Short answer: Elgato Wave Link is a software audio mixer for Windows and Mac that splits your computer’s sound into separate channels, such as game, music, chat and your microphone, so you can set each volume independently and send a different mix to your headphones than to your stream. To set it up, install the software, plug in a supported microphone, assign your apps to channels, and select the Wave Link outputs in your streaming or recording software.
It is most useful for streamers, podcasters and anyone who wants to keep game audio, voice chat and music balanced without opening a different volume slider for each program. Features and supported hardware differ between versions, so read the current release notes and the official support pages in 2026 before relying on a specific function, and note that interface labels may not match every description here.
What Wave Link Actually Does
Virtual channels for your audio
Wave Link creates virtual audio devices on your computer. Each channel acts like a separate input, and applications can be sent to a particular channel. Your game goes to one, a music player to another, a voice chat program to a third, and your microphone has its own channel. A fader on each channel controls its volume.
Two mixes, not one
The core idea is separating what you hear from what your audience hears. The monitor mix goes to your headphones, while the stream mix goes to your broadcast or recording software. You can make music quiet for viewers while keeping it loud in your ears, or leave a copyrighted track out of the stream entirely.
Microphone processing
The mixer offers tools for the microphone channel, such as noise gating, equalization, compression and limiting, depending on version and hardware. These help control background noise and sudden peaks. Settings should be adjusted gently, because aggressive processing can make voices sound unnatural.
What You Need Before You Start
| Requirement | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Current Windows or macOS version supported by the software | Older systems may not be supported |
| Microphone or audio interface | Whether it is a supported Elgato device or any input the current version accepts | Support has varied between versions |
| Headphones or speakers | Which output you will use for monitoring | Needed for your own mix |
| Streaming or recording software | Whether it can select a custom audio device | Required to capture the stream mix |
| Applications to route | Games, chat, music, browser | Each can be assigned to a channel |
| Software version | Latest release from the official site | Features and fixes change |
Download the software only from the official Elgato site. Third-party download sites are a needless risk.
Setting It Up Step by Step
Install and connect your gear
Install the application, restart if prompted, and connect your microphone and headphones. Open Wave Link and confirm that your microphone appears as an input. If it does not, check the cable, try another USB port and confirm the device is recognized in the operating system’s sound settings.
Assign apps to channels
Add the applications you want to control and send each to a channel, for example game audio to one, chat to another and music to a third. In some versions apps appear automatically once they play sound, while others require you to add them manually. Check the interface in your version for the exact steps.
Set the monitor and stream mixes
Choose your headphones as the monitor output and adjust each channel’s level. Then adjust the stream mix separately so viewers hear a balanced blend. Mute channels in one mix without affecting the other if you want private audio, such as chat only you can hear.
Connect your streaming software
In OBS or a similar program, add an audio source and choose the Wave Link stream mix input. Avoid also capturing desktop audio at the same time, or you may duplicate sounds and create echo. Do a short recording to verify the levels before going live.
Tuning Levels for Clear Audio
Microphone level
Speak at your normal volume and set the input so peaks land well below the maximum, leaving headroom for louder moments. A limiter can help catch sudden spikes. Keep an eye on the meter instead of trusting your ears alone.
Game and music balance
A common approach is to keep the game and music lower than your voice in the stream mix, and to check how it sounds on a phone or other speakers. Your preferences in headphones do not need to match what the audience hears.
Noise reduction and gating
A noise gate can cut keyboard clatter and fan hiss between words. Set the threshold low enough that it does not clip the start of sentences. If background noise is a constant problem, fixing the source is better than relying on heavy processing.
Common Problems and Fixes
No sound in the stream
Confirm the streaming software is using the correct Wave Link output, that channels are not muted in the stream mix, and that the application producing sound is assigned to a channel. Restarting the application after assigning devices often resolves routing glitches.
Echo or hearing yourself
This usually means your microphone is being monitored in headphones and also captured elsewhere, or that the stream mix is looping back into the monitor mix. Mute the microphone in the monitor mix if you do not need to hear yourself, and make sure the same source is not added twice.
Application not appearing
Some programs only show up after they start playing audio. Play something, then look again. If an app still does not appear, check whether it uses a nonstandard audio path and consult the support documentation.
Wave Link vs Other Ways to Mix Audio
Built-in operating system mixers
Windows and macOS offer per-app volume controls, but they do not give you a separate stream mix or a private monitor mix. They are enough if all you want is to turn one program down.
Other virtual mixers
Third-party virtual audio mixers offer similar routing, often with more manual control and a steeper learning curve. Hardware mixers and audio interfaces provide another route, with physical faders and less dependence on software. Compare based on how much routing you need and how much setup you are willing to do.
Stream Deck and shortcuts
If you already use a controller with programmable keys, check whether the current version of Wave Link supports actions such as muting channels or switching mixes. Quick physical control is convenient during a live session, but confirm the available actions in the documentation.
Whichever route you pick, keep the signal chain as short as possible. Every extra virtual device or adapter is another place where a setting can be wrong, so avoid stacking several mixers on the same computer unless you have a specific reason.
If you only ever play solo and never record, you may not need a mixer at all. The value of Wave Link grows with the number of audio sources you juggle and with how often someone else listens to your output.
Checklist Before Going Live
- Update to the latest version of the software from the official site.
- Confirm the correct microphone, headphones and stream mix are selected.
- Assign each application to the right channel.
- Record a short clip and listen back on different speakers.
- Check that desktop audio is not captured twice in your streaming software.
Common Mistakes
- Capturing both the Wave Link output and desktop audio, causing doubled sound.
- Setting the microphone too loud and relying on the limiter to rescue it.
- Forgetting to mute private channels in the stream mix.
- Applying heavy noise reduction that makes the voice sound thin or robotic.
- Skipping a test recording before a live session.
Related guides
- Aio Liquid Coolers For High Performance Gaming
- Wireless Gaming Headsets Under 100 For Pc
- Ssds For Large Video And Raw Photo Files
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Elgato microphone to use Wave Link?
Support for other microphones has depended on the version, so check the current release notes. Elgato hardware is the supported baseline, and other inputs may work depending on the software.
Is Wave Link free?
It is distributed by Elgato for use with its audio products. Check the official download page for the current terms and supported devices.
Can I use Wave Link without streaming?
Yes. It is also useful for balancing game, voice chat and music in your headphones without any broadcast. The separate monitor mix is handy even if you never stream.
Does Wave Link work with Discord?
Yes, chat programs can be routed through a channel, and you can select the Wave Link microphone output as the input device. Confirm the device selection inside the chat program’s audio settings.
