How to Remove White Noise from Audio Files Using Audacity

The white noise of a sound Audacity refers to the unwanted background noise or interference recorded along with the main audio. Removing white noise from your audio files in Audacity is a simple and straightforward process. Luckily, this free and open-source audio editor is designed to help you achieve professional-level audio quality without the need for expensive equipment or extensive technical know-how. In this article, we will walk you through a step-by-step process on how to remove white noise in Audacity to clean up your audio recordings.

Step 1: Install and open Audacity.
To get started, download and install Audacity on your computer, if you haven't already. It's compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. Open the program and import your audio file by clicking 'File > Open' and navigating to the desired file.

Step 2: Identify white noise.
Listen to your audio to locate the section containing white noise. It’s useful to have a clear segment of white noise alone, without any other prominent sounds, as this enables Audacity to effectively eliminate the noise.

Step 3: Capture the noise profile.
Select a portion of the audio that contains only white noise by clicking and dragging over the waveform. Navigate to 'Effect > Noise Reduction' and click 'Get Noise Profile.' This step allows Audacity to understand the specific characteristics of the white noise in your recording.

Step 4: Apply noise reduction.
Deselect the current selection and select the entire audio track by clicking 'Edit > Select > Select All.' Go back to 'Effect > Noise Reduction' again. Adjust the sliders for 'Noise Reduction (dB),' 'Sensitivity,' and 'Frequency smoothing (bands)' according to the severity of the white noise and your desired level of noise removal. You can preview the result before applying the effect. Once you're satisfied, click 'OK' to remove the white noise from the audio.

Step 5: Export your cleaned audio.
After removing the white noise, you can export your edited audio by going to 'File > Export' and choosing the desired audio format. You can also make additional edits and enhancements using Audacity's vast toolset.

That's it – your audio should now be free from white noise, providing a clearer listening experience for your audience. Audacity is a powerful tool for anyone looking to clean up their audio recordings, create podcasts, or get into music production.