How to Remove Background Noise in OBS in 2026 (Live and Recorded)
Add Noise Suppression and Noise Gate filters to your mic in OBS Studio for the next stream, and clean a recording or VOD that OBS already saved with a free 30-second preview.
OBS Studio removes background noise with filters on your microphone source. Those filters only change audio as OBS captures it. They fix the next stream, not a recording or VOD you already saved.
If the noise is already in the file, clean the file. Upload it to the EraseNoise video noise remover and compare a free 30-second preview with the original before you process the whole recording.
Key Takeaways
- For the next stream: add Noise Suppression to your mic, then a Noise Gate below it.
- RNNoise is the default and higher-quality method. Speex uses less CPU and has a Suppression Level.
- OBS says the filter works on mild noise like a PC fan, and isn't effective in a loud room.
- For a saved recording: OBS filters can't reach it. Clean the exported file instead.
Quick answer
Live, or about to go live: use OBS's Noise Suppression and Noise Gate filters on the mic. Already recorded: export or find the file OBS saved and run it through EraseNoise, starting with the free 30-second preview.
Method 1: Noise Suppression filter
- In the Audio Mixer, open the menu next to your microphone and choose Filters.
- Click + under Audio Filters and choose Noise Suppression.
- Pick a Method.
The OBS knowledge base describes the three methods: RNNoise is higher quality but uses more CPU, Speex is configurable, and NVIDIA Noise Removal requires the NVIDIA Broadcast SDK. For Speex, the Suppression Level defaults to -30 dB, and OBS warns that stronger settings can distort other sounds, including your voice. (OBS Noise Suppression Filter, retrieved 2026-10-21.)
The same page says the filter is generally not effective with large amounts of background noise, such as a loud room, but can be quite effective at reducing things like PC fan noise.
Photo: Christian Dahlqvist, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Method 2: Noise Gate filter
A gate shuts the mic between sentences, so viewers hear silence instead of a faint fan. OBS says it lets you cut off all background noise while you're not talking. (OBS Noise Gate Filter, retrieved 2026-10-21.)
Add it below Noise Suppression in the same Filters window. OBS's defaults are a close threshold of -32 dB, an open threshold of -26 dB, 25 ms attack, 200 ms hold, and 150 ms release. Set the close threshold above the room's noise and the open threshold slightly below your voice.
OBS vs EraseNoise
| Job | Better first workflow |
|---|---|
| Fan or PC hum on the next stream | OBS Noise Suppression, RNNoise |
| Silence between sentences on the next stream | OBS Noise Gate |
| A recording or VOD you already saved | EraseNoise: upload, preview 30 seconds, download |
| The stream lagged with RNNoise on | Speex in OBS, then clean the saved recording if needed |
| Loud room on a live stream | Fix the source. OBS says the filter isn't effective there |
| Echo in the recording | EraseNoise echo removal |
Common mistakes in OBS
- Putting Noise Suppression on desktop audio. It's built for speech. Keep it on the mic source.
- Gate above suppression. Put the gate below, so it reacts to the cleaned signal.
- Speex set too strong. A voice that sounds robotic means the Suppression Level is too low a number. Move it toward 0.
- Expecting filters to fix last week's VOD. Filters only process audio as it's captured.
When EraseNoise is faster
When the recording already exists, EraseNoise is the shorter path. You don't need to re-stream or rebuild filters.
- Find the recording. OBS shows the folder under Settings, Output, Recording Path. EraseNoise accepts MP4, MOV, M4V, and WebM video. If OBS saved an MKV, convert it to MP4 first with File, Remux Recordings.
- Upload it to the video noise remover, or extract the audio and use the audio noise remover.
- Listen to the free 30-second preview. Choose a part where the noise is clearly audible.
- If the voice sounds cleaner, sign in and process the full file with paid minutes.
- Download the MP4 or WAV. Files are deleted after 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best noise suppression setting in OBS?
RNNoise if your PC has CPU to spare, since OBS describes it as the higher-quality method. Use Speex at the default -30 dB if RNNoise causes lag. Add a Noise Gate below it.
Can OBS remove noise from a video I already recorded?
No. OBS filters work on audio as it's captured. Upload the saved recording to a file tool such as EraseNoise and check the free 30-second preview first.
Why is NVIDIA Noise Removal not showing in OBS?
It requires the NVIDIA Broadcast SDK. Install the redistributable and restart OBS.
Should I use Noise Suppression or Noise Gate in OBS?
Both, in that order. Suppression cleans noise while you talk. The gate closes the mic while you don't.
The practical takeaway
Set up Noise Suppression and a Noise Gate before the next stream. For anything already recorded, skip the filters and upload the file to the EraseNoise video noise remover. The 30-second preview shows whether the full recording is worth processing.
If you're on a Discord call while streaming, see Discord noise suppression. For editing the recording afterward, see DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro.
Sources
- OBS Project, Noise Suppression Filter
- OBS Project, Noise Gate Filter
