December 5, 2024

How to Reduce Background Noise in a Video? An In-depth Guide

Are you struggling with distracting background noise in your videos? Learn about how to reduce background noise in a video and improve your audio clarity.

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Written by
Filipe Pessoa

Marketing & Sociology. Gamer and music producer.
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Table of contents

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For over 2.5 billion users, on YouTube, there is nothing more frustrating than experiencing background noise in the content they watch. 

With the rapid rise of video platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, ensuring clean audio has become a key part of maintaining high-quality content. When editing long videos or turning clips into shorts with tools like Framedrop, removing background noise is crucial to keep your audience engaged.

This leads creators to ask an important question: how do you reduce background noise in a video? But don’t worry—this guide will provide practical techniques and tools you can use on Android, iPhone, and online to make sure crisp and clear audio. 

In Summary: How to Reduce Background Noise in a Video?

Check out this straightforward way of how to reduce background noise in a video:

  • Choose a quiet location: Choose a location with minimal background noise when recording. 
  • Use a Quality Microphone: Invest in a good microphone that reduces unwanted sounds.
  • Utilize Editing Software: Use editing software with noise reduction features, like Premiere Pro or CapCut, to clean up audio.
  • Conduct Test Recordings: Always conduct a test recording before the main recording to identify and address background noise issues.
  • Fine-tune Settings: Fine-tune sensitivity and frequency settings during editing to balance noise removal and audio quality.
  • Add Effects if needed: If the noise is still noticeable, consider adding effects like noise gates or background music to mask it.

Understanding the Sources of Background Noise in Recording a Video

Background noise can make your audio sound unclear. To handle it better and learn how to reduce background noise on the mic, it’s important to understand what causes unwanted noise.

1. Microphone Range

Each of the best streaming microphones has a set range that affects how well it picks up sound. Anything within this range, including unwanted background noise, will be captured.

2. Faulty Microphones

A damaged microphone can introduce extra noise, like static or buzzing, affecting the clarity of your recording.

3. Microphone Types

All types of microphones, including those on laptops, smartphones, and cameras, are prone to picking up background noise. 

4. Hidden Background Noise

Some background noises, like low-frequency hums, may not be immediately audible but can show up during playback.

How to Reduce Background Noise from Microphone? Effective Strategies 

Background noise can significantly impact the quality of your recordings, often overshadowing the desired sound. This is why it is extremely important to understand how to reduce background noise from a microphone. Here’s how you can do it: 

Strategy #1: Adjusting Gain Levels

The gain in a microphone refers to the amount by which the input signal is amplified. It increases the microphone's sensitivity, allowing quieter sounds to be captured more clearly by boosting the signal level. This can be controlled either by a knob on the microphone or through software.

However, adjusting the gain too high can lead to distortion and unwanted noise, while setting it too low may result in weak or inaudible audio. Proper gain settings are essential for maintaining audio clarity and balance. 

Therefore, one needs to have substantial knowledge of managing the microphone's gain. Although some unwanted gain can be adjusted in post-production, having it tuned to the right amount with respect to the recording environment is mandatory.

Strategy #2: Using Noise Suppression Filters

A suppression filter is a software component used to remove undesired background noise. They come in various types that includes: 

  • High-pass filters: Remove low-frequency sounds (below a certain cutoff frequency), such as rumble or handling noise. 
  • Low-pass filters: Eliminate high-frequency sounds (above a certain cutoff frequency), such as hiss or high-frequency noise. 
  • Notch filters: Target and reduce specific frequencies, often used to eliminate feedback or hum.

How to Reduce Background Noise on iPhone?

These days, more people are using iPhones to record videos instead of professional cameras because they are simple and easy to use. The iPhone’s camera and microphone are optimized with advanced hardware and software, offering a convenient point-and-shoot experience. Here’s how to reduce background noise on an iPhone.

Using iMovie for Noise Reduction on iPhone

iMovie is one of the most recommended video editing solutions in the Apple ecosystem. It includes effective built-in audio filters that are useful for noise removal while also having a user-friendly interface. 

  • Import the unedited video into the application from your media folder.
The image shows a "Create Project" button on a dark interface labeled "Projects."

The image shows options to create a new project in a video editing application.
  • After the file is imported, reach out to the effects tab, and go for Audio Filters.
  • Opt for the noise reduction tool, and use the slider available to tune the amount of background noise. 
The image shows video editing options with a timeline and preview.
  • It also features an equalizer, which can be used to remove unwanted background frequencies, especially when tuned by a professional.
The image shows a video editor with a timeline and preview, with sound slider highlighted.
  • During post-processing, you can conduct a listening trial using quality headphones (preferably ones with noise cancellation) to verify whether your noise removal techniques have been effective.
  • Once edited, you can save the video.

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How to Reduce Background Noise in a Video on Android?

Reducing background noise on Android is as simple as on iPhone, but this method requires three applications: Video to MP3 Converter, Lexis Audio Editor, and KineMaster. 

Step 1: Video to MP3 Converter

  • First, install these three apps mentioned above. 
The image shows tools for editing videos and audio in an app.
  • Then, convert your video into MP3 audio using the Video to MP3 convertor. 
  • To do this, you will have to open the app and click on the Video to Audio option to select the video you want to convert. 
  • Select the bitrate you would like, and tap convert. 
The image shows a video editor with the "copy (56kb/s)" option highlighted.

Step 2: Lexis Audio Editor

  • Once the video is converted, we will use Lexis Audio Editor to remove the background noise from the audio file. You can also use Lexis’s alternatives, such as Filmora or WavePad Audio Editing Software, for this purpose. 
  • Open the Lexis Audio Editor app and tap the Open button on the top toolbar. 
  • Here, select the converted audio (MP3) file and hit Open. 
  • Tap on the three dots on the top right to open Effects. Scroll down a little, and you will find the Noise Reduction feature. 
The image shows the interface of the Lexis Audio Editor with the "Effects" option highlighted.

The image shows the interface of Lexis Audio Editor with the "Noise reduction" option highlighted.
  • Adjust the settings as you like and tap Apply. We suggest taking the Threshold high. 
The image shows Lexis Audio Editor with the "Threshold" setting highlighted.
  • Now, head back to the Effects and find Compressor. Adjust the settings to your liking. 
The image shows Lexis Audio Editor with the "Compressor" option highlighted.
  • If you want to increase or decrease the volume of your audio file, go to Equalizer in the Effects section and adjust the slider next to Pre-amplifier. Once you’re done, click Apply. 
The image shows the Lexis Audio Editor with the "Equalizer" option highlighted.

Step 3: KineMaster

  • Add the new audio file to our video using KineMaster. 
  • Launch the app and click Create New. 
The image shows the main interface of the KineMaster app, with the "Create New" button highlighted.
  • Select the aspect ratio for your video. For YouTube, you can select 16:9, and for TikTok, it is 9:16. 
The image shows a "New Project" screen with various aspect ratio options, highlighting "16:9".
  • Tap Next to open the Media Browser and select the Video from which you want the background noise removed. 
  • By tapping on the video’s timeline, a menu will open on the right. 
The image shows video editing software with the "Equalizer" feature highlighted.
  • Tap on the Loudspeaker icon to launch Mixer settings, and from there, slide the volume to zero.
  • There is a checkmark on the top that saves the video. Hit that. 
  • Now, to add the clean audio to the video, tap on Audio on the menu wheel.
  • An AudioBrowser will open. Go to music and scroll down to songs. Select the fine-tuned audio file and click on the plus (+) sign to add it to your video. 
  • Click that Cross sign on the top to go back to the main screen. 
  • Tap the Share button in the top right corner, select the resolution, and click Save as Video.

And Voilà! We have just adjusted the background noise for our video on Android! The process may seem long from here, but when you are implementing it yourself, it is quite easy. 

How to Reduce Background Noise in a Video Online for Free?

Filmora is a great video editing tool that helps us reduce background noise from a video for completely free! It’s also an excellent choice if you're looking to learn how to edit a YouTube livestream video with ease. Here’s how it works: 

  • Open the Wondershare Filmora and import your video in the timeline panel.
  • Right-click that video in the timeline and click the Adjust Audio button. 
The image shows video editing software with the "Adjust Audio" option highlighted.
  • A dialogue will open, scroll down, and you’ll find this Denoise option.
The image shows video editing software with the "Remove background noise" option highlighted.
  • Mark “tick” that section. There, you will see these three options; weak, mid, and strong. If you select weak, there will be a very slight change, while mid would be a mid level change, and strong would be a strong-level change. 
The image shows a video editing interface with the "Fade In" option highlighted.
  • All we need to do is, ramp it all the way to strong. 
  • Click 'OK' and preview your video. You can adjust the slider based on your preference, whether you want a mid-level change or something between mid and strong.
  • Export the finalized video to your Computer. You can also directly share it on YouTube from Filmora.

How to Reduce Background Noise in Premiere Pro?

To learn how to instantly improve your video and audio quality in Premiere Pro, it’s important to know what this software can do. It focuses on editing, trimming, adding effects, mixing, and removing unwanted background noise. 

With Premiere Pro tools, you can trim out bad sounds, reduce echo, adjust audio levels, making your sound clearer and your videos look better. Let’s understand, how to reduce background noise in Premiere Pro. 

Reducing Background Noise in Premiere Pro

The software includes a panel called "Essential Sound," which features tools like Reduce Noise and Repair. You can follow these steps to remove background noise effectively.

  • Import the dedicated raw and unedited files.
The image shows a video editing software with the "Essential Sound" panel highlighted.
  • After importing, highlight your clip and find the Essential Sound option. 
  • If you can’t find it, go to the window tab at the top and select it from the drop-down menu. 
The image shows a video editing software interface with the "Essential Sound" option highlighted.
  • Under Essential Sound, click on dialogue and expand the Repair section. 

The image shows a video editing software interface with the "Essential Sound" panel highlighted.
  • Now check off the Reduce Noise slider and change its value to 7.5
The image shows the Premiere Pro interface with the "Equalizer" option highlighted.

And there it is, an easy and quick way to reduce background noise from your videos using Adobe Premiere Pro!

Best Practices for Noise Removal Across Multiple Platforms

As the number of viewers on video production platforms grows over time, it will become essential for video producers to improve their post-production skills, including learning how to edit a podcast effectively. That's why it's important to have a general understanding of how to reduce background noise in a video.

To help you out, we’ll share some effective strategies for noise removal across various platforms:

1. Create a Quiet Recording Environment

Make sure that your environment is free from background noise. If you frequently record in public places, investing in a noise-canceling microphone with a decent capture range is a good idea.

2. Conduct a Test Recording

Always record a mock-up or a test sample before starting the main recording. This allows you to assess audio quality, identify potential issues, and make necessary adjustments to your setup for optimal results.

3. Identify Unwanted Frequencies in Editing

While editing, try to identify all sorts of unwanted frequencies, especially if you can find a section of the recording that contains only the background noise.

4. Adjust Sensitivity and Frequency Smoothing

Always keep in mind to adjust the sensitivity and frequency smoothing to achieve the optimal balance between noise removal and audio preservation, and try not to overdo it.

5. Enhance Audio with Effects

If background noise remains, try adding effects like a noise gate or consider incorporating background music that suits the taste of your audience or the vibe of the video.

Refine Your Videos for a Professional Edge with Framedrop!

Congratulations! You’ve finally figured out how to reduce background noise in a video online, on an iPhone or Android device, or using software like Premier Pro. The process is straightforward, and now you can take the editing to the next level using our Framedrop AI tool. 

Once you’ve removed the background voice from the videos, add the link to Framedrop. It will automatically detect the best moments and create shorts. This means there’s no need to spend hours manually reviewing long videos and trimming the best parts. 

So what are you waiting for? Get started with Framedrop today and save your precious time!

Turn your podcast episodes to short-form videos with AI

Repurpose your podcast episodes and make them ready for TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels in minutes

Get started today!

FAQ

Is there any online solution to remove unwanted background noise?
+

Yes, there are online tools like Krisp and Audacity that can help you remove background noise from your audio and video. These websites allow you to upload your files and clean up the sound, ensuring clearer and more polished content.

How to suppress background noise in a video?
+

You can use Adobe Premiere Pro to suppress background noise in a video. 

  • Go to the Essential Sound panel and select the audio clip you want to adjust. 
  • Choose Dialogue from the options. 
  • Find the Repair section and adjust the Reduce Noise slider to minimize background noise.
How do YouTubers remove background noise?
+

YouTubers often use editing software to remove background noise. They may use tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or Audacity, which have features to clean up audio. Some also record in quiet environments and use high-quality microphones.

Can CapCut remove background noise?
+

Yes, CapCut can remove background noise from your videos. Its built-in feature, "Denoise," helps clean up audio by reducing unwanted sounds. You can access this feature during the editing process to enhance the clarity of your audio.

How do I denoise a video in Premiere Pro?
+

To denoise a video in Premiere Pro, import your video and drag it onto the timeline. Select the audio clip and open the Effects panel. Search for "DeNoise" under Audio Effects, then drag it onto your audio clip. 

In the Effect Controls panel, adjust the "Reduce Noise By" slider to find the right balance. Playback the video to hear the changes, and once satisfied, export your video through the File menu.

Published at
December 5, 2024
Category
Filipe Pessoa

Having a bachelor's degree in Sociology and currently getting his Masters' in Marketing, Filipe has always followed a customer-centric ethos. In 2021, Filipe was part of one of the 3 European Innovation Academy winning projects - CultureKit - as its CMO. Since joining Framedrop in August 2022, Filipe has worked on a wide array of tasks such as Copywriting, Lead Generation, Influencer Marketing and even dipped his toes in SEO.

When not working, Filipe channels his creativity into music production in his home studio.

Favorite sport: Football ⚽️

Favorite hobby: Gaming 🎮

Favorite musical artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 🎸

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