← Patchcord

FAQ · Guide

Get video and audio back in sync

Guide · macOS 14+

The moment a plugin processes audio, it takes a few milliseconds - and suddenly the audio runs ahead of the video. The opposite happens when the camera itself is slow, say over an Elgato Cam Link, an external capture card, or when the conferencing app is still using the built-in camera instead of the Patchcord Camera. Patchcord has a tool for both directions.

Case 1: Video lags behind audio

Most common cause: a plugin adds latency to the audio, the video stays unchanged. Fix: select the Patchcord Camera as your virtual camera in the conferencing app (instead of the real camera). It delays the video by exactly the measured audio latency plus a manual offset (−100 to +200 ms in steps, default 0).

  1. In the Patchcord menu under “Camera”, pick the real camera you want (or “Automatic”).
  2. In the conferencing app, select Patchcord Camera as the camera; the first time, allow the camera extension in System Settings.
  3. Use “Measure latency…” to get the actual plugin latency for your setup instead of trusting the plugin's self-reported number.
  4. Fine-tune with “Video offset” if it's still slightly off after measuring.

Case 2: Audio lags behind video

This happens when the camera itself is the bottleneck - a slow webcam, a Cam Link, or an external capture card often take noticeably longer than the audio path. The Patchcord Camera won't help here (it only delays the video further). Instead, use “Delay audio” in the Patchcord menu to add 0–500 ms of delay to the audio itself until both line up again.

Which tool for which case?

SymptomCauseTool
Audio arrives before videoPlugin latency in the audio pathPatchcord Camera (delay video)
Video arrives before audioSlow camera/Cam Link/capture card“Delay audio” (delay audio)

Both tools are Patchcord Pro features.