Discord is capturing your system sound because its microphone permission is set to pick up all audio, not just your voice
Discord picks up PC audio when the app has permission to access your microphone and your audio settings are configured to capture everything your computer produces — not just speech from a physical microphone. This happens most often when you have not separated your microphone input from your system audio output, or when Discord is set to use a stereo mix or "What U Hear" device instead of a dedicated microphone.
The problem shows up in two ways: either Discord records background music, game sound, or video audio when you are in a voice call, or other people in your server hear whatever is playing on your PC. Both point to the same root cause — Discord is listening to the wrong audio source.
Key Takeaways
- Discord captures system audio when it is set to use Stereo Mix, What U Hear, or another loopback device instead of your actual microphone.
- The fastest fix is to open Discord settings, go to Voice & Video, and change the input device from a stereo mix to your real microphone by name.
- If you do not see your microphone listed, you may need to enable it in Windows Sound settings or update your audio drivers.
- Stereo Mix and What U Hear devices exist to let you record system audio on purpose — they are not meant for voice calls.
- Once you select the correct microphone, test your audio in Discord before joining a call to confirm others will not hear your background sound.
How to check which audio device Discord is using
Open Discord and go to User Settings by clicking the gear icon in the bottom left. Select Voice & Video from the left menu. Look at the field labeled "Input Device" — this is what Discord is listening to.
If it says "Stereo Mix," "What U Hear," "Realtek Stereo Mix," or anything with the word "mix" in it, that is your problem. These are virtual devices that capture everything your PC plays, not just your voice. Click the dropdown and select your actual microphone instead. It will usually be labeled with the microphone brand or model name, like "Blue Yeti," "HyperX QuadCast," or "Microphone (Realtek High Definition Audio)."
If you only see the stereo mix option and no real microphone appears in the list, your microphone is either disabled in Windows or not installed correctly.
Enable your microphone in Windows Sound settings
Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray (bottom right of the taskbar) and select "Open Sound settings." On Windows 11, this opens the Settings app. On Windows 10, it may open the Sound control panel.
Look for a section called "Input" or "Recording devices." You should see your microphone listed here. If it is grayed out or shows a red X, right-click it and select "Enable." If it does not appear at all, your microphone may not be plugged in, or its driver is not installed.
Once your microphone is enabled in Windows, go back to Discord settings and check the Input Device dropdown again. Your microphone should now appear as an option.
Update or reinstall your audio drivers
If your microphone is plugged in but does not show up in Windows Sound settings or Discord, the driver may be outdated or corrupted. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager." Expand the "Audio inputs and outputs" section.
Find your microphone in the list. Right-click it and select "Update driver." Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software." Windows will check for a newer version online. If an update is found, install it and restart your PC.
If updating does not work, right-click the microphone again and select "Uninstall device." Restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver on startup. This often fixes microphone detection problems.
Disable Stereo Mix to prevent accidental selection
Stereo Mix and What U Hear are legitimate tools for recording system audio, but they should not be your default input device. You can disable them entirely so Discord cannot accidentally use them.
Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray and open Sound settings. Find the Recording or Input section. Locate Stereo Mix or What U Hear, right-click it, and select "Disable." This removes it from the dropdown list in Discord and other apps, so you cannot select it by mistake.
If you ever need to record system audio in the future — for streaming or video editing — you can re-enable it the same way.
Test your audio before joining a call
After you select the correct microphone in Discord, test it before you join a voice channel with other people. In Voice & Video settings, look for the "Microphone" section. Speak into your microphone and watch the input level meter. You should see the green bar move when you talk. If it does not move, Discord is not picking up your voice.
If the meter moves only when music or video plays on your PC, you are still using the wrong audio device. Go back and double-check that you selected your actual microphone, not a stereo mix.
Some microphones have a physical mute button or a mute switch on the cable. Make sure it is not engaged. Also check that your microphone is not muted in Windows Sound settings — right-click the speaker icon, open Sound settings, and look for a mute toggle next to your microphone name.
Why Discord defaults to the wrong audio device
Discord usually picks the first available input device when you install it. If Stereo Mix is enabled in Windows before you open Discord for the first time, Discord may select it as the default. This is not a Discord bug — it is just how the app lists available devices.
Some PC manufacturers also enable Stereo Mix by default, which is why this problem is common on brand-new computers. The fix is always the same: manually select your real microphone in Discord settings.
If you have multiple microphones connected — a headset, a webcam microphone, and a desk microphone, for example — Discord will only use whichever one you select in the Input Device dropdown. Make sure you choose the one closest to your mouth for the clearest sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people in my Discord server hear my game audio?
Discord is set to use Stereo Mix or What U Hear as your input device. These capture all system sound, not just your voice. Change your input device to your actual microphone in Voice & Video settings, and the game audio will stop transmitting to your server.
Can I record my game audio and my voice at the same time in Discord?
Discord does not have a built-in feature to mix game audio with your voice in a call. If you want others to hear your game, you need streaming software like OBS Studio, which can capture both your microphone and system audio separately and send them together to Discord or another platform.
My microphone is not showing up in Discord even though it works in Windows.
Restart Discord completely — close it and open it again. Sometimes Discord does not refresh the device list until you restart the app. If it still does not appear, restart your PC. If the microphone still does not show up, update your audio driver in Device Manager.
Is Stereo Mix safe to use?
Yes, Stereo Mix is a standard Windows feature. It is safe, but it is designed for recording system audio in audio editing or streaming software, not for voice calls. Disable it if you do not use it, so you do not accidentally select it in Discord or other apps.
What if I want to share my screen with game audio in Discord?
Discord's screen share feature includes an option to share system audio. When you start a screen share, you will see a checkbox for "Share sound." Check it, and Discord will transmit your game audio along with the video. You do not need to change your microphone settings.