How to Add Sound Effects to Videos in iMovie?

There are thousands of video editing software out there that help video creators customize their creations according to their liking. Apple Inc. has also come up with its very own video editing software called iMovie. This application can be used on Apple devices only; like iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

It offers several features that help enhancing videos like video color settings, crop and rotate videos, stabilize shaky videos, the addition of transition in videos, and speed settings of video clips. You can download iMovie for free from the App Store.

Now to the matter in question, how does adding sound effects to videos help creators? There are several benefits of adding sound effects to your video. A few of them are listed here:

• In general, people connect with sound more than visuals. Adding just the right music and sound effect will help you bring forth the emotional response you need.
• The Addition of sound effects helps viewers determine the mood of the video.
• Sound effects help emphasize what you are trying to show to the viewers.
• The use of sound effects has proven to increase the overall viewer engagement percentage.
• The addition of sound effects is known to improve production value.

Part 1. How to Add Sound Effects to Videos in iMovie on Mac?

The Mac version of iMovie provides a variety of sound effects that can be easily added to videos. Some sound effects available on iMovie include rain, footsteps, the wind rustling, explosions, animals, etc. you also have access to multiple music libraries.

Follow these steps to put in sound effects in your videos:

Step 1: Open Your Project in iMovie

Open your video in the iMovie application. Click on the Audio option that you’ll see on the top right side of the toolbar. Now click on the sound effects option in the sidebar on the left. You can browse through the sound effect library by clicking the Media Browser button.

Step 2: Preview

To preview a sound effect, place the pointer over a selection of sound effects available in the list, you’ll see a play button next to the sound clip. Another option is that after you’ve selected a clip, click the waveform on the Media Browser and click the Space bar.

Step 3: Add the Sound Effect to Your Video

Once you have selected the sound effect perfect for your video, simply drag it from the media browser to the timeline. If you want to add the selected audio clip in your video, drag the audio clip under the video clip, and you’ll see a bar connecting them both. After you’ve attached the two clips, whenever you’ll move your video clip, the audio will move with it.

Step 4: Make Adjustments

After the addition of a sound effect or any other audio clip, you can adjust the sound of the original audio of your video clip.

Part 2. How to Add Sound Effects to Videos in iMovie on iPhone?

To edit your movies and videos on iMovie using an iPhone, first, you’ll have to download the iMovie application via the App Store. Then follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open Your Project in the iMovie App

The first step is to open your video or movie in the iMovie app if you haven’t already. You can also import projects from your phone by tapping on the camera icon in the middle left. A new window will open containing the Import button. Tap on Import and another window will open that will allow you to add a clip to a pre-existing event or a new one.

Now scroll through the timeline and a white vertical line called the playhead will appear. This line represents the part where the sound effect will be added.

Step 2: Choose a Sound Effect

Tap the Add media button, a menu will appear. Tap on the Audio button and then tap on the Sound Effects option, a list of sound effects will appear for you to browse through.

To preview a specific sound effect, simply tap on the Preview button.

Step 3: Add the Sound Effect to Your Video

Once you have selected a sound effect, click on the add button which is present next to the sound effect.

Part 3. How to Get More Sound Effects for Your Video?

iMovie has limited sound effects. If you want to get more sound effects for your video, you'd better pick a alternative. There are many alternatives out there that are just as good as iMovie and offer more options and a large variety of effects and features. One of the best alternatives to iMovie is Wondershare Filmora.

Filmora does not only work on macOS, but Windows as well. It offers a fair share of specialized video and audio effects in addition to a variety of other editing features.

It also offers great sound effect features that help elevate your project. Along with the original 25 pieces of sound effects present on Filmora, users can also download any sound effects they want from the online effect store.

To add sound effects to your videos using Wondershare Filmora, follow these steps:

Step #1. Bring the video file that you want to edit on your timeline. Click on the Audio button and a list will appear on the left side of the screen. Click on the Sound Effects option present on the list, several sound effects will appear on your screen.

Step #2. If you want a preview, click on the sound effect you chose and then click on the play button.

Step #3. If you want to insert a sound clip in your video, drag the selected sound clip below the video timeline, to the soundtrack. Doing so, the sound effect will be added to the soundtrack of your video clip.

Step #4. Now all you have to do is adjust the inserted audio clip according to your video. To set the beginning point, move the sound icon in the timeline and for the ending point, move the playhead in the audio track.

Step #5. You can also adjust the added audio track using the speed, volume, fade-in, and fade-out options.

Final Word

Adding sound effects to your videos makes them more engaging and interactive. You can choose to add sound effects to videos with iMovie, but the easiest and quickest method to do so is using Filmora. It doesn't only allow you to add sounds and audio, but provides you with a complete range of editing features.