An audio file often contains more material than you need: silence before a voice recording, a long ending, or one useful excerpt inside a longer track. This free online audio cutter and trimmer lets you choose one continuous section, listen to it, and export only the part you want to keep.
The tool is designed for a focused edit rather than a full multitrack production. You can drag the waveform handles, preview the selected range, add optional fade-in and fade-out effects, and save the result as MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, or FLAC. No account or desktop software is required.
How to Cut or Trim Audio Online
- Upload one audio file. Drag an MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, or FLAC file into the upload area, or select it from your device. The file can be up to 200MB and 30 minutes long.
- Choose the part to keep. Drag the left and right handles on the waveform. The labels above the handles show the start and end of the selected range.
- Preview the selection. Use the play button to listen from the selected start point to the selected end point. Move either handle and listen again if the cut begins or ends too early.
- Choose the export settings. MP3 is selected by default. You can choose another supported format and optionally enable fade in, fade out, or both.
- Cut the audio. Start the task, wait for the result card to appear, then preview or download the finished file.
The editor keeps one continuous section between the two handles. Anything before the start handle and after the end handle is left out of the exported result.
Audio Cutter vs Audio Trimmer: Is There a Difference?
The terms audio cutter and audio trimmer are often used for the same basic task. Trimming usually means shortening the beginning or end of a recording, while cutting can also mean extracting a smaller section from the middle. On this page, both actions use the same two-handle selection: choose the range you want to keep and export it as a new file.
This is not a full audio editor. It does not arrange several clips on a timeline, join tracks, mix multiple recordings, or remove a middle section while automatically joining the audio on both sides. If you need only one continuous excerpt, the simpler cutter workflow avoids controls that are unrelated to that job.
Choose an Exact Section with the Waveform
The waveform provides a visual map of louder and quieter parts of the recording. Drag the left handle to set the beginning and the right handle to set the end. Audio outside the selected range becomes lighter, making the section that will be kept easier to identify.
The time labels update as you move the handles, and the selected duration appears above the waveform. The smallest permitted selection is 0.1 seconds. For speech, place a handle just before the first word or just after the final word so that consonants and natural breaths are not cut off. For music, listen around the boundary and adjust it gradually instead of relying on the waveform alone.
The play control previews only the current selection. Previewing matters because a visually quiet area may still contain room tone, a breath, reverb, or the start of a sound that you want to preserve.
Add Fade In and Fade Out to the Export
A hard cut can begin or end abruptly. Fade in raises the volume gradually at the start of the exported clip, while fade out lowers it gradually at the end. These effects can make a music excerpt, spoken introduction, or sound effect feel less sudden.
Both effects are off by default. Select a fade control to enable it, then adjust its duration from 0.1 to 10 seconds in 0.1-second steps. When first enabled, an effect starts at 1 second when the selected clip is long enough. The combined fade-in and fade-out time cannot be longer than the selected section.
The waveform preview plays the original selected audio; fade effects are applied to the exported file only. After processing, use the result player to check the finished fade before downloading the file.
Supported Audio Formats and Output Quality
The audio trimmer accepts and exports these formats:
- MP3 for broad playback and sharing compatibility;
- WAV for workflows that require a WAV container;
- M4A and AAC for common mobile and streaming audio workflows;
- OGG for applications and web workflows that support OGG audio;
- FLAC for workflows that require a lossless audio format.
The output format is a separate choice from the uploaded format. For example, you can cut an M4A file and export the selected part as MP3, or trim a WAV file and keep WAV as the output.
Exporting a clip may require decoding and encoding the audio again, especially when you change formats or apply fades. Choosing FLAC or WAV does not restore information already removed from a lossy MP3, AAC, M4A, or OGG source, and the tool should not be treated as a guaranteed lossless cutter. Keep the original file if you may need it for later editing or archiving.
Useful Ways to Trim an Audio File
Shorten a Voice Recording
Remove setup time, silence, or an unwanted ending from a memo, interview answer, lesson, or narration. Preview the first and last words carefully so the exported speech still sounds natural.
Extract One Continuous Excerpt
Keep a single quote, music passage, sound effect, or reference clip from a longer recording. Make sure you have permission to edit and reuse the source audio.
Prepare Audio for an Upload
Some forms, messages, presentation tools, and publishing systems need only a short clip. Trimming unused material can reduce the duration and may also reduce the output file size, although the exact size depends on the selected format and encoding.
Soften an Abrupt Beginning or Ending
Use a short fade when a direct boundary creates a click-like or sudden transition. A fade changes the level near the boundary; it does not remove background noise or repair a damaged recording.
File Limits
Each task accepts one supported audio file up to 200MB and 30 minutes. The selected range must be at least 0.1 seconds. If the source exceeds either upload limit, shorten or reduce it before using this page.
The tool is free and does not require an Echora account or credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this online audio cutter free?
Yes. You can cut and trim one supported audio file at a time without creating an account, signing in, or using credits.
How do I trim an MP3 file online?
Upload the MP3, drag the waveform handles around the part you want to keep, preview that range, leave MP3 selected as the output, and start the cut. Download the MP3 from the result card when processing finishes.
Which audio formats can I cut?
The tool accepts MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG, and FLAC. The same six choices are available as output formats, with MP3 selected by default.
Can I remove a section from the middle and keep both sides?
No. The current audio cutter exports one continuous selected range. It does not delete a middle section and automatically join the audio before and after it.
Can I hear the fade effects before exporting?
The selection player previews the original audio between the handles. Fade in and fade out are applied during export, so check them with the player in the finished result card.
What are the maximum file size and duration?
One uploaded file can be up to 200MB and 30 minutes long. The section you keep must be at least 0.1 seconds.
Does trimming audio reduce its quality?
The result may be re-encoded, particularly when the output format differs from the source or when fades are applied. Do not assume the export is bit-for-bit identical or lossless; keep the original when source quality matters.
Choose the section you need in the waveform above, preview the boundaries, and create a clean audio clip without installing an editor.