There is nothing worse for a streamer than finishing a great broadcast, checking the replay, and seeing large sections of your video muted with a red line. Twitch automatically scans VODs (Video on Demand) for copyrighted music and mutes those sections to protect themselves from DMCA claims. However, you can prevent this without streaming in silence. By using the "Twitch VOD Track" feature in OBS Studio, you can send one audio mix to your live viewers (with music) and a completely clean audio mix to the VOD (without music). Here is how to set up audio track separation.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Enable "Application Audio Capture" Sources
To separate your music from your game sounds, you cannot use the default "Desktop Audio" source, because that captures everything you hear. You must add your audio sources individually.
- Open OBS Studio (ensure it is updated to version 28 or newer).
- In your Sources dock, click the + button.
- Select Application Audio Capture (BETA).
- Name it "Spotify" (or "Music").
- In the window that pops up, select the specific window of your music player (e.g., spotify.exe or chrome.exe).
- Repeat this process to add a separate source for your Game Audio or Discord if you want granular control.
Step 2: Enable Twitch VOD Track in OBS Settings
Now you need to tell OBS that you want to send a secondary audio track specifically for the VOD recording.
- Click Settings in the bottom right corner of OBS.
- Go to the Output tab.
- Change the Output Mode from Simple to Advanced.
- Ensure you are on the Streaming tab.
- Check the box labeled Twitch VOD Track.
- Set "Audio Track" to 1 (This is what goes live).
- Set "Twitch VOD Track" to 2 (This is what gets saved).
- Click Apply and OK.
Step 3: Configure the Advanced Audio Mixer
This is the most critical step. You must tell OBS which sounds go to Track 1 (Live) and which go to Track 2 (VOD).
- In the Audio Mixer dock, right-click anywhere and select Advanced Audio Properties.
- Look at the matrix of checkboxes on the right side (Tracks 1 through 6).
- For your Microphone, Game, and Alerts: Check boxes in both Column 1 and Column 2. You want these heard live and on the VOD.
- For your Music Source (Spotify/Browser): Check the box in Column 1 ONLY. Uncheck it in Column 2.
- Close the window.
Result: Live viewers hear Track 1 (Music included). Twitch's servers receive Track 2 for the archive (Music excluded).
Step 4: Verify Your Setup
It is difficult to test this without actually going live, but you can do a local recording test.
- Go to Settings > Output > Recording.
- Set "Audio Track" to verify distinct tracks, or temporarily stream to a test account.
- Play copyrighted music and stream for 2 minutes.
- End the stream and immediately check the VOD on Twitch.
- The VOD should have your voice and game sounds, but the music should be silent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Will this stop me from getting DMCA strikes while Live?
A: No. This fix only prevents your VODs from being muted. You are still technically liable for playing copyrighted music while live, and live DMCA takedowns are possible (though rarer than VOD mutes). Always stream responsibly.
Q: Can I do this on Streamlabs Desktop?
A: Yes. Streamlabs has a similar setting in Output settings called "Twitch VOD Track." The logic for the mixer is exactly the same as OBS Studio.
Q: Why is my VOD completely silent?
A: You likely unchecked everything in Track 2. Remember, for the VOD to hear your voice and game, those sources must have Track 2 checked in the Advanced Audio Properties. Only the music source should be unchecked.