How to Set Up OBS Separate Audio Tracks (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

By default, OBS records every audio source into one combined track. That includes your microphone, game audio, desktop sounds, and browser tabs together. You cannot split them apart after finishing the recording later. Separate audio tracks keep every sound saved on its own. That means editing, fixing, or removing one source feels much easier. The other sounds stay unchanged while making those edits anytime. This guide explains everything from enabling tracks to editing them. It also shows the process inside DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro.

What Are Separate Audio Tracks in OBS and Why They Matter

OBS blends all active audio sources into a single stereo stream before writing it to disk. Once that mix is written, it is permanent. Adjusting your mic volume in post means adjusting every other sound at the same time.

Separate tracks change that. Your microphone stays in its own lane, your desktop audio on another, and your browser or music source on a third. When you open the recording in an editor, each source is editable in isolation.

This matters most when something goes wrong mid-session. Game audio spikes unexpectedly, a notification fires at full volume, or your mic picks up room noise from a nearby fan. With a single mixed track, you are stuck with it. With separated tracks, any of those problems becomes a quick fix rather than a reason to re-record.

Understanding OBS’s Track System Before You Start

OBS supports up to six audio tracks in recording mode. Before checking the steps, here are a few things worth knowing first.

• Track 1 is your master mix. It receives all active audio sources blended together. Keeping it enabled acts as a safety net. If individual track assignments break during a session, you still have a complete, usable recording.

• Tracks 2 through 6 are dedicated source tracks. Each one can be assigned a single audio source: microphone, desktop audio, game capture, browser audio, and so on.

• Streaming uses only Track 1. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube receive a single blended audio stream regardless of your recording track setup. Separate tracks are a recording-only feature.

• Your recording container matters. Multi-track audio data is preserved in MKV files or in MP4 files created through OBS’s Remux tool. Recording directly to MP4 can cause extra tracks to be dropped or flattened.

The convention of using Track 1 as a master mix and Tracks 2 onward as isolated sources is not mandatory, but it is the most widely used approach and the most compatible with editing software.

Note: OBS warns users that recording directly to MP4 risks file corruption if the application crashes. Recording to MKV and remuxing afterward is the safer workflow regardless of multi-track needs.

How to Enable Separate Audio Tracks in OBS (Recording Settings)

This setup has two separate parts that both need attention. First, enable the tracks in Output Settings before recording anything. Next, assign every audio source inside Advanced Audio Settings correctly. Skipping either step means separate audio tracks will not record properly.

Step 1: Open Output Settings and Select the Recording Tab

1. Launch OBS Studio and open Settings from the bottom-right toolbar.

2. Click Output in the left sidebar.

3. At the top of the Output panel, change Output Mode from Simple to Advanced.

4. Click the Recording tab that appears next to Streaming.

5. Locate the Audio Track checkboxes labeled 1 through 6.

6. Check every track you plan to use. For a standard three-source setup (mic, desktop audio, game audio), check Tracks 1, 2, and 3.

Pro Tip: Enabling a track here activates the lane but does not route audio to it. Think of this step as opening lanes on a highway. Traffic only moves after you assign sources in Step 2.

Step 2: Assign Each Audio Source to a Specific Track

This is where the actual routing happens. OBS’s Advanced Audio Properties control which tracks each source writes to during recording.

1. Return to the main OBS window and find the Audio Mixer panel at the bottom of the screen.

2. On any audio source, such asMic/Aux, Desktop Audio, or a Browser source, click the three vertical dots button 

3. Select Advanced Audio Properties from the dropdown.

4. A panel opens showing six track checkboxes next to each active source.

Use the following assignment as a starting template:

• Track 1 receives a checkmark from every source to maintain a complete master mix.

• Track 2 gets a checkmark only from Mic/Aux, creating a clean, isolated voice track.

• Track 3 gets a checkmark only from Desktop Audio.

• Track 4 gets a checkmark only from Browser or music sources.

Repeat this for every source in your Audio Mixer. Dedicated tracks should have only one source checked. If two sources share the same isolated track, they blend together again, defeating the purpose.

Note: If you use the Application Audio Capture plugin to isolate a specific game’s audio separately from general desktop audio, assign it its own track number using the same method.

Step 3: Set Your Recording Container to MKV or Remux to MP4

Multi-track audio data is only reliably preserved when MKV is used as the recording container.

Option A: Record directly to MKV: In Settings → Output → Recording, set the Recording Format to MKV. All assigned tracks will be embedded in the file.

Option B: Record to MKV, then remux to MP4: After your session ends, go to File → Remux Recordings in OBS. Add your MKV file, set the output to MP4, and click Remux. 

This process does not re-encode your file, so quality stays the same. It only takes a few seconds to finish each file. The resulting MP4 retains all separate audio tracks and loads cleanly into most editing software.

Remuxing to MP4 is the recommended workflow for compatibility with DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, and other editors that handle MP4 more predictably than MKV.

A Note on Streaming: Why Separate Tracks Don’t Apply

Most streaming platforms receive only one mixed audio track from OBS. OBS can record up to six separate audio tracks at once. For streaming, OBS sends only one selected track, usually Track 1. Recording tracks stay separate and follow their own settings instead. This means viewers hear one mix while your recording stays organized. 

You can save six isolated tracks and stream a clean audio mix simultaneously. Some advanced SRT, MPEG-TS, or FFmpeg setups support multiple streamed audio tracks. Most popular streaming platforms do not support that type of setup.

How to Use Your Separated Tracks in Post-Production

The recording setup only pays off once you open the file in an editor and access each lane individually.

Importing Multi-Track Recordings into DaVinci Resolve

1. Open your project and navigate to the Media Pool.

2. Right-click in the Media Pool area, select Import Media from the menu, and import your remuxed MP4 or MKV file as you normally would.

3. Drag the clip to the Cut or Edit page timeline. DaVinci Resolve automatically detects multiple audio tracks and places each in a separate audio lane.

4. If tracks do not appear separately, right-click the clip in the Media Pool and select Clip Attributes. Under the Audio tab, confirm the number of embedded tracks matches your OBS assignment.

5. Each lane is now independently editable. Apply EQ, noise reduction (via the Fairlight page), or volume automation to any track without affecting the others.

Importing into Adobe Premiere Pro

1. Import your recording into the Project panel.

2. Right-click the clip and select Modify → Audio Channels.

3. Change the Clip Channel Format to Mono for mono sources (such as a single microphone) or leave it stereo if required.

4. Check that the clip's audio channel settings match the recorded audio tracks. Change the Audio Clip Channels setting only if Premiere reads them incorrectly.

5. Map each track number to an independent audio clip lane: Track 1 to Clip 1, Track 2 to Clip 2, and so on.

6. Click OK. Dragging the clip to the timeline now places each audio source on its own track lane.

What You Can Now Do in Post

With each source on a dedicated lane, your editing options expand significantly:

• Balance levels independently. Lower game audio by 6 dB without touching the mic at all.

• Apply noise reduction to a single source. Run noise removal only on the voice track, leaving desktop audio untouched.

• Cut music without cutting commentary. Remove a background music source from one section while keeping the voice track intact.

• Sync or replace audio. Swap out a noisy mic track for a cleaner version recorded simultaneously on a separate device.

• Create alternate exports. Render a version without music for a different platform using the same original file.

Tips for Maximizing Each Separated Track

A few habits before you hit record will save significant time in post:

• Name audio sources clearly inside OBS. Rename “Mic/Aux” to “Voice Mic” and “Desktop Audio” to “System Audio” before starting. Clear labels make it immediately obvious which track is which when you open the file days later.

• Always keep Track 1 active as a mixed safety net. If a track assignment is misconfigured, you still have a complete, usable recording to fall back on.

• Run a 30-second test recording and check it in your editor before every important session. Confirming that tracks appear correctly takes less than a minute and prevents the frustration of discovering a routing error after an hour of footage.

• Start with a clean mic signal. The isolated voice track usually gets the most editing after recording. This includes noise reduction, EQ, and volume automation adjustments. The better the source, the less work required. A wireless microphone like the Hollyland LARK MAX 2, which records at 48 kHz / 32-bit Float with built-in AI Noise Cancellation, puts a studio-grade signal onto your dedicated track from the start. That quality headroom pays off substantially when the track is isolated, and every imperfection is exposed.

Troubleshooting OBS Separate Audio Track Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I set up separate audio tracks in OBS for streaming?

Not on most popular streaming platforms. OBS streams only one selected audio track, usually Track 1 by default. You can choose a different track in Advanced Output Mode instead. Recording tracks stay separate and never change your live stream audio. Viewers hear only the single mixed track sent by OBS. Advanced SRT workflows can stream multiple audio tracks in some cases. Twitch, YouTube Live, and similar platforms usually accept only one mixed track.

Q: How many separate audio tracks does OBS support?

OBS supports up to six audio tracks in recording mode. Track 1 is typically used as a master mix of all sources. Tracks 2 through 6 can each be assigned to an individual audio source, giving you up to five isolated source tracks alongside the master.

Q: Does separating audio tracks affect OBS performance?

The performance impact is very small on most computers. Saving multiple audio tracks adds almost no extra CPU or disk load. Video encoding still takes far more system resources during recording. Most modern computers will not show any noticeable performance difference.

Q: What recording format do I need for separate tracks to work?

Use MKV as your recording container in OBS Output Settings. After recording, use File → Remux Recordings to convert the MKV to MP4 without re-encoding. The remuxed MP4 retains all separate audio tracks and is compatible with most editing software.

Q: Can I separate audio tracks for the OBS replay buffer?

The Replay Buffer follows your current recording output settings automatically. If multi-track recording is enabled, those tracks are saved too. Some editing programs may read Replay Buffer clips differently, though. Test your editor first before depending on this workflow regularly.

Conclusion

The process comes down to three simple steps. Enable audio tracks in Settings > Output > Recording first. Next, assign every source inside Advanced Audio Settings correctly. Then record in MKV before remuxing the file to MP4. After importing the recording into your editor, each track stays separate. You can edit every audio source without changing the others.