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Fade audio in and out of a video

Choose the fade timing, preview the sound, then export.

How it works

ImportChoose source
EditSet the change
PreviewReview result
ExportCreate file

InputMP4, WebM, MOV and M4V videoOutputMP4 or WebM video

MP4 · WebM · MOV · M4VChoose a videoAdd a smooth audio intro and ending.

Sound that starts at full level on the first frame or stops dead on the last always feels abrupt, and a waveform cut mid-cycle can produce an audible click. Audio fades solve both. Set the fade in and fade out, drag their lengths on the timeline, and hear exactly how each one lands before you export.

Why even a very short fade helps

A hard cut in audio slices the waveform wherever it happens to be, and if that is not near zero the sudden jump is reproduced by the speaker as a click or thump. A fade of even a few milliseconds removes it entirely, which is why short fades at every edit point are routine in audio work. Longer fades are a different, aesthetic decision: half a second to a second for speech, and several seconds for music, where the ear expects a phrase to resolve rather than to be cut off.

Picture and sound do not need the same fade

Fading them together is the obvious choice and often the weaker one. Letting sound rise a moment before the picture appears pulls the viewer in; letting it continue a moment past the last frame softens the ending. On the other side, a video that fades to black while ambience lingers feels finished in a way that a simultaneous cut does not. Because audio and picture fades are set independently here, those overlaps are straightforward — and they are worth previewing in motion, since the timing that reads well on a timeline rarely matches what feels right.

Questions, answered

How long should an audio fade be?

Half a second to a second for speech, several seconds for music so the phrase resolves. Even a few milliseconds is enough purely to prevent a click at a cut.

Why do I hear a click at the start of my audio?

The waveform was cut away from a zero crossing, so the speaker reproduces the sudden jump as a click. A very short fade in removes it completely.

Can I fade audio without fading the picture?

Yes — they are independent. Sound rising before the image appears, or continuing past the last frame, is a common and effective way to start and end a video.

Can I fade the middle of a clip?

For a dip in the middle, use volume automation, which lets the level move over time. Fades here shape the start and the end.

Does fading change the video length?

No. The fades happen within the existing duration, so the exported clip is exactly as long as the source.

Fade audio in and out of a video

Why even a very short fade helps

Picture and sound do not need the same fade

Questions, answered

Useful next steps