The simplest way to remove sound from a video

Most video editors let you mute or delete audio in two clicks: select the audio track below your video, then either mute it (the sound stays in the file but plays at zero volume) or delete it (the sound is removed entirely). Which you choose depends on whether you might want that audio back later. Muting is safer because you can always unmute. Deleting saves file space but is permanent.

The exact steps change slightly between programs, but the principle is the same across all of them. You are working with two separate tracks — one for video, one for audio — and you can control each one independently. This guide covers the most common editors: DaVinci Resolve (free), CapCut (free on phone and desktop), Adobe Premiere Pro (paid subscription), and iMovie (free on Mac and iPad).

Key Takeaways

  • Muting audio keeps the sound in your file but plays it at zero volume, while deleting audio removes it entirely and reduces file size.
  • Most editors separate video and audio into different tracks, so you can remove sound without touching the video itself.
  • If you want to keep some audio and remove other parts, you can split the audio track at specific points and delete only the sections you need gone.
  • Fade-out effects let you gradually lower volume instead of cutting it abruptly, which sounds more natural in most videos.

Muting audio in DaVinci Resolve

Open your video in DaVinci Resolve and locate the audio track in the timeline at the bottom of the screen. It appears as a separate horizontal bar below your video track, usually labeled "A1" or showing a waveform (the visual representation of sound). Right-click on the audio track itself — not on a specific clip, but on the track header on the left side where it says "A1".

A menu will appear. Look for "Mute" and click it. The audio track will dim slightly or show a mute icon, and when you play the video, you will hear no sound. If you change your mind later, right-click the same track header and click "Unmute." To delete the audio instead, select the entire audio track by clicking on the track header, then press Delete on your keyboard. The audio is now gone and cannot be recovered in this project.

Removing sound in CapCut

CapCut works differently depending on whether you are using the phone app or the desktop version, but both follow the same logic. On the phone app, tap your video in the timeline to select it, then look for the audio icon (usually a speaker symbol) in the bottom menu. Tap it, and you will see options including "Mute." Tap "Mute" and the audio turns off. To delete it instead of muting, look for a trash or delete icon in the same menu.

On the desktop version, click your video clip in the timeline, then right-click it. A menu appears with audio options. Select "Mute" to silence the sound or "Remove Audio" to delete it completely. CapCut also lets you split audio at a specific point if you only want to remove part of the sound — tap where you want to split, then delete just that section.

Deleting audio tracks in Adobe Premiere Pro

In Premiere Pro, your audio appears as a separate track in the timeline, usually below the video track. Click once on the audio track header (the area on the left that shows "A1" or "Stereo") to select the entire track. Press Delete, and Premiere will remove the audio track from your project. If you only want to mute it instead, right-click the track header and choose "Mute" from the menu.

To remove only part of the audio, use the razor tool to cut the audio track at the points where you want the sound to stop and start again. Select the section you want gone and press Delete. This is useful when you want to keep background music but remove dialogue, or vice versa. You can also use the volume keyframes feature to gradually fade audio out instead of cutting it abruptly — this creates a smoother, more professional sound.

Removing sound in iMovie

iMovie on Mac and iPad handles audio removal through the inspector panel on the right side of the screen. Click your video clip in the timeline to select it, then look at the right panel. You will see an audio section with a volume slider. Drag the slider all the way to the left (to zero) to mute the audio. The sound will not play, but the audio data stays in your project.

To delete audio entirely in iMovie, select the clip and look for an audio icon or menu option. On Mac, you can right-click the clip and look for "Detach Audio" — this separates the sound from the video so you can delete just the audio track. On iPad, the options are more limited, so muting is usually the simpler choice. If you want to remove only part of the audio, split the clip at the point where you want the sound to change, then mute or detach just that section.

Removing part of the audio while keeping the rest

If your video has dialogue you want to remove but background music you want to keep, you cannot do this by straightforward muting the entire audio track. Instead, you need to separate the dialogue from the music first. Some editors have built-in tools for this — Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve both offer audio separation features that attempt to isolate dialogue from background sound. These tools are not perfect, but they work well enough for many videos.

If your editor does not have audio separation, the manual approach is to split the audio track at the points where dialogue starts and stops, then delete only those sections. Use the razor tool (or split tool) in your editor to cut the audio at precise moments, then select and delete the unwanted segments. This requires more precision but gives you complete control over what stays and what goes.

Fading audio out instead of cutting it abruptly

Cutting audio off suddenly sounds jarring and unprofessional. A fade-out — where the volume gradually decreases to silence — sounds much more natural. Most editors let you add a fade by right-clicking the end of an audio clip and selecting "Fade Out," or by dragging a small handle at the corner of the audio track. You can usually adjust how long the fade takes (half a second, one second, two seconds) depending on how gradual you want it to be.

In DaVinci Resolve, click the audio clip, then look for fade handles at the top corners of the audio waveform. Drag the top-right corner inward to create a fade-out. In Premiere Pro, right-click the audio clip and choose "Audio Fade Out." In CapCut and iMovie, look for fade options in the audio menu or inspector panel. A fade-out is especially useful when you are removing dialogue but want the background music to continue — fade out the dialogue section and fade in the music to create a smooth transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove sound from just one part of my video?

Yes. Use your editor's split or razor tool to cut the audio track at the exact moments where you want the sound to start and stop. Then select only the section you want gone and delete it. The rest of the audio stays intact. This works in all major editors.

What is the difference between muting and deleting audio?

Muting silences the sound but keeps the audio data in your project file, so you can unmute it later. Deleting removes the audio entirely and reduces your file size, but you cannot get it back without undoing. Mute if you are unsure; delete if you are certain.

Will removing audio make my video file smaller?

Deleting audio will reduce file size slightly, but the difference is usually small — audio takes up far less space than video. Muting audio does not change file size at all. If you are trying to reduce file size, compressing the video itself (lowering resolution or bitrate) makes a much bigger difference.

How do I fade out audio instead of cutting it off suddenly?

Most editors have a fade-out option you can access by right-clicking the audio clip or dragging a handle at the corner of the audio track. You can usually set how long the fade takes (half a second to several seconds). A fade sounds more professional than an abrupt cut.

Can I remove dialogue but keep background music?

Some editors like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve have audio separation tools that attempt to isolate dialogue from background sound. These work reasonably well but are not perfect. If your editor does not have this feature, you can manually split the audio at dialogue points and delete those sections, though this requires precision.