How to reduce background noise in iMovie

If you captured a video that you’d like to use in another creation or simply edit in iMovie, you may have to make some adjustments. You might need to repair the color or fix a shaky video. Another enhancement you might want to make is to remove background noise.

If you shot your video outside on a windy day or around another distracting sound, background noise can hinder an otherwise terrific video. Here’s how you can reduce background noise in iMovie on Mac and iOS.

Reduce background noise in iMovie

Reduce background noise in iMovie on Mac

Open your project for editing in iMovie on your Mac, and then follow these steps to reduce the background sounds:

  1. Select your video clip in the movie Timeline.
  2. Click the Noise Reduction and Equalizer button above the Viewer.
  3. Check the box for Reduce background noise and then move the slider for the percentage of reduction you want to apply.
  4. Optionally, you can choose an Equalizer option from the drop-down box. You can pick from choices like Voice Enhance, Music Enhance, or Hum Reduction.
iMovie Remove Background Noise Mac

If you apply an effect that you don’t like, just click Reset.

While iMovie can’t remove all of the background sounds in your video, the noise reduction tools should help.

Reduce background noise in iMovie on iPhone and iPad

The iMovie app for iPhone and iPad does not have a button to reduce background noise. So, your options are not straightforward.

You can record audio separately in the iPhone Voice Memos app, remove the background noise, and use it in iMovie (by tapping the three dots icon for a voice recording in the Voice Memos app > Share > iMovie. If you don’t see iMovie, tap More from the end of app icons).

Or, you can use third-party apps like Audio Noise Reducer & Recorder to remove background noise from your video. Next, import this video into your iMovie project.

Remove background noise in iMovie

If you want to perfect the audio in your video clip, iMovie can help you remove or at least reduce that background noise. And now you know how to do that.

Have you been struggling to figure something out in iMovie that we haven’t covered yet? If so, let us know in the comments below!

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