How to edit an interview recording in your browser

An interview recording often needs a little cleanup before you share it: a long pause, a false start, or separate clips that need to play in order. You can make those edits in your browser without installing an audio program.

The Audio Editor can cut audio, split it by silence, arrange files on tracks, add fades, change speed and pitch, and export a finished file as WAV or MP3. Keep the original recording untouched so you can go back if an edit removes too much.

Edit the interview recording

1. Open the Audio Editor and load a copy of your interview recording. Keep the original file in a separate folder as a backup.
2. Listen to the whole recording once before editing. Note where the interview starts, where a mistake happens, and which pauses feel too long. Listening first helps you avoid cutting off a quiet answer or the start of a word.
3. Cut obvious mistakes and unwanted sections. Select the part you want to remove, such as a repeated answer or a long stretch of handling noise, and cut it. Play the edit from a few seconds before the cut to a few seconds after it. If speech sounds abrupt or a word is missing, undo the edit by reloading your untouched copy and make a smaller cut.
4. Use split by silence to find gaps between speech, then check the resulting sections. Silence detection can help with a recording that has clear pauses, but it cannot tell a natural pause from a gap you want to keep. Listen to the boundaries and remove only the sections you do not need.
5. Arrange separate clips on tracks if the interview was recorded in more than one file. Put them in the order you want, listen across each join, and add a short fade at the beginning or end if it starts or stops too suddenly. Export the finished audio as WAV for further editing or as MP3 for a smaller file to share.

After exporting, play the new file from beginning to end. Check the opening, every join, and the last few seconds. Do not delete the original until you are happy with the exported version.

Choose the right edit

Cutting a section or splitting by silence

A manual cut is best when you know exactly what should go, such as a false start or an answer you plan to remove. Splitting by silence is useful for finding gaps in a long recording, but it may divide speech if someone speaks softly or pauses between words. Treat the split points as suggestions and listen before removing anything.

Adding fades

A fade gradually lowers or raises the sound. Use one at the start or end to avoid a harsh stop, or around an edit that sounds too sudden. A fade is not a fix for a badly placed cut: make sure the important speech remains intact first.

Changing speed or pitch

Changing speed can make a long recording quicker to review, but it can also make voices sound unnatural. Changing pitch alters how high or low a voice sounds. Use these changes only when you have a clear reason, and listen to the exported file before sharing it.

Choosing WAV or MP3

WAV keeps uncompressed audio and is a good choice if you expect to edit the interview again. MP3 is usually smaller and easier to send, but it compresses the sound. Keep a WAV copy if you may need to make another edit later.

Fix common editing problems

1. A word or answer was cut off. Make the cut shorter and leave a little room before and after the speech. If you no longer have the original section available in the editor, load your untouched source file again and repeat the edit more carefully.
2. A join sounds abrupt. Listen around the join and adjust where one section ends or the next begins. A brief fade can soften the transition, but avoid fading over the first or last words.
3. The exported file sounds different. Check that you exported the intended version and listen at a similar volume to the original. MP3 uses compression, so choose WAV when you need an uncompressed copy for more editing.
4. You cannot hear playback. Check the computer's output volume and selected speakers or headphones. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and check the output device and volume. On a Mac, open System Settings › Sound › Output and select the device you are listening through.

Keep the original interview safe

Editing is easier when you work from a copy. If you make a mistake, the untouched recording gives you a clean starting point, and you can export a new version without losing the source. The Audio Editor works with files in your browser, and the files stay on your device. It does not need microphone permission to edit an existing recording.