How to Reduce Background Noise When Recording Videos
Your video looks great—but the audio is filled with air-conditioning noise, traffic, keyboard sounds, or room echo.
For viewers, poor audio can quickly become distracting. Fortunately, you don't always need an expensive studio to improve it.
The biggest improvements usually come from three things: the right microphone, a quieter recording space, and better microphone placement.
Choose the Right Microphone
Microphone choice can make a major difference when background noise is a problem.
A directional microphone, such as a shotgun mic, is designed to focus more strongly on sound coming from a particular direction. This can be useful when recording interviews, tutorials, or talking-head videos.
Lavalier microphones are another practical option because they can be positioned close to the speaker.
The closer your microphone is to the voice, the easier it generally becomes to capture strong speech without relying as heavily on distant room sound.
👉 🎙️ SHOP Shotgun Microphones →
Make Your Recording Space Quieter
You don't need professional acoustic treatment to improve a room.
Start by removing obvious noise sources.
Turn off unnecessary fans or appliances when practical. Close windows if traffic is loud. Avoid recording near busy hallways or other high-traffic areas.
Rooms containing curtains, rugs, upholstered furniture, and other soft materials can also produce less noticeable echo than large rooms filled with hard reflective surfaces.
Sometimes simply moving to another room can improve your audio more than buying another accessory.
Move the Microphone Closer
One of the most common beginner mistakes is placing the microphone too far away.
If your voice is weak, you may increase the recording gain—and that can make unwanted room noise more noticeable too.
Instead, get the microphone appropriately closer to the speaker while following the microphone manufacturer's positioning guidance.
For a lavalier mic, make sure clothing isn't constantly rubbing against it.
For a shotgun mic, aim it appropriately toward the speaker and keep it as close as practical while staying out of the shot.
👉 🎤 SHOP Wireless Lavalier Microphones →
Use Windscreens and Pop Filters When Needed
Small accessories can solve specific audio problems.
A windscreen can help reduce wind-related noise, especially outdoors.
A pop filter can help control strong bursts of air from sounds such as “P” and “B” when recording close to certain microphones.
These accessories won't remove traffic or a noisy air conditioner, but they can help prevent specific problems before they reach your recording.
Check Your Audio Before Recording Everything
Don't record a 20-minute video before checking the sound.
Record a short test clip first.
Listen for:
Background hum
Traffic or voices
Clothing noise
Wind noise
Room echo
Audio distortion
If your equipment allows manual gain adjustment, avoid setting levels unnecessarily high. If headphone monitoring is available, use it to catch problems while you're recording rather than discovering them later.
👉 🎧 SHOP Microphone Accessories →
Don't Depend on Editing to Fix Everything
Noise-reduction software can help with certain consistent background sounds, and modern editing tools can sometimes improve difficult recordings significantly.
But heavy noise reduction can also make voices sound unnatural.
Whenever possible, solve the problem before recording.
A quieter room + closer microphone + appropriate recording level usually gives editing software much better audio to work with.
Better Audio Starts Before You Press Record
You don't need a soundproof studio to produce clearer audio.
Choose the right microphone for your situation, reduce obvious noise sources, position the mic closer to the speaker, and always record a short audio test.
Most importantly, don't try to fix every problem in post-production.
Clean recording at the source is usually the best starting point.