Decoding Discord: Why Can’t I Hear the Game on Stream?

So, you’re trying to share the epic sounds of your gaming prowess (or hilarious fails) with your friends on Discord, but all they’re getting is awkward silence? Don’t worry; you’re not alone! The frustration of a silent Discord stream is a common one, and thankfully, usually easily fixable. The primary reason you can’t hear the game audio on a Discord stream is often due to incorrect audio settings on your device or within Discord itself. This can manifest as the wrong input/output device selected, muted applications, disabled audio sharing, or permission issues. Let’s dive deep into the potential culprits and, more importantly, how to solve them!

Unmasking the Audio Culprits: Common Causes & Solutions

1. The Audio Device Dilemma

• The Issue: Discord needs to know where to pull audio from (input) and where to send it (output). If these are incorrectly configured, you’ll have silence.
• The Fix:
  • Within Discord: Go to User Settings (the gear icon next to your name), then Voice & Video.
  • Input Device: Make sure your microphone or the device capturing game audio is selected. (Sometimes this is “Default” which should use your system’s primary input).
  • Output Device: Ensure your headphones or speakers are selected as the output device. Test the connection.
  • System-Wide: Check your operating system’s sound settings (Windows Sound Settings, macOS System Preferences > Sound) and verify that the correct default playback device is chosen. Discord often defaults to this setting.

2. The Mute Button Mayhem

• The Issue: It sounds obvious, but sometimes the simplest solutions are overlooked. A muted application is the most common reason for lack of sound.
• The Fix:
  • Discord Itself: Check if you’re muted (microphone icon crossed out) or deafened (headphone icon crossed out) in Discord. Also, verify that the specific voice channel isn’t muted.
  • Individual Users: Confirm that the person streaming isn’t muted. Hover over their name in the voice channel; there should be a volume slider and mute icon.
  • Windows Volume Mixer: Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray and select “Open Volume Mixer.” Ensure that Discord and the game itself aren’t muted or set to a very low volume.

3. The App Permission Predicament

• The Issue: Discord requires permission to access your microphone and, depending on the operating system, audio output devices. If these permissions are denied, audio capture fails.
• The Fix:
  • Windows: Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone. Ensure “Allow apps to access your microphone” is enabled, and Discord is on the list of allowed apps.
  • macOS: Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone. Make sure Discord is checked.
  • Browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.): Check your browser’s settings for website permissions. Ensure Discord has permission to use your microphone.

4. Exclusive Mode Interference

• The Issue: Some games and applications use “exclusive mode,” which means they take complete control of the audio device, preventing other applications (like Discord) from accessing it.
• The Fix:
  • Disable Exclusive Mode: In Windows Sound Settings, go to Sound Control Panel (usually accessible through the right-hand side of the Sound Settings window). Select your playback device, click Properties, go to the Advanced tab, and uncheck “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.” Do this for both your playback and recording devices.

5. The Screen Sharing Settings Snag

• The Issue: When screen sharing, Discord might not be automatically capturing the application’s audio.
• The Fix:
  • Choose the Application, not the Screen: When initiating the stream, select the specific application (the game) instead of sharing your entire screen. Discord often shares the application’s audio if you share the application itself.
  • Enable Audio Sharing: Double-check the streaming settings within Discord. Sometimes there’s an option to specifically enable audio sharing during screen sharing.

6. Outdated Drivers & Discord Versions

• The Issue: Old or corrupted audio drivers can cause a multitude of audio problems, and an outdated Discord version might have bugs.
• The Fix:
  • Update Audio Drivers: Go to your device manager (search for it in the Windows search bar) and update your audio drivers. You can also download the latest drivers from your sound card manufacturer’s website (e.g., Realtek, Creative).
  • Update Discord: Ensure you’re running the latest version of Discord. Discord usually prompts you to update, but you can also manually check for updates in the Discord settings.

7. OBS Interference

• The Issue: If you are running OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) alongside Discord, there can be conflicting settings and muting of Discord audio.
• The Fix:
  • Unmute OBS: In the Volume Mixer, check that OBS isn’t muted.
  • Configure OBS correctly: Discord can share your screen. Ensure OBS is set up to properly capture desktop audio.

8. App Volume Levels

• The Issue: The specific app volumes set in Discord or on your system may be too low or muted.
• The Fix:
  • Check Discord App Volume: The volume level can be adjusted for the specific app in the Volume Mixer.

FAQs: Diving Deeper into Discord Audio Issues

1. Why is there no sound on Discord stream on my iPhone?

If your device or the Discord in-app volume is muted, you can hear no stream audio on your mobile device. To fix the problem, you only need to adjust the volume. Like any other app, Discord requires specific permissions to function properly. This includes access to your device’s speakers. Also, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to control the stream volume.

2. Why is there no sound when I watch a Discord stream on my phone?

There are a few things that could be happening. Verify that your phone isn’t on silent mode. Check your phone’s and Discord’s volume levels. Check app permissions. If you are still having problems, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

3. Why does Discord have no sound?

Make sure to check and switch your input/output device in the Voice Settings section to the specific device you’re using. Check your Volume Settings for your input and output mode. Try resetting your voice and audio settings by pressing “Reset Voice Settings” when you scroll down.

4. Why is there no sound on Discord Chrome stream?

Check if Discord Has Permission to Use Chrome’s Sound. If you or someone else accidentally denied Discord permission to use Google Chrome’s microphone, it will result in the “no sound” issue. For audio to function, you’ll need to give Discord permission to use your browser’s microphone.

5. Why can’t I hear anything in Discord browser?

Check Volume Levels on Windows Volume Mixer. So if the volume levels of Discord are set to low or mute in the Volume Mixer, you won’t be able to hear anything from the app.

6. Why is OBS not picking up Discord audio?

If OBS Studio doesn’t pick up Discord audio, this might be caused by some improper sound settings. For example, the OBS application is muted in the Volume Mixer. Therefore, you can go to Settings and unmute OBS, then check if the OBS audio is back on your Discord recording.

7. How do I stream desktop audio to Discord?

In Discord, select “Share Your Screen.” This will show a list of open windows. Select the window called “Discord Audio Stream” (the output window that was created in step 7).

8. How do you turn up stream audio on Discord mobile?

While watching your friend’s shared screen, you’ll be able to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to control the stream volume!

9. How do I share my screen with audio on Discord on my phone?

Launch the Discord app and open the relevant voice chat. To join the voice channel, select Join Voice. You will now be able to tap the Share Screen button, which will give you a confirmation before starting. iPhones give you the Start Broadcast button, whereas Android will say Start Now.

10. How do I reset my Discord audio settings?

Open Discord, and Click Settings icon in the bottom left side of your screen. Click Voice & Video in the left hand side of the screen. Scroll down, and Click Reset Voice Settings. Click Okay.

11. How do you hear volume on Discord?

Open Discord and open the app settings. Navigate to the “Voice and Video” section as it contains all the settings related to voice input and output. At the top, you will see the drop-down menus for both Input and Output devices. Select the proper option for both settings.

12. Does Discord streaming share sound?

When you share your entire screen, the audio is not shared. However, when a single application is shared, the audio of the application is also shared.

13. How do I fix audio in Discord stream?

Check if You’re on Mute or Deafened. Check Channel Permissions With a Server Admin. Run Discord as an Administrator. Check if Other Games or Applications Stream Their Sound. Manually Add Your Game on Discord. Reset Discord Voice Settings. Change Discord Voice Settings.

14. How do you change the audio output on Discord stream?

Click the sound/speaker icon on the bottom right and then click the picture of two arrows crossing each other. OR click the sound/speaker icon on the bottom right and then click the ellipsis (three dots) and then click “Change audio output”.

15. Does Discord lower game volume?

If your attenuation is set too high in Discord, it can reduce the volume of your other apps while you or somebody else is speaking.

Beyond the Sound: Games and Learning

While fixing your Discord audio woes allows you to share your gaming experiences, it’s important to recognize the broader impact of games themselves. At GamesLearningSociety.org, you can explore the world of game-based learning and discover how games can be leveraged for education and skill development. The Games Learning Society explores the potential of games in learning and education.

Troubleshooting audio issues can be a bit of a detective game, but by systematically working through these steps, you’ll be back to sharing your glorious gaming moments (with sound!) in no time. Happy streaming!