How to Remove Background Noise From a Podcast

The best way to handle how to remove background noise from a podcast is to stop most of it at the source, then clean up what remains with a noise-reduction tool in your editor. Software like Audacity, Reaper, Descript and Adobe Podcast can suppress steady hum, hiss and room rumble, but no plugin fully fixes a noisy recording — so your microphone technique and room matter most.

Fix the recording before you fix the file

Background noise is far easier to prevent than to remove. A clean recording needs almost no processing, while a noisy one always sounds processed after you fight it. Before each session, do the obvious things: turn off fans, air conditioning, fridges and noisy computers; close windows; and record in the most soft-furnished room you have. Soft surfaces absorb reflections that otherwise read as boxy room sound.

Mic choice and distance matter too. A dynamic microphone close to your mouth rejects far more room noise than a sensitive condenser placed a foot away. For the full technique, see our guide on how to sound better on a podcast microphone, and if you’re treating the space, acoustic treatment for home studios explains what actually reduces room noise.

Identify what kind of noise you have

Different noises need different fixes, so listen carefully first:

• Hum (a low steady tone) — usually electrical, often around mains frequency. A notch or hum-removal filter targets it.
• Hiss (a constant high “shhh”) — preamp or gain noise. Noise reduction based on a noise profile works well.
• Rumble (low-frequency thud) — traffic, footsteps, HVAC. A high-pass filter removes it cleanly.
• Intermittent sounds — clicks, mouth noise, the odd cough. These need manual editing, not a global filter.

How to remove background noise from a podcast in your editor

The core technique is the same across most software: capture a sample of “noise only”, let the tool learn that fingerprint, then subtract it from the whole track.

Audacity

1. Select a second or two of audio with only the background noise (no speech).
2. Open the Noise Reduction effect and use the option to capture the noise profile.
3. Select the whole clip, reopen Noise Reduction, and apply it.
4. Start with gentle settings. Pushing reduction too hard creates a watery, robotic artefact.

Reaper

Reaper handles this with FX on the track: a high-pass filter for rumble, the built-in ReaFIR plugin in “subtract” mode to learn and remove steady noise, and a gate or expander to quieten gaps between words. If you also master in Reaper, our guide to mastering a podcast covers the order of processing.

Descript and Adobe Podcast

Descript includes a one-click “Studio Sound” style enhancement that reduces noise and evens out tone automatically, which is handy when you want speed over control. Adobe Podcast’s enhance feature does something similar. These are excellent for spoken-word cleanup, but use them in moderation — heavy AI enhancement can make voices sound artificial.

The right processing order

Apply fixes in a sensible chain so each step has less to do:

1. High-pass filter first, to remove rumble below the voice.
2. Noise reduction or de-hum for steady broadband noise.
3. Manual edits for clicks, breaths and one-off sounds.
4. EQ and compression last, once the track is clean — see EQ and compression fundamentals.

This is part of normal post-production, so it fits naturally into your wider workflow in our guide on how to edit a podcast.

Know when to stop

Aggressive noise removal does more harm than a little background hiss. If you hear underwater, swirly or metallic artefacts on the voice, you’ve gone too far — back off the reduction amount. Listeners forgive a faint, steady noise floor far more readily than a damaged-sounding voice. When a recording is badly compromised, the honest answer is to re-record rather than to process it to death.

Frequently asked questions

Can I remove background noise after recording, or do I need to do it live?

You can do both. Some interfaces and apps offer real-time noise suppression, but most podcasters clean up in post with a noise-reduction tool. Post-processing gives you more control and lets you undo if you overdo it.

Why does my voice sound robotic after noise reduction?

That’s the classic sign of too much reduction. The tool starts removing parts of your actual voice along with the noise. Lower the reduction strength, capture a cleaner noise profile, and apply the effect more gently.

Does a noise gate remove background noise?

A gate only silences the audio when you’re not talking — it doesn’t remove noise that sits behind your voice. It’s useful for cleaning up pauses, but you still need noise reduction or good recording habits to deal with noise during speech.