Fix Discord Picking Up Game Audio on Windows

If your Discord stream or voice chat is broadcasting game audio instead of your voice, or if your friends hear the game but not you, this guide will fix it. The problem is almost always Discord’s input device settings or Windows audio routing. Here’s how to resolve it step by step.

What You’ll Need

Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC
Discord desktop app (latest version)
Your game running (if you want to test while playing)

Step-by-Step

Open Discord Settings. Click the gear icon (⚙️) at the bottom-left, next to your username.
Go to Voice & Video. In the left sidebar, select Voice & Video.
Check the Input Device. Under Voice Settings, look at Input Device. If it’s set to Default, change it to your actual microphone (e.g., “Microphone Array” or your USB mic). If it’s set to a device like “Stereo Mix” or “Wave Out”, that’s likely the culprit — switch it to your mic.
Disable Input Sensitivity (if needed). If Discord is picking up game audio because your mic is too sensitive, toggle off Automatically determine input sensitivity and manually drag the slider so that only your voice triggers it.
Check Output Device. Ensure Output Device is set to your speakers/headphones, not a virtual cable or the same device as your mic.
Restart Discord. After changes, fully quit Discord (right-click the tray icon → Quit) and reopen it.
Test with your game. Launch your game and go back to Discord’s Voice & Video settings. Click Let’s Check under Voice Settings to see if the input meter only reacts to your voice, not game sounds.
If still broken, change Windows Sound Settings. Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray → Open Sound settings → Sound Control Panel (or More sound settings). In the Recording tab, right-click your microphone → Properties → Listen tab. Uncheck Listen to this device if it’s checked.
Disable “Stereo Mix” and similar. In the same Recording tab, if you see Stereo Mix, Wave Out Mix, or What U Hear, right-click them and select Disable. These devices capture all system audio and can be picked up by Discord if selected.
Restart your PC. A full restart clears any stuck audio routing.

Common Mistakes

Leaving Input Device on “Default”. Windows may route game audio to the default input if your mic is set as the default device. Always select your mic explicitly in Discord.
Using “Stereo Mix” as input. This records everything your PC plays, so game audio will be picked up. Disable it.
Forgetting to check per-app settings. Some games have their own voice chat that might be using a different input device, but Discord still uses its own settings.
Not restarting Discord after changes. Audio devices sometimes don’t refresh until restart.

Tips

Use a USB microphone or headset with a dedicated driver — they are less likely to be confused with system audio.
In Discord, under Voice & Video → Advanced, enable Echo Cancellation and Noise Suppression (Krisp) to reduce background game sounds.
If you use a virtual audio cable (like VB-Cable), make sure Discord’s input is set to your mic, not the cable’s output.
Update your audio drivers. Outdated drivers can cause routing issues.

Troubleshooting

If the problem persists after following the steps:

Try a different USB port for your mic/headset. Sometimes USB controllers cause weird audio routing.
Run Discord as Administrator. Right-click Discord icon → Run as administrator. This can help if Windows is blocking audio device access.
Reset Discord Voice Settings. Go to Voice & Video → scroll to bottom → Reset Voice Settings. Then reconfigure your input device.
Check Windows Sound Mixer. Right-click speaker icon → Open Volume Mixer. Ensure Discord’s output is not set to a device that also feeds into your mic (like “Speakers” if you have “What U Hear” enabled).
Use the Windows Troubleshooter. Settings → System → Sound → Troubleshoot common sound problems. It may detect and fix routing issues.
Try a different voice channel. Sometimes the issue is with a specific server’s settings. Create a test server and see if the problem persists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Discord pick up game audio even though my mic is selected?

This usually happens when your microphone has “Listen to this device” enabled in Windows, which routes your mic output back into your speakers, and then Discord picks up that mixed audio. Uncheck that in Sound Control Panel → Recording → Microphone Properties → Listen.

Can I use Discord to stream game audio intentionally?

Yes, but that’s done via Screen Share with the game’s audio tab, not via your microphone. When you share your screen, click the Share Audio checkbox. That sends game audio to the stream, not to your voice channel.

What is “Stereo Mix” and why is it causing this?

Stereo Mix is a Windows recording device that captures all audio played through your speakers. If Discord is set to use it as input, it will transmit game sounds. Disable it in Sound Control Panel.

Does Discord have a built-in noise gate?

Yes, under Voice & Video, you can enable Noise Suppression and Echo Cancellation. For a manual noise gate, turn off Automatically determine input sensitivity and adjust the slider so only your voice crosses the threshold.

Why does the problem only happen with certain games?

Some games use exclusive audio modes that can temporarily change Windows audio routing. Try disabling exclusive mode in Windows: Sound Control Panel → Playback → your default device → Properties → Advanced → uncheck “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device”.

I use a headset with a single jack — is that the issue?

Possibly. A single jack (TRRS) can sometimes be misdetected. Try using a splitter to separate mic and headphone jacks, or set your headset as the default communication device in Windows.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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