Learn how to reduce background noise on your microphone with proven methods. Covers noise diagnosis, room setup, OS settings for Windows and Mac, software tools, and app-specific configurations.
Background noise ruins calls, recordings, and streams. It makes you hard to understand and forces listeners to strain through hum, hiss, and distractions. The good news: most noise problems have straightforward fixes. This guide helps you identify exactly what kind of noise you're dealing with and walks you through every way to eliminate it — from free quick fixes to advanced audio processing. Start by testing your microphone with our microphone test so you can hear the noise and measure improvement as you go.
Identify your noise type
Before you fix anything, figure out what kind of noise you're dealing with. Different noise types have completely different solutions. Use our microphone test to record a sample, listen back, and match it to one of these categories.
A steady hum or buzz at a fixed pitch usually comes from electrical interference — ground loops, poor shielding, or electromagnetic interference from nearby electronics.
What it sounds like: A constant low-pitched drone, like a transformer hum. Doesn't change when you speak or move
Common causes: Ground loops between devices, unshielded cables, USB interference, nearby power supplies or monitors
How to fix: See the electrical noise section below for ground loop and cable fixes
A steady hiss that's always present in the background, even in a quiet room. Gets louder as you increase gain.
What it sounds like: Like radio static or air escaping — a steady "shhhhh" in the background
Common causes: Input gain set too high, cheap microphone preamp, long unbalanced cables, microphone boost enabled in Windows
How to fix: Reduce your input gain and check the OS noise reduction section below
Your voice sounds hollow, distant, or like you're in a bathroom. Words seem to "trail off" with a fading repeat.
What it sounds like: Hollow, distant, or "roomy" — like speaking in a tiled bathroom or empty hall
Common causes: Hard floors, bare walls, large windows, empty rooms with no soft furnishings
Sounds that come and go — fans, traffic, air conditioning, keyboards, pets, people in other rooms.
What it sounds like: Identifiable sounds — fan whirring, car horns, key clicks, doors closing, HVAC rumble
Common causes: Open windows, nearby fans or air conditioners, mechanical keyboards, noisy computer, shared spaces
How to fix: Start with the quick wins section below, then try noise reduction software
Sharp thumps or pops on P, B, and T sounds, or a low rumble when air moves near the mic.
What it sounds like: A loud "thump" or "pop" on words starting with P, B, or T — or a rumbling whoosh from airflow
Common causes: Speaking too close to the mic, no pop filter, mic near a vent or open window, fan blowing toward mic
How to fix: See the positioning section below and use a pop filter
Quick wins — eliminate noise at the source
The most effective noise reduction is free: remove the noise before it ever reaches your microphone. These take seconds and make an immediate difference.
Simple room changes can cut background noise dramatically — sometimes that's all you need.
Close windows and doors: This alone can eliminate traffic, neighbors, hallway noise, and outdoor sounds
Turn off fans and AC: Even "quiet" fans create a noticeable hum. Turn them off for the duration of your call or recording
Turn off heaters: Forced-air heating is surprisingly loud — radiators and baseboard heaters are quieter
Move to a quieter room: A carpeted bedroom with curtains beats a tiled kitchen or open living area
Quick test: Sit in your recording position, stay silent for 10 seconds, and listen carefully. Can you hear any hum, buzz, or ambient noise? Use our microphone test to hear exactly what your mic picks up.
Unexpected pings and buzzing phones are distracting for everyone on the call.
Phone: Put it on silent or Do Not Disturb — vibrations on a desk travel straight to the mic
Computer sounds: Mute system notification sounds in your OS settings
Other devices: Smart speakers, tablets, and watches can all make unexpected sounds
Desktop fan/laptop: Move your computer further from the microphone. USB extension cables or a longer boom arm help
Keyboard noise is one of the most common complaints on calls — especially mechanical keyboards.
Switch to quieter switches: If you use mechanical keys, swap to silent (linear) switches or use O-rings
Membrane keyboard: Keep a cheap quiet keyboard for calls
Desk pad: A thick desk mat absorbs impact noise that travels through the desk to your mic
Mic positioning: A boom arm moves the mic away from your keyboard, reducing pickup
Hard surfaces bounce sound around the room, adding echo and making background noise worse. Soft materials absorb it.
Curtains: Heavy curtains over windows absorb reflections and block outside noise
Rugs or carpet: Hard floors reflect sound — even a small area rug helps
Bookshelves: Books are excellent sound diffusers
Upholstered furniture: Couches and padded chairs absorb sound energy
Microphone position and technique
How you position and use your microphone has a huge impact on background noise. Getting closer to the mic means your voice is louder relative to room noise — improving your signal-to-noise ratio without any software.
The closer your mouth is to the microphone, the louder your voice is compared to background noise. This is the single most effective way to improve your signal-to-noise ratio.
Condenser mics (USB mics, studio condensers): 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) from your mouth
Dynamic mics (SM58, Podcaster, etc.): 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) — they're designed for close use
Headset mics: Position the boom so the mic sits at the corner of your mouth, not directly in front
Laptop/webcam mics: Get as close as practical — even leaning in a few inches helps
Why this works: Sound level drops with distance. At twice the distance, your voice is only 1/4 as loud — but the background noise stays the same. Getting close makes your voice dominate.
Pointing the mic slightly off-axis reduces plosives and can also reduce pickup of specific noise sources.
Off-axis (15-30 degrees): Angle the mic slightly to the side — you'll still be in the pickup zone, but air blasts from plosives miss the capsule
Point noise behind the mic: If you have a cardioid mic, position it so the noise source (computer, window, door) is directly behind the mic — cardioid mics reject rear sound
Below mouth level: Position the mic below your mouth, angled up — avoids breathing directly into it
Pop filter ($10-20): Stops plosive blasts from P and B sounds — position 1-2 inches from the mic
Shock mount ($20-50): Suspends the mic to absorb desk vibrations, bumps, and keyboard impact
Boom arm ($25-100): Gets the mic off the desk (eliminating vibration transfer) and lets you position it precisely
Foam windscreen ($5-15): Reduces wind noise and mild plosives — less effective than a pop filter but more compact
If you're in a consistently noisy environment, the type of microphone you use makes a big difference. Some mics are designed to reject background noise far better than others.
The two main microphone types handle noise very differently.
Dynamic mics: Less sensitive — they pick up mainly what's directly in front of them. Great for noisy rooms, untreated spaces, and environments with fans or AC. Popular choices: Shure SM7B, Rode PodMic, Elgato Wave DX
Condenser mics: Very sensitive — they capture more detail, including more background noise. Best in quiet, treated rooms. Popular choices: Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica AT2020, Rode NT1
Rule of thumb: If you can't control your environment, go dynamic. If you have a quiet, treated room, condenser will sound richer.
A microphone's polar pattern determines which directions it picks up sound from — and which it rejects.
Cardioid: Picks up from the front, rejects the rear — the best all-round pattern for noise rejection
Hypercardioid/supercardioid: Narrower pickup area, even more rear rejection — ideal for maximum noise isolation
Omnidirectional: Picks up equally from all directions — worst for noise rejection, avoid in noisy rooms
If your mic has pattern switching: Multi-pattern mics like the Blue Yeti should be set to cardioid (heart symbol) for calls
Both Windows and macOS have built-in noise reduction features that can help. These are free, always available, and worth checking before you install third-party software.
Windows 11:
Open Settings → System → Sound
Under Input, select your microphone
Look for Enhance audio or Voice Focus and turn it on
Adjust the Input volume slider — aim for the meter peaking in the upper third when you speak normally
Windows 10:
Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar → Sounds
Go to the Recording tab
Double-click your microphone → Properties
Under the Levels tab, set your mic level to 80-90% and disable Microphone Boost unless needed
Under the Enhancements tab, try enabling noise suppression or acoustic echo cancellation if available
Important: If you have Microphone Boost set to +10dB or +20dB, that is amplifying background noise along with your voice. Try lowering or disabling it and getting closer to the mic instead. See our Windows microphone testing guide for detailed instructions.
macOS Ventura and later:
Open System Settings → Sound → Input
Select your microphone and adjust the Input volume slider
For noise suppression during calls: click the Control Center icon in the menu bar during a call
Click Mic Mode and select Voice Isolation — this uses machine learning to suppress background noise
Older macOS versions:
Open System Preferences → Sound → Input
Select your microphone
Adjust the Input volume — check "Use ambient noise reduction" if available
Note: Voice Isolation is available in macOS Ventura (13) and later. It works system-wide during FaceTime and with many third-party apps. Not all apps support it — check during an active call.
App-specific noise settings
Most communication apps have their own noise reduction settings. These are separate from your OS settings and often work very well. Here's how to configure the most popular ones.
Open Zoom → Settings → Audio
Under Suppress background noise, choose your level:
Auto: Zoom adjusts automatically — good default
Low: Light suppression, preserves more audio detail (good for music)
Medium: Blocks moderate noise like typing and fans
High: Aggressive suppression — may affect voice quality
Uncheck "Automatically adjust microphone volume" for consistent levels
Tip: Hold Space to temporarily unmute yourself while muted. This is great for noisy environments — stay muted and just press when you need to speak.
Open Teams → click ... (More) → Settings → Devices
Under Noise suppression, select:
Auto: Teams adjusts based on detected noise
High: Suppresses all non-speech sounds — best for noisy environments
Low: Light suppression, better if you need to share audio or music
Off: No suppression — use only in very quiet environments
Turn off "Automatically adjust mic sensitivity" if you experience volume fluctuation
In a Meet call, click ... (More options) → Settings → Audio
Toggle Noise cancellation on
Note: Google Meet's noise cancellation works automatically using AI. It's on or off — there's no level to adjust. It works well for most environments.
Open Discord → User Settings (gear icon) → Voice & Video
Under Advanced, toggle Noise Suppression on — this uses Krisp's AI engine
Under Voice Processing, make sure Echo Cancellation is enabled
Set Input Sensitivity manually rather than using automatic detection for better control
Push to talk: Discord supports push-to-talk with a configurable keybind. This is the most reliable way to keep background noise out of voice channels — go to Voice & Video → Input Mode → Push to Talk.
Right-click your mic source in OBS → Filters
Click + under Audio Filters and add Noise Suppression
Choose a method:
RNNoise: AI-based, excellent quality, low CPU usage — recommended for most users
Speex: Older method, lighter on CPU but less effective
Optionally add a Noise Gate filter to silence audio below a set threshold
Filter order matters: Add Noise Suppression first, then Noise Gate, then any EQ or compression. OBS processes filters top-to-bottom.
Noise reduction software
Dedicated noise reduction software sits between your microphone and your apps, cleaning up audio in real-time. These tools create a virtual microphone that you select in your communication apps.
If you have an NVIDIA RTX graphics card, this is the best free option available.
RTX Voice: Standalone noise removal app — works with any app
NVIDIA Broadcast: Newer version with additional features (virtual background, auto-frame, eye contact)
How it works: Creates a virtual microphone. Select "NVIDIA Broadcast" as your mic in any app
Quality: Excellent — removes keyboard clicks, fans, construction, pets, and more with minimal voice distortion
Requirements: NVIDIA GTX 600-series or newer for RTX Voice; RTX 2060 or newer for Broadcast
Platform: Windows, macOS, and built into many apps (Discord, some headsets)
Free tier: 60 minutes per week of noise cancellation
Paid: Unlimited use for $8/month
Works with: Any app — creates a virtual microphone and speaker
Also removes: Incoming noise from other participants, not just your own
Price: Free — no SteelSeries hardware required
Platform: Windows only
Features: AI noise cancellation, equalizer, compressor, noise gate — all in one app
Best for: Gamers who want a full audio suite without buying hardware
Platform: Linux only
Price: Free, open-source
How it works: Uses PulseAudio to create a suppressed audio source
Quality: Good — based on the same RNNoise engine used by OBS and Discord
Trade-off with all noise suppression: Aggressive settings can make your voice sound thin, robotic, or cut off quiet words. Start with moderate settings and adjust until you find the balance between noise removal and natural voice quality.
Fix electrical noise
Electrical noise — humming, buzzing, or whining — is different from environmental noise. It comes from your equipment's power and signal chain, not from sounds in the room. Software noise suppression helps, but fixing the source is better.
A ground loop happens when two connected devices (like your computer and audio interface) are plugged into different electrical circuits, creating a voltage difference that produces a steady hum.
Symptom: A constant 50Hz or 60Hz hum (depending on your country's power frequency) that doesn't change when you speak
Fix 1 — Same outlet: Plug your computer and audio interface into the same power strip or wall outlet
Fix 2 — USB isolator: A USB ground loop isolator ($10-20) breaks the electrical loop without affecting audio signal
Fix 3 — Balanced cables: If using XLR microphones, balanced cables naturally reject interference. USB mics are more prone to ground loops
Fix 4 — Power conditioner: For persistent issues, a power conditioner provides clean, isolated power
Try different USB ports: Front-panel USB ports on desktops are often noisy — use rear ports connected directly to the motherboard
Avoid USB hubs: Shared hubs can introduce noise. Connect your mic directly to the computer
Keep cables separated: Run audio cables away from power cables, power strips, and wall adapters. Crossing at 90 degrees is better than running parallel
Shorter cables: Longer unbalanced cables (like USB or 3.5mm) pick up more interference
Check for damage: Frayed or pinched cables can cause intermittent buzzing or crackling
Quick diagnostic: If the noise disappears when you unplug the charging cable from your laptop, you have a ground loop. Use the laptop on battery power as a temporary fix, or get a USB isolator.
Advanced audio filters
If you've done everything above and still want cleaner audio, advanced filters give you fine-grained control. These are especially useful for streaming, podcasting, and recording.
A noise gate cuts off audio that falls below a volume threshold. When you stop talking, the gate "closes" and silences background noise.
How it works: You set a threshold level. Audio above it passes through; audio below it gets silenced
Close threshold: The level below which audio gets cut — set this just above your background noise level
Open threshold: The level above which audio passes — set this just below your normal speaking voice
Attack time: How fast the gate opens when you start speaking — keep low (5-10ms) to avoid cutting off the start of words
Release time: How fast the gate closes after you stop — too fast sounds choppy, too slow lets noise through
Noise gate vs noise suppression: A noise gate only works when you're silent — it doesn't remove noise while you're speaking. Noise suppression (like RTX Voice or Krisp) actively removes noise even during speech. For best results, use both together.
A high-pass filter (also called a low-cut filter) removes frequencies below a set point, eliminating rumble, HVAC hum, and low-frequency vibrations.
Recommended setting: Set the cutoff to 80-100Hz for voice. This removes rumble without affecting how your voice sounds
Where to find it: Many microphones have a physical high-pass switch. Also available in OBS (under EQ filter), VoiceMeeter, and most audio software
When to use it: If you hear low-frequency rumble, traffic vibrations, or air conditioning hum that isn't eliminated by other methods
OBS Studio (free): Right-click mic source → Filters → add Noise Gate, EQ, Compressor
VoiceMeeter (free): Virtual audio mixer for Windows with built-in gate, EQ, and compressor — works with any app
GoXLR / GoXLR Mini: Hardware mixer with built-in noise gate, EQ, and compressor — zero-latency processing
Elgato Wave Link: Free software for Elgato Wave mics with noise gate, EQ, compressor, and clipguard
Processing order: The recommended filter chain is: High-pass filter → Noise suppression → Noise gate → EQ → Compressor. Each step builds on the previous one.
Test your results
After making changes, test to verify they actually worked. A/B testing your before and after audio is the best way to confirm improvement.
After each change, test your microphone to hear the difference.
Record a short clip: speak a sentence, then stay silent for a few seconds
Listen back — during the silent part, can you hear any background noise?
Compare with your earlier recording. The silent portions should be noticeably quieter
Good signal-to-noise ratio: Your voice is loud and clear, and the silence between words is actually silent (or close to it)
Poor signal-to-noise ratio: You can hear hiss, hum, or room noise in the gaps between words
Pro tip: Record yourself on the actual app you'll be using (Zoom, Discord, etc.) and have someone else listen. What sounds fine on your end might sound different after the app's compression.
Noise reduction is one part of good audio. Once you've tamed the noise, consider these next steps: