OBS and Discord: Integrate chat and audio into your stream

Can you hear them on Discord, but your audience only hears you live? This is a common question when trying to mix voice from calls and video games with a single stream for the public. The goal is for OBS to pick up both your microphone and Discord voices. and send it to your broadcast or a voice room without any headaches.

Discord is now much more than just voice chat: it allows for private groups, broadcasting specific apps, and participating in specialized communities. OBS Studio is the standard for screen capture and live streaming in Windows y Mac, and combined with Discord opens the door to private streams, sessions with premium subscribers, or gaming meetups with overlays and alerts.

Why integrate OBS and Discord for your stream

One of the biggest reasons is total control over the scene: In OBS you decide what you see and what you hear, with transitions, overlays, alerts and filters, and send that mix to Discord or your streaming platform. streaming favorite.

Plus, you can unify desktop audio, microphone, voice chat, and music without relying on what each app allows. The final mix coming out of OBS is consistent and sounds the same to the entire audience., avoiding situations where your colleagues hear you, but the audience does not.

Finally, if you manage your own communities or servers, this integration is useful for exclusive live streams or training sessions. You share a clean and professional signal in a voice channel, with the possibility of adding a camera, labels or real-time game captures.

If you were previously just sharing your OBS screen on Discord as is, you might want to take it a step further. Let's see how to prepare OBS, adjust the audio and bring that signal to Discord with quality, adding alternatives and solutions to typical sound problems.

Prepare OBS before broadcasting on Discord

OBS usually configures itself automatically when you first start it, but it's a good idea to customize it to your computer and needs. A good initial setup prevents stuttering, unsynchronized audio, or poor bitrate. when you share your signal on Discord.

Video: resolution, FPS and encoder

Open OBS settings and go to the video section. If your PC or Mac is overpowered, aim for 1080p and 60 FPS; on modest devices, 720p and 30 FPS are a safe bet that keeps the stream stable.

In the output tab, adjust the video parameters. A bitrate between 4000 and 6000 Kbps offers a decent balance between quality and bandwidth consumption., and as an encoder, x264 still performs very well for smooth streams.

Audio: Make Discord and your microphone heard

The most overlooked step is global audio sources. In Settings > Audio, set Desktop Audio and Microphone/Auxiliary with the correct devices, and leave the rest on default if you don't use them.

With this, OBS will now be able to capture both your voice and all system sound, including Discord. You'll see the meters move in the mixer when there's real sound., so check it out with a test call.

Scene sources: what you want the audience to see

In the Sources section of the main window, click the plus icon. You can add Game Capture, Window Capture, Browser Capture or Screen Capture, and reorder so that what is important is always visible.

If you're using third-party overlays or platform integrations, add the corresponding font and review its properties. For games, enabling the specific capture option improves compatibility., and will allow the window to appear on top of other elements.

Do you use Discord to display speaker names or alerts? The Streamkit bundle is a great option. Integrating Discord overlays helps you identify who is talking or display activity. within the voice channel without leaving your scene.

How to Send OBS Signal to Discord with Sound on PC

Start by having both applications ready and with an account created. Download OBS Studio and Discord from their official websites and log in. to avoid surprises mid-configuration.

On Discord, create or join a server and enter a voice channel. The Screen button will allow you to choose what to share: a specific window, an application, or the entire screen if you prefer.

If you don't see the option to stream at the quality you want, check your Discord plan. Nitro subscription unlocks higher resolutions and FPS to share more clearly and fluidly on voice channels.

In order for Discord to receive the exact mix you build in OBS, you'll need the virtual camera output. In modern versions of OBS, the Virtual Camera is built in. and you can activate it from the controls; if your version is older, you can install the OBS VirtualCam plugin.

1. Open OBS and activate the Virtual Camera from Tools or from the controls, depending on your version.
2. In Discord, go to Settings > Voice & Video and in the video section, choose OBS as the camera option to use virtual output.
3. Return to the voice channel, press Display and select what to display; If you choose the OBS window you will see your entire scene. with overlays, screenshots and everything you've put together.
4. When you're ready, start broadcasting with Go Live. Your Discord audience will now see and hear the OBS mix..

This stream sends everything that happens in your scene to Discord, so you can switch between scenes, mute sources, or trigger a transition, and everyone in the channel will instantly see those changes with the quality you have configured.

Stream on Discord with OBS using PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch

If your main content is coming from a console, you'll need a PC and an HDMI capture card. The console signal enters through the capture card and OBS receives it as a Video Capture Device, ready to integrate into your scene.

1. Turn on your PC and console; connect the capture device by USB to the computer and the HDMI from the console to the capture card.
2. Add cameras, microphones, lights, and any additional sources according to your setup. The more orderly the scene is, the easier it will be to mix.
3. In OBS, tap the plus icon under Sources and add Video Capture Device. Choose the capture card to bring the game image to your composition.
4. Adjusts the video and audio quality of the capture card. Verify that the sound from the console enters the mixer and is not silenced.
5. If you need Discord overlays, download Streamkit or similar options and add them as a source. This way you can display contextual information about the channel..
6. Activate the Virtual Camera in OBS and select that camera in Discord. Enter the voice channel and press Go Live to start.

With this, your Discord community will see the game, your camera, and the entire set of sources you've designed in OBS. If you switch between pause, gameplay, or chat scenes, everything will update live..

If Discord sees your screen but you can't hear anything: solutions

Sharing your screen directly in Discord doesn't always include desktop audio, and sometimes OBS doesn't pick it up either. Before you go crazy, check these basic points which usually resolve 90% of cases.

1) Check the Volume Mixer in Windows

OBS or Discord may be muted at the system level. Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and open the Volume Mixer To confirm.

1. Find OBS in the list and make sure it's not muted; do the same with Discord.
2. Adjust the sliders to a reasonable level. If there are zero bars, raise them and try again..

2) Correctly adjust the audio in OBS

In File > Settings > Audio, check that the channels are in stereo and the sources are assigned. Select Stereo under Channels and set the Desktop Audio device and Microphone/Auxiliary adequate.

1. In Global Audio Devices, choose the exact equipment you use for desktop and microphone.
2. Leave unassigned or set to default what you are not going to use. Apply the changes, close and reopen OBS and Discord to refresh devices.

3) Check the system sound settings

Sometimes Windows disables devices or gives exclusive control to certain devices. apps. Go to Control Panel > Sound and enable Show disabled devices to locate them. If you use headphones or external speakers, learn to connect Bluetooth speakers and create audio zones in Windows.

1. On the Playback tab, Choose your speakers or headphones and go to Properties.
2. Adjust Levels to your liking; in the Advanced tab, uncheck the box that allows exclusive control by applications.
3. Apply and accept. Restart OBS and Discord and try the call again..

4) Set the speakers as the default device

Setting your computer's speakers as the default device often resolves conflicts with apps that don't detect audio properly. In Control Panel > Sound, under Playback, select Speakers and click Set Default.

If after this the screen is visible but there is no sound, check if you are sharing a window or the full screen. Depending on the mode, Discord may not inject system audio., while with OBS mixing you ensure that it does reach the voice channel.

OBS Virtual Camera on Discord: Step-by-Step Instructions

The virtual camera turns your scene into a webcam for any compatible app. In OBS, add the sources you want (screenshot, game, webcam) and activate Start Virtual Camera.

1. In Discord, go to Settings > Voice & Video and under Video, Choose OBS Virtual Camera.
2. Return to the voice channel: The preview will show exactly your OBS scene, with overlays, transitions and everything you've set up.

Don't look for a broadcast key, because that option doesn't exist on Discord. In Discord you share your screen or broadcast to a voice channel with the Screen button., choosing window or application and setting the desired quality.

Pro Tip: Simple alternative to OBS for recording or sharing

If you find OBS difficult to set up or struggle with sound, there's a more straightforward option for recording and preparing content before sharing. EaseUS RecExperts is a screen recorder with preset modes that detects devices and simplifies capturing gameplay, classes, or protected windows.

• Versatile capture modes: Full screen, area, multi-screen, and more, to fit your flow.
• Webcam and programmer overlay to automatically start recordings and customize your on-screen presence.
• Integrated editor and trimmer to polish the result without leaving the app.
• Audio recording and extraction with noise reduction for clean vocals even in uncontrolled environments.
• Support for 4K and even 8K resolutions with high FPS rates without visible drops.

This alternative does not replace OBS live mixing when you want complex scenes and transitions, but It is ideal if you prioritize speed and stability to capture content and then share it with your community on Discord.

Extra tips for a smooth experience

Before broadcasting to an open channel, create a test room with a friend. Check voice, game and music levels and that the balance is comfortable for the listener.

Labeling sources and scenes with clear names saves you time. Use colors in the mixer and keyboard shortcuts to mute, change scenes or activate the virtual camera on the fly.

If you experience stuttering, lower the resolution or FPS by one point. Downscaling from 1080p60 to 720p30 usually stabilizes the stream. without the Discord audience perceiving it as a big downgrade.

Avoid echoes and double audio paths: On Discord, mute your own cue if it's leaking through your speakers. Closed headphones and good microphone gain They make a difference.

When you have a lot of fonts open, close applications you're not using. Free up bandwidth and CPU for OBS and Discord, and keep both apps updated.