Given the fact that a minute of raw 4K video could be around 2GB to 5GB, certainly audio file is far smaller, which however does not in any way indicate that compressing audio files is unnecessary. In fact, a lot of people are still trying hard to learn the ropes as to how to compress audio files.
You can compress an audio file online, but there always are limits. General audio file compressor software or dedicated MP3 compressor for example works as well. But which one is the best? What's more, things would be different when you reduce audio file size for simply saving space and listening personally, for uploading to music streaming sites, or for attaching to Email. Here in this page, you would know the answers.
Personally, You Want Your Audio Files Smaller
The files normally are downloaded from online music sites or recorded by yourselves purely for listening. Such need of audio file size reduction could be out of the following reasons:
- You are no audiophile. Instead of high fidelity, saving space is the top priority.
- You don't have a decent headphone to enjoy spotting flat or harsh sound in smaller music files.
- Rarely is there a noticeable quality difference between music in high bitrate and low bitrate. The music here only refers to audio files with narrow range, such as soft music.
Compress Audio Files to Make Them Smaller
If your large audio files are in lossless formats like WAV/PCM, FLAC, ALAC, etc, re-encoding music to MP3 would be the easiest way to reduce audio file size. MP3 is preferred mostly for the wide compatibility and good balance between audio quality and file size. Surely popular lossy audio formats like AAC, OGG, AC3, WMA, etc are also good options.
To compress audio files on Windows 10/macOS, audio compressor software should be installed firstly. VideoProc is liked by users for being one of the fastest file compressing tools for both audio and video.
- Free Download VideoProc Now >
- After that's all set, follow our next audio file compressing steps.
How to compress audio file to MP3?
Step 1. Open VideoProc, click Video and then +Music to load an audio file you plan to shrink.
Step 2. Move down to the Target Format section, switch to Music tab, and then select MP3.
Step 3. Press button RUN to start audio conversion and compression.
What if your music is already in MP3, the audio format with most efficient compression algorithm to some extent? Is it still possible to achieve audio file size reduction? The answer is YES. Compressing MP3 can be done by reducing audio bitrate.
How to compress MP3 audio files?
Step 1. Launch the audio compressor software you just download - VideoProc.
Step 2. Click Video > load audio file by +Music > this time click into Option.
Step 3. Go to Audio Codec Options > Bit Rate > choose a value from the dropdown list > Done. MP3 128 kbps to 192 kbps are recommended here.
Step 4. Hit RUN to start the MP3 audio compressing.
Why compress audio file to MP3 128 kbps?
Before a certain critical point, the higher the bit rate, the better the audio quality. MP3 audio at 320 kbps definitely sounds crisper with details than 128 kbps when it comes to complex music. But cutting off the extra 192 kbps only affects the perfection of high-pitch sound. Quiet songs still sound quite good to most people.
Music Streaming Sites Need You to Compress Audio Files
If you are an artist or a music enthusiast who wants to upload works to online music sites, audio files compression will be needed every now and then. Each site has its own audio uploading standard. Some may re-compress your audio file while some others may not. Better check out the rules before you start the audio file shrinking.
One thing to note is that if there is re-compression, make sure you compress audio files with a higher bit rate setting than the music streaming site. See our collection of audio settings for top music streaming sites:
SoundCloud
- Audio uploading formats: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC,MP3, AAC, Ogg, MP2, M4A, 3GP, AMR, WMA, etc.
- Recompress audio file or not? YES
- Audio bitrate recommendation: > 256 kbps
Spotify
- Audio uploading formats: FLAC, WAVE
- Recompress audio file or not? YES
- Audio bitrate recommendation: > 320 kbps for high quality
Deezer
- Audio uploading formats: CBR encoded MP3
- Recompress audio file or not? NO
- Audio file size limit: < 200 MB
How to compress audio files for uploading to music streaming sites?
How to reduce audio file size for uploading to online music sites? Let's take compressing an FLAC audio file for Deezer as an example. Since MP3 is the only acceptable format and CBR is required, here is what we are going to do with VideoProc:
Step 1. Set audio to CBR
- Import your source music into VideoProc by Video > +Music.
- Click Option to get into the audio format panel.
- Choose a bit rate value like 128 kbps or 256 kbps and Done.
Step 2. Convert audio from FLAC to MP3
- Go to the Target Format bar in the main interface.
- Click Music and you should see a list of audio formats. Choose MP3.
- Set an output folder and RUN.
Details of Popular Lossy Audio Formats
