How to remove an intro and outro from an audio file
- Step 1Drop the recording — MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, Opus, or video. FFmpeg 8.1 loads as WebAssembly and reads the file locally — no upload.
- Step 2Find where the intro ends — Note the timestamp (in seconds) where your intro sting/music finishes and the real content begins. If your intro is a fixed 12 seconds, that's
12. - Step 3Set Start (s) to the end of the intro — Type that value into Start (s). FFmpeg seeks there with
-ss, so the intro before it is dropped. Give a fraction of a second of margin if the intro fades into speech. - Step 4Set End (s) to the start of the outro — Find where your outro/sign-off begins and type that second into End (s). JAD keeps
end − startseconds, so everything after the outro start is dropped too. - Step 5Choose Lossless (stream-copy) — For MP3 (or other eligible formats) where you want speed and no quality loss, turn Lossless on — JAD runs
-c copyand the boundary snaps to the nearest packet (~30 ms). Leave it off if the intro/outro boundary must be sample-exact. - Step 6Run and download the cleaned middle — The file downloads with a
-trimmedsuffix in the source format — intro and outro gone, content intact. Re-use the same offsets on your next same-format episode.
What one trim can and can't remove
The trimmer keeps ONE contiguous range. This determines which intro/outro patterns it handles directly.
| Pattern | Single trim handles it? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Leading intro only | Yes | Set Start (s) past the intro; leave End at full length |
| Trailing outro only | Yes | Leave Start at 0; set End (s) before the outro |
| Both intro AND outro | Yes (one pass) | Set Start past the intro and End before the outro |
| Intro + outro + a mid-roll ad | No (needs split/merge) | Use audio-splitter then audio-merger |
| Two separate ad breaks in the middle | No | Split around each break and merge the keepers |
Reusable offsets for fixed-length intros/outros
If your show uses the same intro/outro every episode, the Start/End math is the same each time. Example with a 12-second intro and a 20-second outro.
| Episode length | Intro length | Outro length | Start (s) | End (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 s (30:00) | 12 s | 20 s | 12 | 1780 |
| 2400 s (40:00) | 12 s | 20 s | 12 | 2380 |
| 3000 s (50:00) | 12 s | 20 s | 12 | 2980 |
| 900 s (15:00) | 8 s | 10 s | 8 | 890 |
Per-tier recording limits
The whole recording must fit the tier. Full-length shows with intros/outros usually need Pro or higher.
| Tier | Max size | Max duration | Files at once |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 50 MB | 30 min | 1 |
| Pro | 200 MB | 120 min | 10 |
| Pro-media | 100 GB | Unlimited | 100 |
| Developer | 100 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Cookbook
Real intro/outro removal scenarios with the exact Start/End and Lossless settings.
Strip a 12 s intro and 20 s outro from an MP3 episode
Fixed intro music (0–12 s) and an outro that starts at 1780 s in a 30-minute MP3. Lossless on for an instant, lossless cut.
Input: ep-09.mp3 (1800.0 s) Intro ends at 12 s, outro starts at 1780 s Start (s): 12 End (s): 1780 Lossless: on FFmpeg: -ss 12 -i ep-09.mp3 -t 1768 -c copy -avoid_negative_ts make_zero out.mp3 Output: ep-09-trimmed.mp3 (intro + outro removed, no re-encode)
Remove only a stock-music intro
Just a leading jingle to drop; keep everything to the end.
Input: webinar.wav (3200.0 s) Start (s): 9.5 (jingle ends) End (s): 3200.0 (full length) Lossless: on (WAV stream-copy) FFmpeg: -ss 9.5 -i webinar.wav -t 3190.5 -c copy -avoid_negative_ts make_zero out.wav Output: webinar-trimmed.wav (intro gone)
Remove only a sign-off outro
Keep the start, drop a closing 'thanks for listening' outro that begins at 2580 s.
Input: show.mp3 (2640.0 s) Start (s): 0 End (s): 2580.0 Lossless: on FFmpeg: -ss 0 -i show.mp3 -t 2580 -c copy -avoid_negative_ts make_zero out.mp3 Output: show-trimmed.mp3 (outro gone)
Sample-accurate cut when the intro fades into speech
The intro music crossfades into the first sentence, so the boundary must be exact — Lossless off to re-encode.
Input: ep-10.mp3 (1500.0 s) Start (s): 14.3 (exact moment speech is clean) End (s): 1485.0 Lossless: off (sample-accurate) FFmpeg: -ss 14.3 -i ep-10.mp3 -t 1470.7 -c:a libmp3lame out.mp3
Intro + outro + a mid-roll ad (multi-step)
One trim can't delete a middle ad too. Split around the ad, then merge the keepers.
Goal: drop intro (0–12), an ad (900–960), and outro (1780–end) Step 1 [audio-splitter]: keep ranges 12–900 → part1 960–1780 → part2 Step 2 [audio-merger]: join part1 + part2 → ad, intro, and outro all removed The trimmer alone keeps only ONE range, so it can't do this in one pass.
Edge cases and what actually happens
A mid-roll ad needs removing too
Wrong toolThe trimmer keeps a single contiguous range, so it removes a leading intro and trailing outro but cannot also delete a middle ad. Split around the ad with audio-splitter and rejoin with audio-merger.
Intro ends mid-word and the lossless cut clips it
AvoidableStream-copy snaps to the nearest packet (~30 ms), which can shave the first syllable. Either set Start a touch earlier, or turn Lossless off for a sample-accurate re-encode at the exact boundary.
Audible click where the intro used to be
ExpectedA hard cut at the new start can click if it isn't on a zero crossing. Add a short fade-in (and fade-out at the new end) with fade-in-out for a clean transition.
Intro/outro length varies per episode
ManualReusable offsets only work when the intro/outro are a fixed length. If they vary, you must set Start/End per episode. The tool can't auto-detect intros.
End (s) accidentally left at full length
Outro keptIf you only set Start and leave End at the auto-filled full duration, the outro stays. Double-check End is set to where the outro begins when you mean to remove it.
Recording over 30 minutes on Free
Tier limitA full episode usually exceeds the 30-minute Free duration cap and won't load. Use Pro (120 min) or Pro-media (unlimited). The cap applies to the whole recording, intro and outro included.
Recording larger than 50 MB on Free
Tier limitFree caps at 50 MB; a long high-bitrate or lossless recording exceeds it. Pro (200 MB) or Pro-media (100 GB) handle full shows.
Stream-copy fails and JAD re-encodes
RecoveredIf a -c copy cut returns 0 bytes or throws (partial MP4, some Opus-in-WebM), JAD automatically re-encodes. You still get the intro/outro-free file; the metrics line shows the re-encode engine ran.
You want to swap in a NEW intro after removing the old one
Wrong toolThe trimmer only removes; it doesn't add. After stripping the old intro, prepend a new one with audio-merger (your new intro file + the trimmed body).
Frequently asked questions
Can one trim remove both the intro and the outro?
Yes. Set Start (s) to where the intro ends and End (s) to where the outro begins — the trimmer keeps that single middle range, dropping the intro before it and the outro after it in one pass.
Can it also remove an ad in the middle?
No — the trimmer keeps one contiguous range, so it can't cut out a mid-roll ad at the same time. Split around the ad with audio-splitter and rejoin the parts with audio-merger.
How do I find where the intro ends?
Listen for where your sting/music finishes and the content begins, and note that time in seconds (convert mm:ss to seconds). If your intro is a fixed length, the value is the same on every episode — reuse it.
Will removing the intro/outro re-encode the whole show?
Not if you turn on Lossless (stream-copy) and the format is eligible (MP3, M4A/AAC, WAV, FLAC, OGG, Opus). JAD then copies frames with -c copy — no re-encode. The cut snaps to the nearest packet (~30 ms), which is invisible at an intro/outro boundary.
When should I turn Lossless off?
When the intro crossfades into speech or the boundary must be sample-exact. With Lossless off, JAD re-encodes at the source format so the cut lands exactly where you set it.
Does the output stay in my show's format?
Yes — there's no format dropdown, so MP3 in gives MP3 out. To change format afterward, use a converter sibling like mp3-to-wav.
Can I reuse the same settings every episode?
If your intro and outro are fixed lengths, yes — Start is your intro length, and End is the episode length minus your outro length. Only the episode length changes, so it's quick to update End each time.
Is my recording uploaded?
No. FFmpeg 8.1 runs in your browser via WebAssembly, so an unreleased recording stays local. Only a processed-count (if signed in) is stored server-side, never the audio.
There's a click where the intro was removed — how do I fix it?
Hard cuts can click. Run the trimmed file through fade-in-out to add a short fade-in at the new start (and fade-out at the new end) for a clean transition.
Can I add a brand-new intro after removing the old one?
The trimmer only removes audio. After trimming, prepend your new intro with audio-merger — merge the new intro file with the trimmed body.
Can it auto-detect and remove the intro for me?
No — you set the cut points. There's no intro detection. For automatic removal of silent gaps (not branded intros), see silence-stripper.
What's the largest recording I can process?
50 MB / 30 min on Free, 200 MB / 120 min on Pro, 100 GB with unlimited duration on Pro-media and Developer. The whole recording counts toward the cap, intro and outro included.
Privacy first
Every JAD Audio tool runs entirely in your browser via FFmpeg (WebAssembly) and RNNoise. Your audio files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.