Fix: NVIDIA ShadowPlay Not Recording Mic Sound or Any Audio
Nvidia ShadowPlay is a widely used software for the PC version that offers users to record & share gameplay videos, take screenshots, making live streams with...
Subodh Gupta
Last updated on September 3, 2023
Subodh Gupta
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Subodh loves to write content whether it may be tech-related or other. After writing on tech blog for a year, he becomes passionate about it. He loves playing games and listening to music. Apart from blogging, he is addictive to the gaming PC builds and smartphone leaks.
Nvidia ShadowPlay is a widely used software for the PC version that offers users to record & share gameplay videos, take screenshots, making live streams with friends. It comes built-in with the Nvidia GeForce Experience app for the Nvidia Graphics Card users as a package. Though the software has a lot of features and benefits, some users are reporting that the NVIDIA ShadowPlay software is not Recording Mic Sound or Any Audio during the gameplay.
Well, this particular issue can happen due to some possible reasons that we’ve mentioned below along with the troubleshooting methods. If you’re also facing the same issue then you can follow this guide to try resolving it. Talking about the possible reasons, the chances are high that somehow an incorrect setting on the GeForce Experience app or issues with the default output device or issues with the system sounds, etc may cause this recording problem.
Fix: NVIDIA ShadowPlay Not Recording Mic Sound or Any Audio
Nvidia ShadowPlay performs really well when it comes to recording gaming clips or taking screenshots in the gameplay, etc. But some unfortunate users are unable to take the advantage of this software as the sound doesn’t record at all. This particular bug can ruin the gaming experience and the streamers will get frustrated a lot when the gameplay recording doesn’t have audio. Luckily, there are some fixes that can come in handy. So, let’s jump into it.
Image Source: Nvidia
1. Check if Nvidia Services are running or not
First of all, you should check whether the Nvidia Services are running properly or not. If the services aren’t running or somehow disabled then you won’t be able to run this feature. To do so:
Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type services.msc in the search box and hit Enter to open the Services option.
Scroll down the list and search for Nvidia > Double-click on it to select and open.
Next, make sure to change the startup type from Manual to Automatic.
Click on Apply and then click on OK to save changes.
Once done, start recording the in-game content via ShadowPlay, and check for the issue again.
2. Restart Nvidia Services
Nvidia ShadowPlay may not also work properly if in case the Nvidia services aren’t activated from the system settings. You should manually check for it and turn it on from services (if necessary). To do so:
Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type services.msc in the search box and hit Enter to open the Services option.
Find out the NVIDIA Streamer service from the list and right-click on it.
Make sure to choose Restart > Then try recording content with ShadowPlay to check for the issue.
3. Adjust the Audio Source
If in case, the Nvidia ShadowPlay software is unable to record the in-game audio then the chances are high that somehow it can’t detect the proper audio source. Make sure to select the microphone as a proper audio source to check for the issue.
Open the Nvidia ShadowPlay app > Go to the Settings menu.
Now, switch to the Audio tab > Find out the Microphone option.
Select your connected microphone under the Choose a rightful microphone device option.
Then increase the volume level of it > Hit the OK button to confirm.
4. Change Default Nvidia Output Device
If you’ve connected multiple output devices to the PC then it may be possible that the ShadowPlay app is unable to detect the output device automatically. In that scenario, try manually selecting the correct output audio device by following the steps below as a default one.
Right-click on the Sound icon at the right side of the taskbar on your Windows PC.
Now, select the Open Sound Settings option from the drop-down menu.
Scroll down and click on the App volume and device preferences option.
Here you’ll be able to see a list of input and output audio devices that are connected to the PC right now.
Make sure to find out and click on the Nvidia device in the list of apps to make it a default output device.
Sometimes you may set up multiple input/output audio devices and that can lead to confusion when it comes to using Nvidia ShadowPlay. So, you should set up the correct audio device by following the steps below.
Right-click on the speaker icon from the right side of the taskbar on your PC.
Click on Sounds from the drop-down list > Switch to the Recording tab.
Here you can see all the recording devices that are connected to your computer right now.
Make sure to find out the mic that you want to use with ShadowPlay to record audio and right-click on it.
Choose to Set as Default Communication Device > Right-click on all other microphone devices & select Disable.
Next, navigate to the Playback tab > Here you’ll see all the active output devices that are connected to your PC.
Just right-click on your headphones/speakers that you want to use with ShadowPlay and choose Set as Default Device.
Finally, make sure to right-click on all other headphones/speakers and choose Disable.
6. Adjust Volume of System Sounds
It may also be possible that somehow you’ve turned down the volume or muted the volume level on your system. Therefore, the Nvidia ShadowPlay app can’t capture any audio from the system. You should manually check it out and adjust the volume level by following the steps below.
Right-click on the sound icon at the bottom-right corner of the taskbar on your PC.
Click on the Open Volume Mixer option from the drop-down menu.
Head over to the Volume Mixer tab > Adjust the Device Speaker and System Sounds volume under Applications.
Make sure that the volume level is turned on and set to medium or high depending on your preference.
Finally, close the system sound settings window, and try recording the in-game audio via ShadowPlay again.
If in case, the Privacy Control feature is turned off in Nvidia ShadowPlay then it may not have enough permissions to record or share the screen visuals while gaming. You should turn on Privacy Control by following the steps below.
Launch the Nvidia ShadowPlay app > Go to Settings.
Select the General section > Locate the Share option and turn it on.
Make sure that the Privacy Control option is turned ON.
8. Enable In-Game Overlay on ShadowPlay
Try enabling the in-game overlay option on Nvidia ShadowPlay to easily record gameplay video sounds and mic audio whatsoever. Sometimes if the overlay option is disabled, the application can’t work properly. To do this:
Open the Nvidia ShadowPlay app > Go to Settings.
Find out the In-Game Overlay option > Make sure to turn ON the toggle to enable the overlay option.
9. Try Recording in Full Screen
Some affected users have mentioned that recording the screen in fullscreen mode did easily fix the audio not recording issue. You should also try it out.
Head over to your in-game Settings menu > Search for a full-screen option.
If there is a full-screen window option, make sure to select it.
You can also try launching the game directly via the Nvidia GeForce Experience app to run the game in full-screen mode by default.
10. Adjust the Video Quality on ShadowPlay
Sometimes the video quality settings in the ShadowPlay app may also affect the audio recording process. You can try adjusting the video quality to fix the issue. To do so:
If in case, your videos don’t have any sound while recording then open the Nvidia ShadowPlay app.
Head over to the Settings menu > Select Video Capture.
Click on In-game to select the Resolution option.
Make sure to adjust the frame rate to 60 FPS.
Now, try recording the game again to check if NVIDIA ShadowPlay is still not Recording Mic Sound or Any Audio or what.
11. Enable the Desktop Capture option on ShadowPlay
You can also try enabling the Desktop Capture feature on your Windows PC so that ShadowPlay can work properly. To do so:
Launch the Nvidia ShadowPlay app > Select the Preferences panel.
Choose ShadowPlay from the left side pane > Click on the Overlays option.
Now, make sure to find out the Allow Desktop Capture option, and enable it.
Start recording by using ShadowPlay hotkeys.
12. Sign Out of Twitch Account
Twitch is one of the popular game streaming platforms for streamers and fans across the globe. However, the account linking integration can cause issues with the screen and voice recording sometimes. So, you should sign out of your Twitch account to check for the issue.
Open Nvidia ShadowPlay > Go to the My Rig Tab.
Choose the ShadowPlay option > Go to Settings and ensure ShadowPlay is running.
Now, change the mode to Manual > Go to the Account section.
Here you’ll need to sign out of your Twitch account.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and check for the audio/video recording again.
If in case, this method doesn’t help you, then make sure to sign back into your Twitch account.
13. Reinstall Nvidia GeForce Experience
The chances are possible that somehow your Nvidia GeForce Experience app becomes outdated or corrupted due to some unexpected reasons. If you’re also feeling the same and it becomes outdated for a while then make sure to uninstall and reinstall the GeForce Experience app on your PC by following the steps below.
Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and search for it.
Open Control Panel > Click on Uninstall a Program.
Search for the Nvidia GeForce Experience app in the list of installed programs.
Make sure to click on it to select > Hit the Uninstall/Change button.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
Now, uninstall the HD Audio and PhysX System software apps too.
Once done, reboot the system to apply changes.
Then head over to Nvidia’s official website and download the latest version of the GeForce Experience app.
Just install the GeForce Experience app and try recording your game once again.
