Good audio doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re filming in a quiet area, your phone’s built-in mic is often enough. Modern phones are getting better at capturing clear audio, so focus on your environment first.

Step 1: Quiet Space First

The best way to improve your audio is to record in a quiet space with minimal background noise. Even with just your phone, a quiet environment can make a huge difference.

We covered this in the previous module but its worth a reminder as you are reviewing your footage.

Step 2: Simple Mic Options

If you want to improve your audio:

• Use your phone’s mic — In a quiet space, this works surprisingly well.
• Apple earbuds (wired) — These have a great mic for voice recording.
• Avoid Bluetooth earbuds like AirPods — They often sound muffled or compressed.

For better audio gear, check out my recommendations in the Lazy Gear Guide from the Shooting Module.

Step 3: Check Volume by Ear

When editing on your phone, you likely won’t have an audio meter. Instead:

• Compare your video’s audio to the volume of videos in the Instagram Reels feed.
• If your voice sounds too loud or distorted, lower the volume slightly in your editing app.
• Listen back using both your iPhone speaker and headphones to compare.

Audio meters in desktop editing software help you avoid “peaking”, which means your audio is too loud for the mic or speaker to handle. This will sound crackly and distorted.