Clicks, pops, and crackles can sneak into even the best recordings — from mouth noises during a podcast to static from cables or vinyl transfers.
Adobe Audition’s Automatic Click Remover tool makes it easy to clean up these imperfections in seconds, restoring smooth, professional sound without affecting your dialogue or music quality.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to use it effectively and when to fine-tune its settings for perfect results.
1. What the Click Remover Does
The Automatic Click Remover detects and repairs short, transient noises that don’t belong in your recording.
It works by analyzing waveforms for sudden amplitude spikes and smoothing them automatically.
It’s perfect for:
- Mouth clicks and saliva pops in voiceovers
- Static from bad cables or old recordings
- Vinyl crackle cleanup
- Random digital glitches
đź’ˇ Tip: Unlike Noise Reduction, the Click Remover focuses on very short bursts of noise instead of background hum or hiss.
2. How to Access the Click Remover
- Open your audio file in the Waveform Editor.
- Go to Effects → Noise Reduction / Restoration → Automatic Click Remover.
- The effect window will open with several adjustment sliders.
3. Start with the Default Preset
For most spoken word or podcast recordings, the Default preset works well.
Press Apply and listen to the results — you’ll likely notice immediate improvement, especially in quieter sections.
If the clicks persist, or if too much detail is lost, tweak the settings described below.
4. Understanding Key Controls
The Automatic Click Remover has three main controls that affect how aggressively it detects and repairs clicks:
| Setting | What It Does | Suggested Range |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold | Determines how sensitive Audition is to clicks. Lower values detect more. | 10–30 (start at 20) |
| Complexity | How deeply Audition analyzes the waveform. Higher means more precise. | 4–6 for voice, 7–8 for music |
| FFT Size | Affects how finely the frequency spectrum is analyzed. | 2048 (balanced for most uses) |
🎧 Pro Tip: Start with low thresholds and moderate complexity. Over-processing can remove transients or make speech sound dull.
5. Preview Before Applying
Always preview your adjustments:
- Click Preview in the bottom-left corner.
- Focus on areas with noticeable clicks (zoom in if needed).
- Adjust Threshold or Complexity until you achieve clean audio without dulling it.
6. Combine with Other Tools
The Click Remover pairs perfectly with other restoration effects:
- DeClicker (Manual): For precise spot fixes on isolated clicks.
- DeClipper: If clicks come from clipping distortion.
- Noise Reduction: For ambient hiss or hum cleanup afterward.
🎙️ Example Workflow:
Click Remover → Noise Reduction → DeReverb → EQ → Compressor
This order ensures a natural, smooth sound in your final mix.
7. Batch Clean Multiple Files
If you have several files with similar issues:
- Save your Click Remover settings as a preset.
- Open Window → Batch Process.
- Apply your preset to all selected files.
Audition will automatically clean every file with consistent results — ideal for podcast series or voiceover libraries.
Conclusion
Clicks and pops can make recordings sound unprofessional, but with Adobe Audition’s Automatic Click Remover, cleanup takes minutes instead of hours.
Once you learn how to fine-tune its sensitivity, you’ll have a powerful restoration tool ready for every project.
Next up: “How to Use Batch Processing for Audio Cleanup Efficiency.”
AuditionPerfecto 