There are a few different ways you can mute the voice or audio in a video. The easiest method is to simply turn down the volume on your device while watching the video. However, this will mute all sounds, not just voices. To specifically mute voices, you’ll need to use video editing software.
In most video players and editors, there is an option to detach or isolate the audio from the video track. This allows you to delete, mute or edit the audio without affecting the video. Once you’ve detached the audio, you can mute just the vocal parts while keeping the background audio intact.
Here are some common ways to mute voices in videos on both desktop apps and mobile devices:
Using Video Editing Software
If you want precision control over the audio, using video editing software is the best option. Video editors like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and others allow you to edit the audio and video separately. Here are the general steps:
- Import the video file into your video editing program.
- Detach the audio from the video track so you can edit it independently.
- Scan through the audio waveform and mute the vocal sections.
- Export the video with the edited audio.
The process will vary somewhat depending on the editing software, but the ability to detach and mute specific portions of the audio is standard in most pro video editors.
Some things to note when muting voices in a video editor:
- Zoom way in on the audio waveform to make it easier to isolate the vocal parts.
- Use keyframes to automate the muting and avoid abrupt transitions.
- Adjust the background audio level so the mute doesn’t sound unnatural.
- Watch through the entire video to catch any stray voices.
Taking the time to finely edit the audio with video editing software will give you the best results.
Online Video Editors
If you don’t have video editing software installed on your computer, you can use free online video editors to mute audio. Two popular options are Clipchamp and Kapwing.
Here is the process for muting voices with Clipchamp:
- Go to Clipchamp.com and click “Try Video Editor.”
- Upload your video file to the editor.
- Click the audio track to open the audio toolbar.
- Click “Detach Audio” to separate it from the video.
- Delete or mute clips around voices/speech on the audio track.
- Export the finished video.
Kapwing has similar tools for splitting and editing the audio independently. Just go to Kapwing.com, upload your video, and use the audio editing options.
The benefit of online video editors is you don’t need to install any software. The downside is that the tools are more basic compared to desktop video editing applications. But they can still get the job done for simple voice mute projects.
Using VLC Media Player
VLC is a popular free media player that has some useful audio editing functions built in. Here’s how to mute voices with VLC:
- Open your video file in VLC.
- Go to the Audio menu and select “Audio Track > Track 1” to detach the first audio track.
- Under this menu, uncheck the “Show” box to mute the first track.
- Go back and select “Audio Track > Track 2” and make sure “Show” is checked.
- Track 1 should now be muted while Track 2 plays only ambient audio.
- Go to Tools > Preferences and set an audio filter to normalize the ambient audio.
It takes some trial and error, but VLC provides a free option for splitting and muting specific audio channels in a video.
Using Mobile Apps
There are also apps you can use to mute audio on mobile devices:
Video Editor Apps
Popular mobile video editing apps like InShot, KineMaster, and Adobe Premiere Rush give you tools to detach and mute the audio track. The process is similar to desktop editing software but with simplified interfaces. Import your clip, isolate the audio, delete or mute the vocal sections, and export.
Volume Control Apps
Apps like Volume Control provide an overlay interface on top of other apps to control different audio channels. You can lower the voice volume while keeping the ambient audio louder.
Remove Vocals Apps
For music videos, apps like Remove Vocals can isolate and subtract vocal frequencies using EQ and stereo imaging. This removes vocals while preserving the instrumental audio.
The options may be more limited compared to desktop software, but mobile video and audio apps can still help you mute vocals when needed.
Using Audio Editing Software
Another option is to extract just the audio from the video file and process it through audio editing software. For example:
- Use a tool like Free Audio Converter to extract the audio from a video file.
- Import the extracted audio into Audacity, Reaper or other audio editor.
- Use the Selection Tool to select and mute clips with vocals.
- Export the muted audio file.
- Re-import the muted audio back into your video editor and sync it with the video.
Specialized audio editing tools can give you more ways to filter out voices or enhance the ambient audio. But it requires extra steps compared to just editing within a video editor.
Using a Browser Extension
If you want to mute voices when streaming videos online, browser extensions can help.
For Chrome, try Video Volume Controller. It lets you turn down the dialogue volume independently from the rest of the audio.
For Firefox, check out Volume Master. You can create per-site volume profiles to automatically mute voices on certain streaming sites.
Browser audio extensions are limited to basic volume control, but provide an easy option for muting voices in online videos.
Conclusion
Here’s a quick summary of the ways you can mute voices in video files:
- Use video editing software like Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, etc. and detach/edit the audio
- Use free online video editors like Clipchamp or Kapwing
- Adjust audio channels in VLC media player
- Use mobile video editor apps or audio control apps
- Process the audio separately in Audacity
- Install a browser extension to control volume on sites
No matter what platform or tools you are using, the overall process is similar:
- Isolate the audio from the video track
- Mute or delete sections where voices are present
- Adjust levels and export audio
- Sync the edited audio back with the video
With the right software or app, you can remove distracting dialogue and vocals from videos while preserving the ambient audio. Just remember to export the video to save your edits.
Muting Voices in Video – Comparison Table
| Method | Platform | Difficulty | Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video editor (Premiere, Final Cut) | Desktop | Advanced | Fine-tuned |
| Online editor (Clipchamp) | Web browser | Intermediate | Good |
| VLC media player | Desktop | Intermediate | Moderate |
| Mobile video editor | Smartphone | Easy | Limited |
| Browser extension | Web browser | Easy | Volume only |
FAQs About Muting Audio in Videos
Here are answers to some common questions about muting audio in video files:
How do I completely remove vocals from a video?
To completely remove vocals, you’ll need full audio editing software like Audition, Logic Pro, or Reaper. Use tools like frequency filters, EQ sweeps, stereo imaging, and phase cancellation to isolate and subtract the vocal frequencies. This requires advanced audio editing skills.
Does muting voices also mute the background music?
It doesn’t have to. When you detach the audio from the video, you can mute just the vocal clips without affecting the background music or ambient audio. Adjust the levels so the music still comes through.
Is there a way to automatically mute voices in videos?
There is no automated way to perfectly mute voices while leaving everything else. The best method is still manually going through the audio waveform and deleting the vocal sections. Some advanced AI tools can help speed up the process but still require human supervision.
Can I mute dialogue on streaming videos?
Yes, browser extensions like Video Volume Controller (Chrome) or Volume Master (Firefox) allow you to selectively control the volume of voices vs background audio when streaming video online. They work on sites like YouTube, Netflix, Facebook and more.
Does muting voices reduce the video file size?
Typically not by much. The audio makes up a small portion of the total file size. Muting parts of the audio track won’t significantly reduce the file size unless it’s a long video with lots of muted vocals. You’ll save more space using video compression.
Tips for Muting Audio in Videos
Here are some additional tips for cleanly muting voices in video projects:
– Use short fades and gradual volume changes to avoid jarring audio transitions
– Equalize and normalize the ambient audio so the mute doesn’t sound unnatural
– Consider adding light background music if the mute leaves too much dead air
– For music videos, use stereo imaging to isolate centered vocals from instruments
– Check both audio channels for voices and noises that need muting
– Zoom way in on the audio waveform to make it easier to see and edit
– Listen to the entire video when finished to catch any stray voices you may have missed
– For online videos, enable noise suppression filters to help remove voices
– Balance the voice mute with some natural ambient noise so it sounds real
– Don’t go overboard! Subtly muting voices usually sounds best.
Conclusion
Muting audio voices in video can clean up busy dialogue or create cool ambient-only effects. With the right software tools and techniques, you can remove vocals from the soundtrack while keeping the natural background audio. Try using a video editor, mobile app or browser extension to start splitting and muting those talkative clips. Just remember that a soft touch is best – you want to guide the viewer’s attention, not jarringly cut all voices. With some practice and the methods above, you’ll be able to mute annoying voices in any video quickly and easily.