Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
For live calls on both Windows and macOS, start with Krisp. The comparison cited for this guide describes native support on both systems and two-sided processing, so it can clean your microphone and the audio coming from other participants. Windows users with a compatible GeForce RTX card should first try NVIDIA Broadcast: it is free, works in real time through the GPU, and adds room-echo removal. If you already have a recording, use Audacity or Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech instead; those are post-production tools, not replacements for a live virtual microphone.
The right choice depends on four things: your operating system, whether cleanup must happen live or after recording, whether you need incoming-audio processing, and the type of noise you are fighting. This guide maps those decisions, gives setup paths, and explains the trade-offs without treating one noise-suppression method as best for every situation.
Which background noise removal software is best for PC and Mac in 2026?
Krisp is the most practical general recommendation for mixed Windows-and-Mac teams that need live cleanup across several meeting or chat applications. NVIDIA Broadcast is the strongest no-subscription option when you use Windows with a supported RTX GPU. For an existing recording, Audacity and Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech are the appropriate categories of tools.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Tool | Best use | Operating-system or hardware position | Processing direction | Notable capability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krisp | Live meetings, calls and streams on mixed teams | Native Windows and macOS support described by the cited comparison | Microphone and incoming audio | Background-noise, voice and echo cancellation; the comparison attributes a claim of more than 40 dB reduction on each side |
| NVIDIA Broadcast | Live calls and streaming on a Windows RTX computer | GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000, TITAN RTX, RTX Spark or higher; 8 GB RAM; Windows 10 64-bit listed in the FAQ | Microphone and incoming audio | Noise Removal, Room Echo Removal and documented offline file processing |
| AMD Noise Suppression | Windows users with compatible AMD hardware and drivers | Windows hardware-specific option; current driver support must be checked | Primarily microphone cleanup | A hardware-assisted alternative where the current driver and application support it |
| Audacity | Repairing a recording after the session | Desktop post-production workflow | Recorded files | Noise-reduction editing rather than a live virtual microphone |
| Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech | Fast cleanup of an already recorded voice file | Post-production workflow | Recorded files | Speech-focused enhancement after recording |
| Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Discord, Windows and macOS controls | Occasional calls with mild background noise | Built into the operating system or application | Usually microphone input; behavior varies by app | Free first test with no extra routing software |
There is no independent controlled benchmark covering all leading products, both operating systems and both live and recorded workflows. Do not treat any single reduction figure as a universal accuracy score. The “over 40 decibels” statement associated with Krisp is an AI Journal description of the product, not an independently verified laboratory result.
#1 Best Overall
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 14.1" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy ergonomic support with the integrated cushioned wrist rest.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a sleek black carbon color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.8 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
Why is Krisp the best starting point for live calls on both systems?
Krisp fits the common case in which participants use different computers and the same person moves between Zoom, Teams, Discord or other apps. The cited comparison describes native Windows and macOS support and two-sided cancellation, meaning it can process what your microphone sends and what you hear from other participants.
What Krisp can remove
Krisp’s own product description targets background noises, other voices and echoes. That makes it suitable for keyboard clicks, a nearby conversation, fan noise and some room reflections. Performance still depends on microphone placement, noise level and voice quality; aggressive suppression can make speech sound processed.
When Krisp is a better fit than built-in controls
- You switch among several meeting, chat and streaming applications.
- Your team includes both Windows and Mac users and needs a consistent setup.
- You need incoming-audio cleanup as well as microphone cleanup.
- You want one virtual audio device instead of configuring a separate filter in every application.
What to verify before subscribing
Pricing, free allowances, plan limits and privacy terms can change. Check Krisp’s current pricing and privacy pages immediately before choosing a plan. A plan that works for occasional calls may not cover a full-time meeting schedule.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Is NVIDIA Broadcast the best free option for Windows?
For a Windows user who already owns a compatible RTX GPU, NVIDIA Broadcast is the strongest free hardware-specific choice in this list. NVIDIA says its AI effects use Tensor Cores so the networks can run in real time, and the product supports livestreams, voice chats and video conferences.
What hardware and operating system does it require?
- GeForce RTX 2060 or higher, Quadro RTX 3000 or higher, TITAN RTX, RTX Spark or a higher listed model.
- 8 GB of RAM.
- Windows 10 64-bit is listed in NVIDIA’s FAQ.
- Current NVIDIA drivers and a compatible application audio path.
An RTX card is not a general requirement for noise suppression. It is specifically the requirement for NVIDIA Broadcast’s listed hardware path. A Mac user cannot use this Windows RTX workflow.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Which NVIDIA Broadcast effects matter?
Noise Removal targets keyboard typing, microphone static and PC fans. Room Echo Removal filters echo and reverb, which is useful in a hard-walled room where ordinary noise gates cannot fix reflections. NVIDIA also documents processing for incoming audio, so you can clean what you hear in a voice chat rather than only what your microphone sends.
How do you route Broadcast into a call?
- Install NVIDIA Broadcast and confirm that the GPU and driver meet the listed requirements.
- In Broadcast, select your physical microphone and enable Noise Removal. Add Room Echo Removal when the problem is reflected sound rather than a steady fan or hum.
- Choose the Broadcast microphone as the input device in Zoom, Teams, Discord, your streaming application or another call program.
- If you want cleaned incoming audio, select the Broadcast speakers or output device in the call application and in your operating system’s sound settings.
- Make a short test recording. Listen for clipped consonants, metallic artifacts or delayed monitoring before joining an important call.
NVIDIA’s product documentation also describes offline file processing, so Broadcast is not limited to a live virtual device. Confirm the current application interface because labels and routing behavior can change with releases.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteShould you try built-in noise suppression first?
Yes, if you make occasional calls and the noise is mild. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Discord expose their own suppression controls, while Windows and macOS provide input-level sound settings. Built-in processing costs nothing and avoids adding another virtual microphone or speaker to troubleshoot.
When built-in suppression is enough
- A laptop fan or air conditioner is steady and relatively quiet.
- You make calls in one application rather than across a large app mix.
- You do not need to clean incoming participant audio.
- You can place the microphone close to your mouth and lower its gain.
When to move to a dedicated tool
Use a dedicated processor when suppression must work across many applications, when intermittent sounds such as barking or keyboard strikes keep breaking through, or when you need two-sided processing. App labels, available levels and driver support change, so verify the current controls in the version you use.
What should you use for a recording that already exists?
Use Audacity or Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech after the session. Neither should be described as a live-call virtual-microphone replacement without separate current documentation.
Rank #3
- Note: Not suitable for MacBooks released after 2023 or devices with a protruding front camera; Not applicable to full-screen or notch-style tempered glass screen protectors; Do not use on the rear camera of the phone.
- 💻 Why Do You Need a Webcam Cover Slide? — Safeguard your privacy by covering your webcam with our reliable webcam cover when not in use. Don't let anyone secretly watch you. Stay protected!
- ✅ Thin & Stylish — Enhance your laptop's functionality and aesthetics with our 0.027" ultra-thin webcam covers. Seamlessly close your laptop while adding a touch of sophistication.
- ✅ Fits Most Devices — Compatible with laptops, phones, tablets, desktops! Keep your privacy intact on Ap/ple, Mac/Book, iPh/one, iP/ad, H/P, L/novo, De/ll, Ac/er, As/us, Sa/msung devices.
- ✅ 365 Days Protection — Our upgraded 3.0 adhesive ensures a strong hold that won't damage your equipment. Experience reliable, long-term privacy protection day in and day out.
Audacity workflow
- Import the recording and duplicate the original track so you can revert.
- Select a short section that contains only the steady noise you want to reduce.
- Capture a noise profile using Audacity’s Noise Reduction effect.
- Select the speech and apply a conservative reduction, previewing for watery or metallic artifacts.
- Use equalization, compression or a limiter only after noise reduction, then export a new file while retaining the untouched original.
Audacity is useful when you need visible waveform editing, selective processing or repeatable settings. It is less convenient when you need a one-click web workflow or live monitoring.
Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech workflow
- Export or locate the original voice recording in a supported format.
- Upload a copy to Enhance Speech and wait for the processed preview.
- Compare the result with the original for natural breaths, consonants and room tone.
- Download the enhanced file and keep the unprocessed source separately.
Speech enhancement can make a voice clearer, but it may also alter room tone or musical content. It is best suited to spoken-word recordings rather than a full mix that contains music or multiple sound sources.
Which tool fits keyboard, fan, barking, voices and room echo?
The noise type matters more than a product’s marketing label. Choose the simplest processor that addresses the actual sound.
| Noise problem | Good first attempt | Why | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steady fan or air-conditioner hum | Built-in suppression or Krisp; NVIDIA Broadcast on a supported RTX PC | Continuous low-level noise is comparatively easy for adaptive filters | Voice may become thin if suppression is too aggressive |
| Keyboard and mouse clicks | Krisp or NVIDIA Broadcast Noise Removal | Both are described as targeting intermittent mechanical sounds | Very loud clicks close to the capsule can still leak through |
| Dog barking or sudden household sounds | Dedicated live suppression, then mute when possible | Intermittent, speech-like events are harder than a constant hum | Filters can mistake short speech sounds for noise |
| Another person speaking nearby | Krisp or a post-production speech tool for a recording | Voice cancellation requires more aggressive separation | Nearby speech can trigger artifacts or lost syllables |
| Room echo and reverb | NVIDIA Broadcast Room Echo Removal; improve room and microphone placement | Echo is reflected voice energy, not ordinary background noise | Over-processing can sound hollow or phasey |
How do you set up live noise removal without creating routing problems?
Set up one processing layer, test it in the exact application you will use, and keep a way to bypass it. The following sequence works for most virtual-microphone tools.
- Move the microphone close to your mouth, point its rejection side toward the noise source when applicable, and lower input gain until normal speech peaks cleanly.
- Choose the physical microphone in the noise-removal application.
- Enable only the effect you need: noise removal for fan or clicks, room-echo removal for reflections, and incoming processing only when you actually need it.
- Select the processor’s virtual microphone in the meeting, chat or streaming app.
- Disable the app’s strongest competing filter for the first test, then compare with it enabled. Two filters can remove consonants or create pumping.
- Record 20 to 30 seconds containing normal speech, silence, keyboard activity and the loudest likely interruption.
- Check both the local recording and what a second listener hears. Local monitoring alone may not reveal the application’s final processing.
- Save a bypass configuration using the physical microphone so you can recover quickly if the virtual device fails.
Can you combine two noise suppressors?
Usually, you should not run multiple aggressive suppressors in series unless you have tested the exact combination. The cited comparison warns that stacked processing can create artifacts and routing problems. A meeting app may apply its own filter after a virtual microphone, changing the sound again.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #4
- Anti-Slip Surface - Transform your laptop into a mobile workstation with the AboveTEK portable laptop lap desk. The anti-slip surface provides a strong grip for laptops up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), while the double rubber strip on the bottom ensures a stable display or typing experience on your lap, couch, or bed.
- Retractable Mouse Pad - Retractable laptop mouse pad extends on both directions for the left/right handed with elevation along the edges for stopping mouse from falling off. The size of laptop tray is 14" X 9.7" and the size of mouse pad is 7.4" X 6.1".
- Effective Heat Shield - The effective heat shield made of sturdy and thick material protects your laptop from overheating. Prioritizes your comfort and safety, an ideal lap pad or board for working anywhere.
- EASY to Carry and Store - With an ergonomic and simplistic design, the lap desk is portable to store in a backpack. Only 15" in size, 2.2 lb of weight and with slim 0.6 inch thickness, it is ready to be easily carried around.
- Widely Applicable - The smooth platform accommodates laptops and tablets up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), making it a versatile accessory and one of the best gifts for mom, dad, students and professionals. Perfect for use as a laptop bed tray or tablet holder anywhere at home, library, or park.
Safer combinations
- Use one live suppressor and leave the application’s filter at a light setting while testing.
- Use a live processor during the call and Audacity or another post-production tool later only on the final recording.
- Use room treatment, microphone placement and muting to reduce the workload before increasing suppression.
Signs that processing is excessive
- Words disappear at the start or end of sentences.
- Your voice sounds metallic, watery, hollow or as if it is underwater.
- The level repeatedly rises and falls during normal speech.
- Latency makes conversations feel delayed.
- The application shows duplicate microphones or speakers and recordings contain feedback.
What should you do when the filter does not work?
The call still hears the raw microphone
Open the call application’s audio settings and select the virtual microphone explicitly. Do not assume the operating system’s default changed the app’s device. Make a local test recording after changing it.
There is no sound after enabling incoming-audio processing
Select the processor’s virtual speaker or output in both the operating system and the call application. If sound returns when you bypass the processor, revert to the physical output for the call and troubleshoot one device at a time.
The voice is distorted
Lower the suppression strength, disable room-echo removal unless you need it, and reduce microphone gain. Test with the application’s own suppression turned down so two filters are not fighting each other.
The computer becomes sluggish
GPU-based effects can still compete with games, video encoders and other real-time workloads. Close unnecessary applications, lower other GPU workloads and compare CPU/GPU use with the effect bypassed. NVIDIA Broadcast’s real-time AI path is designed around Tensor Cores on supported RTX GPUs, but that does not guarantee zero resource impact on every system.
The software or driver no longer exposes an option
Check the current vendor release notes, operating-system version and audio-driver support. Hardware-specific features and application labels are volatile; an older tutorial may describe a control that has moved or been removed.
Best Value
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 12" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy laptop support with the integrated device ledge.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a blush pink color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.14 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
How should privacy and recording be handled?
Live processors and web-based enhancement services can have different audio-handling policies. Read the current privacy terms before sending confidential meetings, customer calls or unreleased material to a cloud service. For sensitive recordings, prefer a workflow whose current documentation clearly explains where processing occurs and how files are retained.
Keep original recordings before applying enhancement. A processed file is not a substitute for the source when a word is removed or an artifact is introduced, and post-production tools generally cannot reconstruct speech that was never captured.
What is the simplest decision for your setup?
- Windows and macOS, live calls: start with Krisp and test both microphone and incoming-audio modes.
- Windows with an RTX 2060-class or newer supported GPU: try NVIDIA Broadcast before paying for a separate live tool, especially if room echo matters.
- Windows with compatible AMD hardware: evaluate AMD Noise Suppression through the current driver and application support.
- Occasional caller with mild noise: begin with the suppression control already built into Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Discord, Windows or macOS.
- Existing recording: use Audacity for hands-on editing or Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech for a quick speech-focused pass.
No software can fully replace a close microphone, sensible gain, muting discipline and a quieter room. Treat reduction figures as product claims unless an independent test describes the equipment, noise, settings and measurement method.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Frequently Asked Questions
Will noise-cancellation software remove a barking dog completely?
It may reduce a bark, but sudden speech-like sounds are among the hardest events for an AI filter to separate from your voice. Mute controls, a closer microphone and physical distance from the noise source remain the most reliable backup.
Does a Mac need a special sound card for live noise removal?
The cited comparison describes Krisp as running natively on macOS, so an RTX-class GPU is not a general requirement for that cross-platform workflow. NVIDIA Broadcast’s listed RTX requirement applies to its Windows hardware path, not to Mac software in general.
Can noise removal fix a bad microphone recording after the fact?
It can reduce some background sound, but it cannot restore clipped speech, severe reverberation or words masked by louder noise. Preserve the original and judge the processed file against it before replacing anything.
Why does my cleaned voice sound robotic?
The filter may be too strong, or another suppressor may be processing the signal afterward. Lower the effect, disable duplicate suppression, reduce microphone gain and test a short recording before changing more settings.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
