How to add Google Meet as audio in OBS

To add Google Meet audio to OBS, you capture the Meet window as a source, then route its sound through OBS's mixer instead of letting it play through your speakers. The simplest method is to add Google Meet as a Window Capture source in OBS, mute the Meet tab in your browser, and use OBS's audio mixer to control the volume going to your stream. This prevents echo (where viewers hear themselves), lag, and the awkward moment when someone unmutes while you're streaming.

The process takes about five minutes and requires only OBS (free, open-source software) and Google Meet running in a browser tab. You do not need additional software or plugins. The key is understanding that OBS needs to see the Meet window and hear its audio separately, then you blend them together in the mixer.

Key Takeaways

  • Add Google Meet to OBS as a Window Capture source so OBS can see the video, then add the browser tab as an audio input so OBS can hear the sound.
  • Mute the Meet tab in your browser's volume mixer to stop audio from playing through your speakers, which prevents echo in your stream.
  • Use OBS's audio mixer to adjust how loud the Meet audio is in your stream, separate from your microphone volume.
  • Test your setup by starting a Meet call with a friend or a test account before you stream to a live audience.

Setting up Window Capture for the Meet video

Open OBS and create a new scene or use an existing one. Right-click in the Sources panel (the box at the bottom left that says "Sources") and select Add Source. Choose Window Capture from the menu.

A dialog box will open asking you to name the source. Type something like "Google Meet" so you remember what it is. Click Create New. In the properties window that appears, click the dropdown next to "Window" and select your Google Meet browser window. If you have multiple browser windows open, look for the one that shows the Meet title or the participant names. Click OK.

You should now see the Meet window appear in your OBS preview. Resize and position it in your canvas by dragging the corners. If the window is too small or too large, right-click the source in the Sources panel, select Transform, and choose Fit to Screen to make it fill your canvas automatically.

Adding the browser tab as an audio source

The Window Capture source shows the Meet video but does not capture its audio. To add the sound, you need to tell OBS to listen to your browser tab. Right-click in the Sources panel again and select Add Source. This time, choose Audio Input Capture.

Name it something like "Meet Audio" and click Create New. In the properties window, click the dropdown next to "Device" and look for an option that mentions your browser or "Stereo Mix" or "What U Hear" (the exact name depends on your operating system and audio setup). If you see "Stereo Mix", select it — this captures all audio playing on your computer. If you do not see Stereo Mix, you may need to enable it in your sound settings first (see the troubleshooting section below).

Once you have selected the audio device, click OK. You should now see a new audio source in your Sources panel. In the Audio Mixer at the bottom of OBS, you will see a slider for "Meet Audio" next to your microphone. Test by unmuting in Meet — you should see the audio meter jump when someone speaks.

Muting Meet in your browser to prevent echo

Before you stream, mute the Google Meet tab in your browser so the audio does not play through your speakers. If Meet audio plays both through your speakers and through OBS, viewers will hear an echo, and you will hear a delay between what you say and what comes back to you.

In most browsers, right-click the Meet tab at the top and select Mute site or Mute tab. In Chrome, you can also click the speaker icon that appears next to the tab name. The tab will show a muted speaker icon to confirm it is silenced. Now all the Meet audio goes only to OBS, and only OBS sends it to your stream.

If you need to hear Meet audio yourself while streaming (for example, to respond to questions), use headphones connected to your computer. Set your headphone volume in Windows or Mac settings, and OBS will not affect it — only the stream will carry the Meet audio at the level you set in the mixer.

Adjusting audio levels in the OBS mixer

Open the Audio Mixer panel in OBS (it is usually visible at the bottom, but if you do not see it, go to View menu and select Docks > Audio Mixer). You will see sliders for each audio source: your microphone, the Meet audio, and any other sources you have added.

Drag the "Meet Audio" slider to the left to make it quieter or to the right to make it louder in your stream. A good starting point is to set it so that when someone speaks in Meet, the audio meter (the green bars next to the slider) reaches about halfway up the scale. If the meter goes all the way to the top and turns red, the audio is too loud and will distort. If it barely moves, the audio is too quiet and viewers will struggle to hear.

You can also click the speaker icon next to each slider to mute that source temporarily without removing it. This is useful if you want to stream video from Meet but not audio for a moment — for example, if someone is sharing their screen and you want to narrate instead of letting their audio play.

Testing before you stream live

Start a test Meet call with a friend or create a second account to call yourself. In OBS, start recording (not streaming yet) by clicking Start Recording in the bottom right. Let the Meet call run for 30 seconds, then stop the recording. Open the video file and watch it back to check that you see the Meet window and hear the audio clearly.

Listen for echo, lag, or audio that cuts out. If you hear echo, make sure the Meet tab is muted in your browser. If the audio is delayed, check that you are using Stereo Mix or a similar system audio capture, not a microphone input. If the audio cuts out, the browser tab may have lost focus — click on the Meet window in OBS to bring it back to the front.

Once you are satisfied with the test recording, you can stream to your audience. Remember that if you switch away from the Meet window (to show a document or another program), OBS will stop capturing the Meet video, though the audio will continue. Plan your screen layout ahead of time so you know what you want to show and when.

Troubleshooting Stereo Mix and audio device issues

If you do not see "Stereo Mix" or a similar option in the Audio Input Capture dropdown, your audio device may not have it enabled. On Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the system tray, select Open Sound settings, scroll down to Advanced, and click Volume mixer. Look for an entry called "Stereo Mix" or "What U Hear". If it is not there, go to Settings > System > Sound > Advanced > App volume and device preferences, and check whether Stereo Mix appears in the input devices list.

If Stereo Mix is disabled or grayed out, you may need to enable it in your audio driver settings. Right-click the speaker icon, select Sound settings, scroll to Advanced, and click Device properties. Look for a tab or option related to Stereo Mix or "What U Hear" and enable it. If you still do not see it, your audio driver may not support it — in that case, use a virtual audio cable tool like VB-Audio Virtual Cable (free) to route browser audio to OBS.

On Mac, the process is different because macOS does not have a built-in Stereo Mix equivalent. Instead, use a tool like Soundflower (free, open-source) or BlackHole (free) to create a virtual audio device that captures system audio. Install the tool, set it as your system audio output, then select it in OBS's Audio Input Capture dropdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add Google Meet audio without capturing the video window?

Yes. You can add only the audio source without the Window Capture source if you want to show a different video feed or screen share instead of the Meet window. Just follow the "Adding the browser tab as an audio source" section and skip the Window Capture step. The audio will still play in your stream.

Why do I hear an echo when I stream?

Echo happens when Meet audio plays through your speakers and OBS captures it at the same time, creating a loop. Mute the Meet tab in your browser (right-click the tab and select "Mute site") so audio only goes to OBS. If you still hear echo, check that you are not capturing your microphone input as well as the Meet audio — remove any duplicate audio sources from your Sources panel.

What if the Meet window goes black or freezes in OBS?

Window Capture sometimes loses the window if you switch to a different process. Click on the Meet window in your browser to bring it back to focus, and OBS should start capturing it again. If it stays black, try removing the Window Capture source and adding it again, or restart OBS.

Can I use Display Capture instead of Window Capture?

Yes, but Window Capture is better because it captures only the Meet window, not your entire screen. If you use Display Capture, everything on your monitor will appear in your stream, including notifications, other windows, and anything you do not want viewers to see. Use Window Capture unless you specifically want to show your whole screen.

How do I know if my audio levels are correct?

Watch the audio meter next to each slider in the Audio Mixer while someone is speaking in Meet. The green bars should reach about halfway up the scale during normal speech. If they go all the way to the top and turn red, lower the slider. If they barely move, raise the slider. Record a short test and listen back to confirm the audio is clear and not distorted.