How to shorten a long recording by trimming pauses
To shorten a long recording, import it into Denoise, choose AI · Shorten and tap Shorten: the app trims the long pauses and plays the speech up to 1.5 times faster without changing the pitch, so at the default setting a 73-minute lecture comes out at about 50 minutes. Choose Pauses only to cut just the silences and keep the pace. It cleans the noise first, keeps every word, and works on videos too.
Last updated · By Routes Software, the makers of Denoise
Shorten a recording in three steps
Import the recording
Tap + and choose Import from Files or Import from Gallery, or share it to Denoise from Voice Memos or another app.
Choose AI · Shorten
Pick AI · Shorten under Engine. Choose Pauses only to cut just the silences, or Pauses + speed to also speed up the speech, then set the slider: in Pauses + speed the middle plays speech 1.2× faster and the strongest up to 1.5×.
Shorten and save
Tap Shorten, listen to the result, then tap Share Cleaned. A video is shortened too, with picture and sound kept in sync.
Hear the difference
Good to know
- Pauses are shortened, not removed: each keeps a fraction of a second, so the speech still sounds like someone talking.
- After the first run, the pauses it found appear on a strip under the slider. Tap one to keep it whole, or Cut only this to shorten just that one; a new mode, setting or kept pause re-cuts in seconds.
- Speech is sped up with the pitch kept, so voices don't sound like chipmunks. The app stops at 1.5×, because faster speech gets hard to follow.
- Your original stays as it was; the shortened version is a new file.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cut words or filler words like “um”?
No. It only shortens silences and speeds up speech; every word stays, filler words included.
How much shorter will my recording get?
It depends on how much silence there is. At the default strength our 33-second reading lost 19%, and a 73-minute lecture came out at about 50 minutes.
Does it work on videos?
Yes. The picture is shortened along with the sound, so the two stay in sync.
Is it free?
Shortening and listening are free, with no account. Saving or sharing the result is paid: 3 exports cost $1.99, and Denoise Pro $2.99 a month or $14.99 once ($11.99 on Google Play). These are US prices from October 2026; the store shows yours before you pay.