The Tool Desk
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Diagnose the kind of sync problem first
“Audio drifting out of sync” can describe two different patterns. Note when playback begins to look or sound wrong, and whether the gap stays about the same or grows as the loop runs. Those patterns point to different tests.
| What you observe | What it suggests | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Audio and video are separated by roughly the same amount throughout. | A stable offset may be correctable with a measured delay adjustment. | Measure the offset in a recording, change one relevant delay control, then record and check again. |
| Audio and video start together but become increasingly separated. | A single fixed delay is not an established cure for progressive drift. | Compare a local OBS recording with YouTube output, then inspect the source, routing, device timing, encoder, and connection. |
| The local recording is synchronized, but the YouTube output is not. | The issue may be occurring in encoding, ingest, or the outbound path rather than in the original source mix. | Review encoder status, Live Control Room errors, CPU load, and connection health. |
| The local recording also drifts. | The mismatch is already present before or during local output. | Inspect the media source, audio path, captured devices, and their timing. |
YouTube live latency is the delay between capture and viewer playback; it is not the same thing as audio drifting relative to video. A stream can have substantial playback delay while remaining synchronized. See YouTube’s explanation of live latency.
Compare a local OBS recording with YouTube
Make a representative recording
Record a normal segment that includes a clear sync reference, such as a visible impact paired with a sound, speech with visible mouth movement, or another event that is easy to compare. Check the beginning and a later point, not just one frame. Listen back to the recording and compare the same moments with the YouTube stream or its archive. OBS recommends listening to a normal-session recording, and YouTube advises comparing the local archive when stream output appears wrong.
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Use the result to locate the fault
- Both recordings are wrong: Start with the source selected in OBS, its audio track and playback behavior, then inspect how audio reaches OBS and whether a captured device is involved.
- Only YouTube is wrong: Check the encoder’s output and health, errors in YouTube Live Control Room, CPU load, and the outbound internet connection. If the encoded output is healthy, investigate the path to YouTube; if it is not, return to the routed sources and encoder.
Change one setting at a time and make a short recording after each change. This helps identify which change affects the mismatch instead of introducing several new variables.
Check the loop source and its audio track
OBS Media Source
In OBS, open the properties for the Media Source used by the loop. Verify that it points to the intended file, that playback speed is as intended, that the correct audio track is enabled, and that the loop setting matches your setup. OBS Media Source also has a setting to restart playback when the source becomes active. Confirm whether that behavior is appropriate for the scene changes in your stream.
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VLC Video source
If the loop uses VLC Video, verify the playlist and its looping behavior. VLC Video also exposes a network-caching setting; adjust it only if it is relevant to your source and test the result rather than assuming it will fix synchronization. Do not change multiple playback or caching controls at once.
Trace the audio route through OBS
Identify the actual source supplying the loop’s audio. It may be the media source itself or a hardware input. Then check whether the same device is also being captured globally and as a scene source. OBS warns that capturing an input or output device both in Settings → Audio and as a scene source can cause echo.
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- Listen to the audio source before it reaches OBS, if your setup allows it.
- Monitor the source in OBS and compare it with the video at the same sync reference.
- Check the active scene and source list for duplicate captures of the same device.
- Remove or disable only a confirmed duplicate, then make another short recording.
Monitoring can help locate where the mismatch first appears, but monitoring itself is not proof that a particular clock or buffer is the cause. The available guidance does not establish a universal fix for every device or operating system.
Test device timestamps only when using device capture
If audio comes from a device capture, OBS documents a Windows-only Use Device Timestamps option for Audio Input/Output Capture. It attempts to prevent desynchronization. Treat it as a controlled test, not a guaranteed solution: results depend on the operating system, source, and device. Record before and after with the same reference event so you can tell whether the setting helped.
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Check encoder health and YouTube ingest settings
Review the encoder and outbound path
- Use the latest version of your encoder.
- Check the stream within the encoder and look for warnings or errors in YouTube Live Control Room.
- Check CPU load while the stream is running.
- Compare encoder output or the local archive with YouTube playback.
- If the local encoded output is sound but the platform output is not, check the outbound connection and ingest warnings. If the encoded output is already wrong, inspect the sources and routing instead.
Confirm YouTube’s baseline format guidance
YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends RTMP or RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and keyframes every 2 seconds, with no more than 4 seconds between keyframes. It specifies AAC or MP3 audio, with a 44.1 kHz sample rate for stereo or 48 kHz for 5.1 surround. These are ingest-baseline checks, not proof that any one setting caused gradual drift. Use the actual error messages in YouTube Live Control Room to investigate unsupported format, audio stream count, sample-rate, or frame-rate problems. See YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apply an OBS sync offset only for a stable mismatch
A fixed sync offset can align audio that is consistently early or late. It is not an established solution when the gap continues to grow.
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- Measure the mismatch in a local recording or recorded stream using the same kind of clear audio/video reference at the start and later in the recording.
- If the offset remains stable, adjust the relevant audio delay control in OBS by the measured amount. The exact control depends on which audio source is out of sync.
- Record another representative segment and check both the beginning and a later point.
- If the mismatch changes over time, undo an ineffective fixed adjustment and return to source, routing, device-timing, encoder, and connection checks.
Do not use an arbitrary delay value: it may improve one moment while making another worse.
Common symptoms and what to try
| Symptom | Likely area to inspect | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Sync is wrong in the local recording and YouTube. | Media source, audio track, scene routing, or captured device. | Verify the selected file, track, loop behavior, and duplicate audio captures; test one change at a time. |
| Local recording is fine, but YouTube playback is wrong. | Encoder, Live Control Room warnings, CPU load, or outbound connection. | Check encoder output and platform errors, then inspect connection health if local output is healthy. |
| Audio and video have a steady separation. | Stable timing offset. | Measure it and test a corresponding OBS delay, then validate at an early and later point. |
| Separation grows as the loop continues. | Progressive timing problem. | Do not expect a fixed offset to solve it; compare local and YouTube output and trace the source and signal path. |
| Echo appears after adding an audio capture. | The same device may be captured globally and in a scene. | Check Settings → Audio and scene sources for duplicate capture. |
| YouTube reports ingest or format errors. | Encoder configuration or unsupported stream characteristics. | Use Live Control Room’s specific message and compare settings with YouTube’s current encoder guidance. |
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