How to convert stereo to mono
- Open a stereo filePress "Open audio file". It turns into mono as soon as it opens.
- Check itPress play: the sound now comes equally from both sides.
- SavePress Export. MP3 at 64–128 kbps is plenty for speech.
One-sided recordings are detected automatically with a one-click fix.
When should audio be mono?
Stereo audio has two channels, left and right. Mono has one. For music, stereo gives width, but for voice recordings, podcasts, calls and lectures mono is usually better: the file is half the size and the voice sounds the same in both ears.
Fix one-sided recordings
Earphone microphones and some phone apps record the voice only on the left or right side, so listeners hear it in one ear only. Converting to mono puts the sound in the middle. Echoly also detects one-sided files and offers a one-click fix.
How it is combined
Echoly averages the left and right channels into one, so nothing is lost and the level stays safe from distortion. If one side is silent, use the one-sided fix instead, which copies the good side to both.
Save smaller files
After converting, export as MP3 at 64–128 kbps for speech to get very small files that still sound clear.
Popular uses
- Fix a voice that plays only in the left earphone
- Halve the size of a podcast or lecture
- Prepare voice-overs for videos
- Make phone recordings sound centred
More free audio tools
Questions about the stereo to mono converter
Does mono sound worse?
For speech, no. For music, you lose the left-right width but keep all the instruments.
Can I turn mono back into stereo?
You can copy the same sound to both sides with Effects → Channels → Make stereo, but it will not create real width.
Why does my recording play in one ear only?
It was recorded on one channel. Converting to mono or using the one-sided fix solves it.
Is the file uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser.