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Audio Compressor

Reduce the file size of audio — voice notes, podcasts, music — for email, WhatsApp and storage, with presets and size before and after.

Make audio files smaller so they fit in an email, send faster in a chat, upload within a website's limit or take less space on your phone. The Audio Compressor re-encodes your recordings at a lower bitrate, in mono for speech, choosing the format that sounds best at that size. Pick a preset — Voice note, Speech / podcast, Music small or Music good — and it shows the total size before and after, then compresses one file or up to 50 at once.

WAV recordings usually shrink by more than 90 percent; MP3s at a high bitrate by half or more. If a file would not get smaller at the chosen setting, it is left out instead of being made bigger. This tool reduces the file size; it is not a dynamic-range compressor for evening out loud and quiet parts. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

How to use Audio Compressor

  1. Choose or drop one or more audio files.
  2. Choose a preset: Voice note, Speech / podcast, Music — small or Music — good.
  3. Check the size before and after.
  4. Press Compress and download the smaller files.

Features

  • Four presets from voice notes to music.
  • Mono for speech, where stereo adds size but no value.
  • The best format for each size: Opus, MP3 or AAC.
  • Size before and after shown before compressing.
  • Files that wouldn't get smaller are left out.
  • Up to 50 files at once; runs in your browser, no upload.

The presets

Sizes are about how much each minute of audio takes. If a browser can't encode Opus or AAC, the nearest MP3 setting is used instead (48 kbps for voice notes, 128 kbps for small music).

PresetSettingSize per minuteGood for
Voice note — smallestOpus 32 kbps, monoabout 0.23 MBVoice messages, dictation, very long recordings
Speech / podcastMP3 64 kbps, monoabout 0.46 MBPodcasts, lectures, interviews, audiobooks
Music — smallAAC 96 kbps, stereoabout 0.69 MBMusic on phones where space matters
Music — goodMP3 128 kbps, stereoabout 0.92 MBMusic that plays on any device

How much smaller will it get?

It depends on what you start with. Uncompressed WAV takes about 10 MB per minute, so the Speech preset makes it more than 95 percent smaller. A typical MP3 at 192 or 320 kbps becomes half to three quarters smaller with the music presets. Files that are already small — a voice memo at a low bitrate — may not shrink further; the tool tells you in advance and never gives you a larger file.

Quality tips

Speech needs far less data than music: one channel and a low bitrate keep voices perfectly clear, which is why the voice presets use mono. For music, stereo matters, and below about 96 kbps (AAC) or 128 kbps (MP3) cymbals and applause start to sound smeared. Opus is the most efficient format of all, especially for speech, and plays in browsers, on Android and in WhatsApp; MP3 plays absolutely everywhere.

Fitting a size limit

Email attachments are often limited to 20 or 25 MB and many upload forms to 10 MB. At the Speech preset a 25 MB limit holds about 54 minutes of audio, and at Music — good about 27 minutes. If a long recording still doesn't fit, use the Voice note preset or split it with the Audio Trimmer and send it in parts.

File size, not dynamics

In audio production, a compressor is also an effect that narrows the difference between loud and quiet sounds. This tool is about file size only: it doesn't change how loud or quiet any part of the recording is. Your audio is decoded and encoded on your device with your browser's media engine and the LAME MP3 encoder, so nothing is uploaded. To change the format without reducing the size, use the Audio Converter.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make an MP3 smaller?

Open the MP3, choose a preset such as Speech / podcast or Music — small, and press Compress.

How do I compress a WAV file?

Open the WAV and choose a preset; WAV files usually become more than 90 percent smaller.

Will compressed audio sound worse?

Slightly, at very low bitrates. The presets are chosen so speech stays clear and music sounds good on phones and headphones.

Why was my file not compressed?

It was already smaller than the chosen setting would make it. Try a smaller preset.

Is this a dynamic range compressor?

No. It reduces the file size; it doesn't change loudness.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Compression happens in your browser.

Can I compress several files at once?

Yes, up to 50 files.

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