How to Easily Remove Sound from a Video on Your iPhone

As someone who loves capturing family moments on my iPhone, I often find myself recording videos of my kids, our vacations, or even simple everyday moments at home. But let me be honest—sometimes the background noise in those videos is far from perfect. Whether it’s my dog barking, cars honking outside, or just random chatter I don’t want in the final video, having the ability to remove sound is a lifesaver. Thankfully, iPhones make it really easy to remove audio from videos without needing any complicated editing tools.

If you’ve ever wanted to mute a video before sharing it on social media, sending it to friends, or simply keeping it in your personal collection, let me walk you through the process. I’ll cover different methods, tips, and even situations when muting a video can be really helpful.

Why Remove Sound from a Video?

There are plenty of reasons you might want to mute a video:

• Privacy: If the background conversation includes personal details, removing the audio keeps things safe.
• Distraction-free viewing: Sometimes, ambient noise takes away from the visual moment.
• Editing flexibility: Muting makes it easier to add music, voiceovers, or sound effects later.
• Professional use: For presentations or work-related clips, removing casual noise keeps things polished.

For me, I often mute my videos before sharing them on Instagram or with family, then add background music that better captures the mood.

Method 1: Using the iPhone Photos App

The simplest way to mute a video is right inside the Photos app.

Here’s how:

1. Open the Photos app and find the video you want to mute.
2. Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
3. You’ll see a speaker icon in the top-left corner of the editing screen. Tap it, and the icon will show a slash through it, meaning the sound is turned off.
4. Tap Done to save your changes.

That’s it—your video is now muted! What I love about this method is that it doesn’t require any third-party app. It’s quick, simple, and built right into iOS.

Method 2: Using iMovie on iPhone

If you want more control (like muting only part of a video), Apple’s free iMovie app is a fantastic option.

Steps:

1. Download iMovie from the App Store if you don’t already have it.
2. Open the app and create a New Project.
3. Import your video into the project timeline.
4. Tap the video in the timeline to reveal editing options.
5. Tap the speaker icon and drag the volume slider all the way down to mute.
6. Export the video back to your Photos library.

With iMovie, you can also add background music, voiceovers, or text overlays. I personally use this when I want to make birthday videos for my kids—it helps me replace messy background sounds with cheerful music.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Apps

If you want advanced editing features, third-party apps are worth considering. Some popular ones include:

• InShot – Great for social media content creation.
• Splice – Professional-style editing with easy controls.
• CapCut – Popular for TikTok-style edits.

These apps not only let you mute videos but also replace the audio with trendy music or sound effects. As a mom who loves DIY projects and sharing lifestyle content, I find these apps fun because they offer creative ways to dress up otherwise plain videos.

Method 4: Removing Sound Before Sharing

Sometimes, you don’t even need to permanently mute the video. When you share a video via apps like iMessage, Instagram, or WhatsApp, you’re given the option to mute the sound before sending.

For example:

• In WhatsApp, select a video and look for the mute option at the top before sending.
• In Instagram Stories, upload a video and tap the speaker icon at the top to mute.

This is perfect if you just want to share a silent version without editing the original file.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Muting is permanent in Photos: Once you hit save after editing in the Photos app, the original sound is gone unless you duplicate the video first.
• File size remains the same: Muting doesn’t reduce the size of the video.
• Back up originals: If you think you might want the sound later, save a copy before muting.

When Muting a Video Makes the Biggest Difference

I’ve found muting videos especially helpful in these scenarios:

• School performances: When I record my kids’ events, the background chatter can sometimes drown out the moment. Muting lets me add music later.
• DIY tutorials: If I’m filming a home décor project, muting removes background chaos and allows me to add clear voiceovers.
• Travel clips: City noise or wind often ruins outdoor shots. Muting makes the video more watchable.
• Personal family moments: Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words, and a muted video focuses on the visual memory itself.

Final Thoughts

Removing sound from a video on your iPhone is incredibly easy and useful. Whether you use the built-in Photos app for quick edits, iMovie for more control, or third-party apps for creativity, the process takes just a few taps.

As a busy mom juggling work, kids, and hobbies, I love that Apple has made video editing so simple. It saves me time, helps me preserve precious memories the way I want, and even gives me creative control to turn ordinary clips into polished keepsakes.

So the next time you record a video with unwanted background noise, don’t worry—you can mute it in seconds and make your memories look and feel exactly how you want.