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How to remove background noise from a video on iPhone
If the video was recorded on an iPhone 16 or later, start in the Photos app: open it, tap Edit, then Audio Mix, and choose Studio. It is free and built in. Audio Mix only works on videos those iPhones recorded with Spatial Audio, so for anything else — an older iPhone, a downloaded clip, a screen recording — you need an editor with voice isolation. In Talk that is Isolate Voice, a Pro feature that runs on the device on any clip.
Which method your video can use
| Recorded on iPhone 16 or later, Spatial Audio on | Audio Mix in the Photos app. Free, and it relies on the extra spatial audio the iPhone records alongside the picture, which is why it only works on those recordings. Spatial Audio is the default. |
|---|---|
| An older iPhone, another camera, a download or a screen recording | An editor with voice isolation or noise reduction. These work from the mixed sound alone, so they cannot tell a voice in the shot from one behind the camera — only speech from everything else. |
| A voice-over you recorded in an editor | The editor’s own tools. In Talk, Isolate Voice works on recorded voice-overs and detached audio as well as on clips. |
| The “noise” includes music you want to keep | Isolation will remove the music with the noise. Use it at a low strength, or remove the noise fully and add the music back as its own track. |
The steps
- Try Audio Mix first, if your iPhone recorded the video In Photos, open the video, tap Edit, then Audio Mix. Studio reduces background sound and reverb; In-Frame reduces sounds from sources outside the shot. Drag the slider to set the strength. If Audio Mix is missing, the video was not recorded with Spatial Audio on a supported iPhone.
- Otherwise, open the clip in an editor with voice isolation In Talk, select the clip, tap Speed & Audio (Playback before Talk 2.4), then Isolate Voice. It works on any clip with an audio track, and on recorded voice-overs and detached audio too, where Isolate Voice sits in the toolbar itself.
- Turn on Isolate Voice Talk renders a speech-only copy of the clip’s audio on the device, using Apple’s built-in sound-isolation audio unit. Nothing is uploaded, and it works offline.
- Set the strength by ear The Strength slider blends the isolated voice with the original. Full strength removes the most noise but can make a voice sound thin or processed; back it off until the room sounds natural again. Changing it is instant.
- Put the music back separately, then export Voice isolation removes everything that is not speech, music included. Add music as its own track afterwards, where its level can be set independently of the voice.
Which iPhone tools can do this
Noise removal on iPhone is split between Apple’s built-in tool, which is limited to new recordings, and editors that work on anything. As of October 2026:
| Tool | Works on | Where it runs | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos — Audio Mix | Spatial Audio videos from iPhone 16 or later | On-device | Free, built in |
| Talk — Isolate Voice | Any clip, voice-over or detached audio | On-device | Talk Pro |
| CapCut — Reduce noise | Any clip | Not stated | Basic toggle is free |
| Dedicated apps, such as Denoise | Any clip | On-device | Preview free, pay to export |
| Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech | Files you upload in a browser | Adobe’s servers | Free tier with limits |
| iMovie for iPhone | — | — | No noise reduction; the Mac version has it |
Features and prices change often. Check the current App Store listing before paying for a noise-removal app.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Photos app remove background noise from a video?
Yes, on iPhone 16 and later. Open the video in Photos, tap Edit, then Audio Mix, and choose Studio to reduce background sound and reverb, or In-Frame to reduce sounds from sources outside the shot. It only works on videos recorded with Spatial Audio on those models, so older footage and downloaded videos don’t show it.
How do I remove background noise from a video on an older iPhone?
Use an editor with noise reduction or voice isolation, because Audio Mix needs a Spatial Audio recording from an iPhone 16 or later. Talk’s Isolate Voice, part of Talk Pro, works on any clip on the device; CapCut has a basic Reduce noise toggle; dedicated apps such as Denoise process on the device and charge to export.
Will removing background noise also remove music?
With voice isolation, yes. It keeps speech and removes everything else, including music playing in the room or already mixed into the clip. Add the music back afterwards as a separate track, where its level can be set independently of the voice.
Does iMovie on iPhone have noise reduction?
No. iMovie on the Mac can reduce background noise, but the iPhone and iPad version cannot.
How do I avoid background noise when recording?
Get the microphone closer to the speaker; distance matters more than any filter. iPhone 16 and later reduce wind noise automatically while recording, and leaving Spatial Audio on keeps Audio Mix available afterwards. The Voice Isolation mic mode in Control Center only affects apps that support it, such as FaceTime, not the Camera app.
Is voice isolation free in Talk?
No. Isolate Voice is part of Talk Pro. Silence removal, captions and face blur are on the free tier, and free exports are 1080p with no watermark.