Guide on How to Reverse Audio on Desktop & Mobile
Wondering how to reverse audio for your latest project? Then you've come to the right place! Reversing audio is a clever way to add an otherworldly effect to your audio track. It lends a mysterious vibe to your compositions and even makes them eerie or creepy if used correctly. Perhaps, you're after a strange unique twist to make things interesting. Whatever your goals, reversing audio is an important skill for anyone working on audio projects. We've created this detailed guide to help you reverse audio on whichever device you use.
Part 1: How to Reverse a Sound on Audacity
Audacity is the industry standard for audio professionals like composers, sound engineers, musicians, and others working with audio content. It's one of the most feature-rich tools, providing extensive editing tools for creators. Output from Audacity is high in quality, but the tool is not the most suitable choice for beginners due to its complexity. In particular, its user interface can be clunky and daunting to new users.
How to Play Audio Backwards with Audacity
Step 1:Install and launch Audacity >> Go to 'File' in the Main Menu >> Select 'Open'>> Find and import the audio file.
Step 2:Once the audio file is imported, Audacity automatically loads it into the timeline >> Go to 'Select' in the Main Menu >> Choose 'All' to select the entire audio file.
Step 3:Go to 'Effects' in the Main Menu >> Select 'Reverse.'
Step 4:After Audacity finishes reversing the audio, click on the big green 'Play' button to preview audio >> Use the 'Export' button in the 'File' Menu item to export the reversed audio
Pros
- Free and open-source
- A comprehensive set of features
- Extensive file format support
- Batch processing
Cons
- Complicated user interface, although audio reversal is simple to execute

HitPaw Univd - All-in-One Video Solutions for Win & Mac
Secure Verified. 254,145 people have downloaded it.
- Wide Format Compatibility: Convert videos & audio to/from over 1000 formats such as MP4, AVI, MOV, MP3, etc.
- Bulk Compressor: Batch compresse images and videos at the optiaml quality.
- Diverse Editor: Editor with features like Trim, cut, crop, rotate, add filters, add watermarks, to blur faces, etc.
- Advanced AI Tools: AI Speech to Text, Noise Remover, Vocal Remover, etc.
- Various Encoders: Support advanced encoders H265, VP9, AV1 and other HD video formats.
Secure Verified. 254,145 people have downloaded it.
Part 2: How to Reverse a Sound on iPhone and iPad
iOS does not have a built-in feature to reverse sound on an audio or video file. However, there are plenty of free and paid apps you can download to perform this task. To make it easier for you to do it, we've chosen GarageBand to explain how to perform audio reversal. GarageBand is a product by Apple and offers a familiar feel and ecosystem for Apple users, so they'll feel at home when using it. Sure, it's not the most feature-rich audio editor out there, but the app performs audio reversal to perfection.
How to Reverse a Sound with GarageBand
Step 1:Tap on an audio track in GarageBand >> Tap it once again to open the Shortcut Menu >> Choose 'Settings'.
Step 2:In the settings window, toggle 'Reverse'>> Hit 'Done.'
Pros
- Free
- Easy to use
- Integrates seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem
- Beginner-friendly
- Supports quite a number of audio file formats
Cons
- Limited advanced features
Part 3: How to Play Audio in Reverse On Android
Like iOS, Android has a thriving audio editing ecosystem with a vast variety of tools capable of performing complex editing tasks. However, we don't need the most robust and feature-rich tool for our task, just the simplest one. With that in mind, Reverse Music Player is the perfect fit for our needs. It's fast, simple, and easy to use. It also performs audio reversals swiftly and lets you tinker with a variety of customizations, too.
How to Play Audio Backwards with Reverse Music Player
Step 1:Download and install Reverse Music Player from Google Play Store >> Launch the app, and it automatically imports all audio files on your device
Step 2:Tap on an audio file to open its reverse playback settings >> Set Tempo, Pitch, Rate, Loop Range, and other settings >> Click on the 'Downward Arrow' at the top right.
Step 3:Choose output quality >> Rename the output audio file >> Tap 'Save' to save the reversed audio.
Pros
- Specialized in reversing audio
- User-friendly
- Great customizations
Cons
- Ads
- Supports limited audio formats
FAQs on How to Reverse Audio
Q1. Does reversing audio affect the overall sound quality?
A1. Generally, audio reversal does not affect the overall quality of the audio file. However, the tool you use for reversal and any processing like compression or resampling may permanently affect the fidelity of the audio file. In most cases, when the only edit performed on the file is audio reversal, there should be no change to the overall sound quality.
Q2. Can I reverse audio on multiple tracks at the same time?
A2. Audio editing tools that support multi-tracking editing, like Audacity, Adobe Audition, and WaveEditor, let you perform audio reversal on an entire batch of audio files. You can perform audio reversal on these apps on each track individually, the entire batch, or a select few of them.
Q3. Can I reverse the audio that has been recorded with background noise?
A3. HitPaw Univd is an excellent tool for getting rid of background noise on an audio file. You can then use the cleaned-up file to perform audio reversal and enjoy the effect with the background noise.
Conclusion
Reversing audio is a fun and creative way to add interesting effects to your projects. Whether you're making music, sound effects, or even working with videos, you can use different tools depending on the device you're using. While there are plenty of tools to perform audio reversal, HitPaw Univd is a great choice for creators working with videos. It can be used from any device and offers content creators a free tool for editing their video content. Try it today.
Share this article:
Select the product rating:
Daniel Walker
Editor-in-Chief
My passion lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and everyday creativity. With years of hands-on experience, I create content that not only informs but inspires our audience to embrace digital tools confidently.
View all ArticlesLeave a Comment
Create your review for HitPaw articles