How to remove noise from audio using Audacity and free plugins

¿How to remove noise from audio using Audacity and free plugins? If your recordings have a buzz, hiss, keyboard clicks or saliva pops, you're not alone. In home environments and with modest microphones, it's normal for background noise to creep in. The good news is that with Audacity and well-chosen free plugins you can leave your audio fine without paying.

We're not going to stick to the basics: you'll see how to reduce noise with the native effect, eliminate clicks and pops, install and use powerful free plugins (including a noise gate), and take advantage of the OpenVINO AI Plugins for Audacity developed by Intel to clean vocals, separate music, continue tracks and transcribe with Whisper without leaving your PC.

What noise do you have and what can you expect?

Before touching anything it is a good idea to identify the main problem: constant ambient noise (fan, traffic), punctual clicks or pops, or intermittent distortion? Noise reduction works well with sustained and repetitive sounds, while clicks/pops require specific tools for very short events.

Audacity's Noise Reduction effect removes frequencies that match a noise profile that you show himThis cleans a lot, but if you do it too much, a metallic or "watery" tone may appear. This is normal: when removing frequencies from the noise, it sometimes also takes away microdetails of the voice.

For clicks and pops, however, it is better to use dedicated effects such as Delete click or the DeClicker plugin, which detect very brief peaks. For noise between phrases, a noise gate can turn off the microphone tap when you don't speak.

Preparation and import in Audacity

Launch Audacity and open your file from File. You can use File> Import> Audio to bring up the clip you want to edit. It's a good idea to listen to a few seconds of silence at the beginning or end to locate the footprint of noise atmosphere.

To work comfortably, select the portion to be edited with the mouse or use Ctrl/Cmd + A to mark the entire track. Maintaining a consistent selection prevents change the doorbell between processed and unprocessed areas.

If you're going to try multiple techniques, duplicate the track: Track > Double. This way you can compare results without fear of losing your original and you can undo instantly if something doesn't convince you.

Native noise reduction step by step

The native effect of Audacity It is fast and effective when the noise is continuous. Its logic is simple: learn from the noise and then dims it throughout the clip.

• Select one or more seconds where only the sound is heard. background noise (no voice or music). The cleaner, the better.
• Go to Effect > Noise reduction and press “Get noise profile”.
• Now select the entire track (or the section you want to clean up) and go back to Effect > Noise Reduction.
• Adjust the controls of Reduction (dB), Sensitivity and Smoothing (Frequencies), and apply.

Start with moderate parameters to avoid artifacts. If you notice that the voice becomes metallic or thin, lower the Reduction or Sensitivity and try another light pass instead of an aggressive one. Remember that you can undo from Edit > Undo if you don't like the result.

When you're done, export from File > Export audio. Choose the format and quality based on your destination (for example, WAV to maintain fidelity or MP3 if you need a lightweight file).

Suggested settings

Say goodbye to clicks, pops, and mouth noises

Mouse clicks, snaps, and pops require specific tools. In Audacity, you have several ways to do this. tackle those peaks that break the flow of the audio:

Option A: “Delete Click” Effect

Go to Effects > Noise Removal & Repair > Delete click. Adjust Threshold and Maximum Peak Width for the algorithm to detect just the clicks and it doesn't affect your voice. Apply and listen before/after.

Option B: DeClicker Plugin

Download it from the Audacity forum, install it, and launch it from Effects > DeClicker. Raise or lower the sensitivity depending on the click density and transients in your shot. This is a very effective approach for very short beaks.

Option C: Repair and trim

For specific cases, select a tiny section with the click and use the tool Repair (Effects > Repair). If the problem is concentrated in one area, you can also cut that fragment with Delete and rejoin, taking care with the blends so that the cut is not noticeable.

If the recording, in addition to clicks, has a background hiss, combine these techniques with the Noise reduction native for a cleaner finish.

OpenVINO AI Plugins for Audacity: Local Cleanup and More

Intel maintains a GitHub package called “OpenVINO AI Plugins for Audacity.” These are extensions that use OpenVINO to run AI models on your team, without any external services. Installation is simple and integrates seamlessly into Audacity's menus.

Point to note: Currently available for WindowsIf you're working on macOS or Linux, you'll need to rely on native Audacity alternatives or other free plugins.

In tests, the function of noise suppression with AI has delivered excellent results, on par with commercial solutions that run models in the cloud. And it does so in question of seconds, with advanced options to adjust attenuation.

To use them, import your audio, select it and open Effect > OpenVINO AI effects > Noise suppression. If you need to fine-tune, go into “Advanced options” and lower the attenuation until you find the balance between cleanliness and naturalness of voice.

Separate, generate, and continue music with AI

In addition to cleaning, the OpenVINO pack allows you to separate voices and instruments and even extend songs intelligently. To separate, go to Effect > OpenVINO AI effects > Music separation and choose to extract vocals/instrumentals or produce multiple stems (vocals, bass, drums…).

The vocal separation from the instrumental works very well, comparable to trading tools. It works great for creating karaoke mode or cleaning up embedded voiceovers in music.

The continue audio function is in Generate > OpenVINO Music Generation Activating “Audio continuation”. Select the section you want to extend, set the desired duration and let the model complete the ending so that fit with your videoIt usually works convincingly, although there may be minor musical “hallucinations.”

Generating music from a prompt, on the other hand, with default settings can produce A lot of dirtA trick that improves the result is to first create a mono track and output from there; you'll get the same content on both channels, but cleaner.

Transcribe with Whisper from Audacity

If you need text from your audio, go to Analyze > OpenVINO Whisper Transcription. Uses the Base model, which is very fast at the cost of giving up some accuracy. Transcriptions appear as tag tracks within the project.

To bring them into your video editor, select the tag track and export from File > Export Other > Export labels in .srt or .vtt format. A simple, cloud-independent workflow.

If you're looking for maximum accuracy, you can upgrade to larger Whisper models outside of this environment, but for speed and zero cost, this built-in option performs well.

Export labels

Recommended free plugins for voice and podcasts

Beyond native effects, these free plugins extend what Audacity can do with your voices and podcast projects:

• OTT Compressor (Windows/macOS): Downward and upward compression to control peaks and enhance detail. Clear and responsive interface. speed boat tour. Ideal for adding punch to muffled voices.
• graillon 2: Pitch Corrector and Real-Time Voice Changer. Allows for creative or subtle correctionsThe free version is useful, although it has limited features compared to the paid version.
• MuseFX Noise Gate: noise gate to mute the channel when the level falls below a threshold. Very useful for turn off the noise between sentences. Be careful with very soft notes: they could be clipped if the threshold is high.
• ffmpeg for Audacity: Adds import/export support for more formats, without switching programs. Perfect if you work with various containers or you need to extract audio.
• ACX Check: Audiobook requirements checker (levels, noise, etc.). It ensures that your recording meets the ACX standards without leaving Audacity.
• MEqualizer: Powerful equalizer with visual analyzer. Provides advanced tools that It doesn't have Audacity as standard and speeds up decision making with clear graphics.
• TDR Nova: Versatile, open-source dynamic equalizer. From basic tasks to resonance control and dynamic de-essing.
• Valhalla Supermassive: Spectacular reverbs and delays with clear documentation. Although space/ambient oriented, it can give subtle depth in one voice.

Install only what you're going to use. A curated set with a compressor, EQ, noise gate and, if necessary, a tone corrector, covers 90% of needs.

Install and activate plugins in Audacity

First check your version: in the top bar, go to Audacity > About Audacity and look at the Build Type. This way you will know if the chosen plugin is compatible with your current installation.

For Nyquist plugins, open Tools > Nyquist Plugin Installer, click Browse, choose the downloaded file and click Apply. Restart Audacity so that are activated the new effects.

Once inside, you'll see them in the Effects menu (or in their category). Click on the name, adjust parameters and test. Work in stages and compare before/afters so you don't cross the line of naturalness.

Solve common problems when cleaning noise

If “Remove Click” does nothing, it is usually because of a selection too short or because the threshold doesn't detect the peak well. Expand the selection, lower the threshold, or try DeClicker with a higher sensitivity.

If noise reduction introduces robotic sound, reduce the amount per pass and chain two soft cleans. Another option: first apply a noise gate to silence gaps and then a moderate reduction from the remaining fund.

If a plugin is not listed, it may be missing documentation or incompatible. Reinstall the plugin, check the correct architecture (32/64-bit) and restart. In certain cases, update Audacity to a supported version.

With OpenVINO, remember the limitation of WindowsIf you don't see the menu entries, close Audacity and reopen it after installation. Make sure the package has been copied to the correct folder.

For more information about Audacity, we recommend our articles: How to record guitar in Audacity?

Free online alternative if you can't install anything

If your computer doesn't allow you to install software or you're in a hurry, try a web service like EaseUS online voice remover. Separates voices and background with AI and offers a browser-accessible noise reducer.

Key advantages: no registration, supports large uploads (up to 350 MB), allows you to separate tracks from entire videos and does not impose strict daily usage limits. It can clean noise and clicks/pops in long files (up to 60 minutes).

Typical usage: Go in and select the “Noise Reducer” option, upload your file, and wait for the analysis. Then, download the result. It is a practical solution when Audacity is not available.

Final tips for a professional finish

Always work with copies, listen with headphones and speakers and use series filters: Soft noise gate, moderate noise reduction, EQ to attenuate annoying frequencies, and light compression for stabilization. Less is more.

If you need karaoke or to isolate vocals, OpenVINO separation works like a charm. surprisingly solidFor musical sequels, set the duration and let the AI ​​close the track; review the result for any minor glitches.

To finish a project, export from File > Export Audio and choose the format (WAV/FLAC for maximum quality, MP3 for lightweight distribution). It is a good idea to save the .aup3 project in case you later decide tweak parameters.

With the right tools and a little bit of care, it's possible to go from a home recording with hiss and clicks to a perfect audio clean and crispThe key is to combine the native reduction effect with the right plugins, and, if it suits you, top it off with OpenVINO's AI capabilities to take it a step further.