How to Record Audio Outdoors Without Wind and Noise

Shooting outdoors is harder than at home: you can’t control the wind, traffic or passers-by. Even a good microphone can come back from a walk with a recording where the voice is buried under wind rumble. Let’s look at what interferes with sound outdoors, how to prepare for a shoot, and what to do if the noise is already in the recording.

What Interferes with Sound Outdoors

• Wind. The most destructive problem. Air hits the microphone directly and creates low rumble and pops, and strong gusts can overload the mic so the voice drops out at those moments.
• Traffic. Passing cars, horns, trams — loud sounds that cover speech.
• People. Passers-by talking, footsteps, music from cafés.
• Nature. Birds, rustling leaves, rain, water.

How to Prepare for Recording

Choose the right microphone

• A lavalier mic or wireless system is the best option outdoors. The mic is a few centimeters from the mouth, so the voice is recorded loud and the surrounding noise quieter. Wireless systems also don’t limit movement.
• An on-camera microphone works if the speaker is standing close to the camera. The farther away the person is, the more street and the less voice you get.
• A phone’s built-in microphone is the most vulnerable to wind. If you shoot on a phone, keep it as close to the speaker as possible or connect a lavalier.

Whatever the microphone costs, test it before the shoot in similar conditions: record a minute outdoors and listen on headphones.

Use a windscreen

This is the main thing that saves outdoor recordings. The foam cover that often comes with a microphone only handles light wind. With noticeable wind you need a furry windscreen — often jokingly called a “dead cat”. The long fur dampens the airflow and the rumble almost disappears. Small furry covers exist for lavaliers too — they’re cheap and make a huge difference.

Mount the lavalier correctly

Attach the mic at chest level, about 15–20 centimeters (6–8 inches) from the mouth. If you hide it under clothing, fix it so the fabric doesn’t rub against it: clothes rustling is a common cause of ruined recordings. Under clothing, the mic is also better protected from wind.

Choose the place and position

• Look for shelter from the wind: a building wall, trees, a corner of a courtyard.
• Stand so the wind blows on the speaker’s back, not into their face and the mic.
• Move away from the road and pick a time when there are fewer people.
• Pause when a car passes or a noisy group walks by — it’s easier to wait than to fix later.

Monitor the sound while recording

Listen on headphones if you can, and turn on a backup recording on your phone. If the main microphone fails, the sound won’t be lost.

How to Remove Street Noise and Wind from a Finished Recording

Even with good preparation, some noise almost always gets into the recording. You can remove it with Background Noise Removal: Voice Cleaner (remove music) separates the voice from street sounds, removes wind, traffic and background chatter, and makes speech clearer.

Here’s a recording near an open window: wind, distant car horns and music nearby.

If wind is the main problem, try remove wind noise from video online. For any other noise, use background noise removal. The first 30 seconds of 2 files are processed for free.

Tip: if you don’t have a good microphone, make a test recording on location and process it from your phone. After processing, even the built-in mic may be good enough, and you can keep shooting. More ways to record clean sound without expensive equipment — in the article how to improve voice in video without an expensive microphone.

What Can’t Be Fixed

If a gust of wind was so strong that the microphone overloaded, the voice at that moment is distorted or not recorded at all. Processing will remove the rumble around it but won’t restore lost words. Re-record such fragments or take them from a backup. More on what can and can’t be fixed — in the article how to fix bad audio in video and recordings.

FAQ

How do I shoot on a phone outdoors without wind noise?

Best of all, connect a lavalier mic with a furry windscreen to your phone. If you don’t have one, keep the phone close to the speaker, find shelter and stand with your back to the wind. Any remaining noise can be removed after shooting.

Can I remove wind from a finished video?

Yes, if the voice can be heard in the recording. Processing separates speech from wind rumble and makes it cleaner. Only moments where a strong gust completely covered the voice can’t be restored.

How much does processing cost?

The first 30 seconds of 2 files are processed for free. After that — no subscription, from $0.79 per file or minute packages from $1.99 for 10 minutes. See Pricing.

More tips on making sound cleaner — in the section how to improve voice in a recording.