS version. Then disable duplicate global desktop audio if needed and make a short test recording before you start.
Choose the right method for your system
| System and OBS version | Method | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 version 2004 or later; Windows 11 | Application Audio Capture. In OBS 30.1 or later, Window Capture and Game Capture can also include audio. | Capturing one application, with or without tying its audio to a capture source. |
| macOS 13 or later, OBS 30 or later | macOS Audio Capture or macOS Screen Capture. | Capturing one app or all desktop audio; Screen Capture can combine picture and sound. |
| macOS 13 or later, OBS 28 or 29 | macOS Screen Capture, set to Application Capture or Window Capture. | Capturing an app’s picture and audio through one source. |
| Earlier macOS | Additional audio-routing software, as described in OBS’s guide. | Routing desktop or per-app sound when the native capture path is unavailable. |
| Linux | OBS documents ALSA/PulseAudio Audio Capture Device sources; a universal per-app procedure is not established in its reviewed guidance. | Capturing an audio device. Check the sources available in your installed OBS build for app isolation. |
OBS’s source options and requirements can vary by operating system and release. Consult the OBS Application Audio Capture guide, macOS audio guide, macOS Screen Capture guide, and audio sources guide for your setup.
Capture one application on Windows
- In the OBS Sources dock, select +, then add Application Audio Capture. OBS describes this source as BETA.
- Give the source a descriptive name, then select the window whose audio you want to capture.
- Choose the window-match priority. Matching by type works for most applications. If the window title changes often—for example, in Chrome or Spotify—try matching by executable name so capture can remain attached as the title changes.
- If you use an application-specific source, open Settings → Audio and disable global Desktop Audio if it would capture the same sound. Capturing the signal twice can cause echo or doubled audio.
- Play sound in the target app and watch its meter in the Audio Mixer. Make a short test recording and play it back to confirm the result.
Keep picture and sound together
In OBS 30.1 or later on Windows, you can include audio in a Window Capture or Game Capture source by enabling Capture Audio in that source. This can keep the app’s sound associated with its captured picture. See the OBS guide for details.
Capture application audio on macOS
OBS 30 or later with macOS 13 or later
Add macOS Audio Capture and choose whether to capture all desktop audio or a particular application. Alternatively, use macOS Screen Capture, which can include audio on macOS 13 and later.
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OBS 28 or 29 with macOS 13 or later
Add macOS Screen Capture and set its mode to Application Capture or Window Capture. In this workflow, hiding the source also removes its audio. If you need only the sound, OBS suggests placing the source behind other sources or setting its dimensions to zero. For the exact controls, see the OBS macOS Screen Capture guide.
Earlier macOS versions
OBS’s macOS audio guide describes using additional routing software. It identifies VB-CABLE as a desktop-audio route that does not provide per-application capture, and names Loopback and Sound Siphon as per-application routing options. These are alternatives for older macOS setups, not prerequisites for the native capture methods on supported recent versions.
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What to expect on Linux
OBS documents Linux Audio Capture Device sources using ALSA or PulseAudio. The official guidance does not establish one current, general-purpose recipe for isolating an individual application across Linux configurations. Check the audio sources your installed OBS build exposes and verify that the selected source captures only the sound you want; do not assume the Windows or macOS steps transfer directly.
Check the recording and fix common problems
The audio meter does not move
- Confirm that the correct application or window is selected and that the app is actually producing sound.
- Check the Audio Mixer while the app plays. Then make a short recording and listen to it: a moving meter alone does not confirm the full recording path.
The OBS Quick Start Guide recommends checking meters and testing before a real recording or stream.
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The sound echoes or is doubled
When an application-specific source is active, check whether global Desktop Audio is also capturing the same signal. Disable the duplicate source in Settings → Audio. OBS also warns that adding an input or output device to a scene can echo if that device is already selected in Settings → Audio; keep only the capture path you need.
Capture stops following an app with a changing title
For apps such as Chrome or Spotify, change the Application Audio Capture window-match priority to matching by executable name rather than relying on a window title that changes.
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A Windows app still has no sound
Some applications output audio in a way that is incompatible with Application Audio Capture. OBS documents VB-CABLE as a fallback:
- Install VB-CABLE.
- In the Windows Volume Mixer, route the target application to CABLE Input.
- In OBS, add an Audio Input Capture source and select the cable.
This adds a separate routing step, so try the native application source first. Follow OBS’s Application Audio Capture guide for the documented workaround.
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A macOS app’s picture works but its sound does not
On macOS 13 or later, use macOS Screen Capture when you need picture and sound from the same app. In the OBS 28/29 workflow, make sure the source is visible: hiding it removes its audio.
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