Seven ways to remove fan noise from a recorded video, compared

Updated October 7, 2026 · prices and limits checked on each tool's own website

Short answer: for one short spoken video with a steady fan, air conditioner or computer hum, a one-job web tool is simplest: upload the video and download it back with only the audio cleaned. audioenhancer (this site) does that free for files up to 5 minutes without an account; CleanVideoAudio does it for $3–$5 per video after you sign in. If you already edit in Descript or DaVinci Resolve Studio, their built-in tools save a step. Auphonic handles audio and video and also levels loudness. Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech is free for audio files. Audacity is free and fully manual.

We make audioenhancer, so we are not neutral. We have described each tool from its own published prices and limits. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.

At a glance

When each tool is the better choice

audioenhancer

Choose it when you have a finished talk, tutorial or demo and want the same file back: the video frames are copied, only the audio track is replaced, and the length stays exactly the same. One file up to 5 minutes is free with no account and no watermark. It is built only for steady noise behind speech, not for music, gusty wind or room echo. See a real before-and-after and our measurements.

CleanVideoAudio

The closest alternative: a web tool for talking videos that returns a cleaned MP4 without a watermark and also offers to fix low volume. It is priced per video ($3 up to 5 minutes, $5 up to 20 minutes). You sign in for one free 30-second preview a day, and videos are limited to 20 minutes and 500 MB.

Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech

Aims to make speech sound as if it was recorded in a studio, and is free for audio files up to 30 minutes (1 hour a day). It reshapes the voice and the room sound; as with any enhancement, ours included, compare the result with your original before replacing it. On the free plan it takes audio only, so you extract the sound from your video and put it back in an editor.

Auphonic

A long-running audio post-production service for podcasters. Besides noise reduction it levels speakers and sets loudness to broadcast and podcast standards. It accepts video files and can return the video with the processed audio. The free tier covers 2 hours a month, and free productions include a jingle; paid credits start at $11 a month billed yearly.

Descript

Useful if you already edit in Descript: Studio Sound cleans the voice inside the editor while you cut by transcript. On the free plan, video exports carry a watermark and Studio Sound is limited.

DaVinci Resolve Studio

Voice Isolation is part of the paid Studio version ($295 one-time); the free version of Resolve does not include it. Exports from an editor are usually re-encoded, although Resolve can skip re-encoding in some cases.

Audacity

Free, open source and runs on your computer, so nothing is uploaded. Its Noise Reduction effect needs a few seconds of noise as a profile and some tuning. It works on audio: with FFmpeg installed it can open the sound of a video file, but you put the cleaned audio back with a video editor.

What matters for a spoken video

• Do you get your video back? Audio-only tools mean extracting the sound and re-attaching it in an editor.
• Is the picture re-encoded? A tool that only replaces the audio track can copy the picture unchanged. Exporting from a video editor renders the whole video again, which takes longer and can cost quality.
• Does the sound stay in sync? The cleaned audio has to keep the original length and start time, or the lips and the voice drift apart.
• Does the voice still sound like you? Strong enhancement can make speech sound processed. Compare the result with your original at the same volume.
• Free limits and sign-up. For a one-off fix, a tool you can try without an account or a watermark is less hassle.

Questions

What is the best free way to remove fan noise from a video?

For a spoken video up to 5 minutes, audioenhancer is free (3 files a day), needs no account, adds no watermark and gives you the same video back with the picture copied. For audio recordings, Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech (free for audio files up to 30 minutes) and Auphonic (2 free hours a month, video too) are good options. Audacity is free without limits but takes manual work.

Can I remove background noise from a video without re-encoding it?

Yes, if the tool only replaces the audio track. audioenhancer copies the video frames exactly and swaps in the cleaned audio, so the picture quality and the length do not change. Video editors usually re-encode the video when you export (DaVinci Resolve can skip this in some cases).

How much fan noise does audioenhancer remove?

In our tests on three recordings made near a running fan, the estimated noise floor dropped by 39 to 52 dB (on the noisiest take, from −26 dBFS to −65 dBFS, with the voice raised back to its original loudness), and automatic transcription errors did not rise (on that take they fell from 5.4% to 2.2%). We have not published measurements of the other tools. Try a free preview of your own recording before you decide.

Sources

• CleanVideoAudio home page (prices, limits, preview)
• Adobe Podcast plans
• Adobe: Enhance Speech FAQ (free and Premium limits)
• Auphonic pricing and production help (video input)
• Descript pricing
• DaVinci Resolve (Studio and free versions)
• Audacity and its import guide (audio from video files)
• audioenhancer figures: our measurements on three real recordings