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# How to Split Audio Channels in OBS Studio: A Simple Guide for Creators
- URL: https://www.podcastvideos.com/split-audio-channels-obs-studio/
- Published: 2025-09-16T18:00:28.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-16T18:00:27.000Z
- Description: Learn how to separate mic, desktop, music, and other audio sources in OBS Studio using multiple tracks.
- Author: Staff Report
- Tags: Audio Software, Recording, Editing

**Splitting audio sources into separate tracks** in OBS Studio is one of the smartest ways to improve your editing workflow, enhance audio clarity and maintain better control during livestreams or recordings, whether you're producing a podcast, gaming content or educational videos.

## Why Split Audio Tracks?

Creators and small businesses benefit from separated audio for a few reasons:

- **Cleaner edits**: You can cut, mute or enhance a specific voice or sound without affecting everything else.
- **Streamlined repurposing**: Isolate guest voices, remove background music or rebalance audio for clips.
- **More professional results**: Avoid music overpowering dialogue or game sound drowning out your commentary.

Here’s how to set it up in OBS Studio.

## Step 1: Add Your Audio Sources

First, make sure you’ve added all the audio sources you plan to use in your OBS scene.

- Use the **Sources** panel in OBS.
- Add microphones using **Audio Input Capture**.
- Add system or app sounds (e.g. desktop, Discord, music) using **Audio Output Capture**.
- You can repeat this to isolate different apps if you use tools like **VB-Audio Cable** or **VoiceMeeter** (for Windows).

Label your sources clearly. For example: Host Mic, Game Audio, Spotify Music, Zoom Guest.

## Step 2: Set Up Audio Devices in OBS Settings

Go to **Settings > Audio** in OBS.

Make sure your **Mic/Auxiliary Audio** and **Desktop Audio** devices are correctly assigned. If you have more than one mic or virtual audio source, use the additional **Mic/Auxiliary Audio 2/3** inputs.

This ensures OBS knows what devices to listen to.

### Step 3: Switch Output Mode to Advanced

To split audio, you need to use OBS’s **Advanced Output Mode**.

- Go to **Settings > Output**.
- In the top dropdown, change **Output Mode** from Simple to Advanced.
- Click on the **Recording** tab.

This unlocks advanced features like choosing which audio tracks are recorded.

### Step 4: Enable Multiple Audio Tracks

Inside the **Recording** tab, you’ll see six audio tracks labeled Track 1 through Track 6.

- Check the boxes for each track you want to use (e.g., Track 1, Track 2, Track 3).
- Choose a recording format that supports multi-track audio like **MKV** (recommended) or **MOV**.

This tells OBS how many distinct audio streams to include in your recording.

### Step 5: Assign Audio Sources to Tracks

Now go back to the main OBS interface.

- Look at the **Audio Mixer** panel.
- Click the gear icon next to each source and select **Advanced Audio Properties**.

A new window will open showing a grid of audio sources and tracks.

Here’s where you assign each source to its own track:

- Send your microphone to Track 2 only.
- Send desktop audio to Track 3.
- Send background music to Track 4.
- Leave Track 1 as the combined mix (or disable it entirely if you only want isolated tracks).

Uncheck any tracks you don’t want a source to be part of.

### Step 6: Record a Test Clip

Hit record and create a short test video.

Then open the video in a media player like VLC or import it into editing software like DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro or Audacity to confirm that each audio track is separate.

If something’s missing, go back and check your track assignments and source volumes.

### Step 7: (Optional) Remux to MP4

If you recorded in [**MKV**](https://cloudinary.com/guides/video-formats/mkv-format-what-is-mkv-how-it-works-and-how-it-compares-to-mp4?ref=podcastvideos.com) (recommended for safety), but need an MP4 file for editing or publishing:

- Go to **File > Remux Recordings**.
- Select your MKV file and hit “Remux”.

This converts the file without re-encoding, keeping your audio tracks intact.

## Final Tips

- If you're both streaming and recording, assign Track 1 as your “stream mix” (with all sources combined) and use Tracks 2-6 for separate recordings.
- Use audio routing tools like [**VoiceMeeter**](https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/?ref=podcastvideos.com) or [**Loopback**](https://rogueamoeba.com/loopback/?ref=podcastvideos.com)(Mac) to get deeper control over what sound goes where.
- Always label tracks in your editor to avoid confusion during post-production.