How do you normalize audio online?
- Drop the whole track or choose it from your computer. WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3 and supported M4A files use the same decoder as our other audio tools.
- Read the integrated loudness and true peak. Loudness range shows how much the level varies over time.
- Pick a preset or choose Custom to enter a target. Leave the true-peak ceiling at -1.0 dBTP, or enter the headroom your delivery needs.
- Press Normalize audio. The tool applies a single gain change and measures the output again.
- Check the after readings, then download the 24-bit WAV. If the ceiling prevents your target, the message gives the remaining loudness difference.
What does LUFS normalization do?
LUFS normalization changes a recording's overall gain to bring its measured loudness toward a target. Integrated LUFS describes the whole programme, with frequency weighting and gates that exclude silence and very quiet passages. Peak normalization, by comparison, sets only the highest peak.
The tool leaves 0.2 dB of headroom under the ceiling for peaks the meter can miss. A track at -20 LUFS needs 6 dB of gain to reach -14 LUFS. If its true peak is -10 dBTP, that gain brings the peak to -4 dBTP and fits below a -1 dBTP ceiling. If its true peak is already -3 dBTP, only 1.8 dB fits: the track lands around -18.2 LUFS, 4.2 LU short. The tool leaves the transients intact and reports that gap.
One gain value applies to every sample and every channel. Tempo, pitch, stereo balance and the difference between loud and quiet sections stay intact. This is useful for matching listening levels, preparing references and setting a final file level after the mix is finished.
What loudness target should you use for streaming?
The presets are convenient starting points. They do not promise identical playback on every service. Our loudness meter's streaming section separates published platform guidance from commonly quoted measurements.
| Preset | Target | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify / YouTube | -14 LUFS | A practical listening reference. Spotify documents this default playback level; YouTube's figure is an estimate. |
| Apple Music | -16 LUFS | A common estimate for level matching, not a published music delivery requirement. |
| Club / loud | -9 LUFS | A louder creative target. Dynamic material will often need limiting to reach it. Clubs have no single loudness standard. |
| Custom | Your target | Use a level specified by your project, or match a reference you have measured. |
When playback normalization is enabled, platforms can turn loud masters down. For example, moving a -8 LUFS master to -14 LUFS takes 6 dB of attenuation. That does not undo compression or limiting already baked into it. Two tracks at the same integrated loudness can still feel very different in punch and density.
Choose the dynamics for the music, then check the delivery level. Leave headroom for lossy encoding and remeasure any MP3 or AAC made from the WAV: encoding can change true peaks. A ceiling check on this WAV does not certify a later encode.
When should you normalize, and when should you limit?
Normalize when the performance and dynamics are right and only the overall level needs adjusting. Turning a loud master down is straightforward. Turning a quiet master up works while its peaks have room below the chosen ceiling.
Use a true-peak limiter when you need more loudness than a single gain change can provide. A limiter reduces individual peaks so the rest can be raised; that changes the waveform and can change the sound. This tool never limits or compresses to force a target. It can even turn a file down when the source already exceeds your ceiling.
Volume mastering involves more than a number. Listen for clipped hits, uneven low end and harsh passages before adjusting the output. Normalization cannot repair distortion that was printed into the source. Compare at matched levels, and use the LUFS and true-peak meter for a closer look at the loudest sections.
What is in the WAV download?
The result is a 24-bit PCM WAV with TPDF dither at the source sample rate, preserving the channel count. The loudness and true-peak measurements use the same BS.1770 code as our loudness meter, including 4x true-peak oversampling. The tool checks the quantized output before making the download available.
WAV files can be much larger than an MP3. A 48 kHz stereo 24-bit WAV takes about 17 MB per minute. Files are limited to 12 minutes and the decoder's memory budget. Opus uses its native 48 kHz decode rate; files whose rate cannot be determined need a WAV or FLAC export first. The original file is never overwritten.
Very quiet passages can cross the meter's absolute gate after the gain change, affecting integrated loudness or LRA. The after column shows a fresh measurement of the output, so it may differ from the prediction. Learn more about the final conversion in our dither guide.
Questions
How do I normalize audio online?
Choose a file or drop it on the tool. It measures integrated LUFS, true peak and loudness range. Pick a preset or enter a custom target, set the true-peak ceiling, then press Normalize audio. Check the before and after readings and download the 24-bit WAV.
Can I normalize MP3 loudness?
Yes. The tool decodes the MP3 in your browser, applies one gain change and exports a 24-bit WAV at the decoded source sample rate. It does not export another MP3. Converting an MP3 to WAV avoids another lossy encode here, but cannot restore detail already lost in the MP3.
Why did the result miss my LUFS target?
The true-peak ceiling takes priority. The tool leaves 0.2 dB of headroom under the ceiling for peaks the meter can miss. If the requested gain would use that headroom, the tool applies only the gain that fits and shows how far short the result lands. A true-peak limiter is needed to go louder; this tool has no limiter. Very quiet passages can also cross the loudness meter's absolute gate after a gain change, so the output is measured again.
Is -14 LUFS required for Spotify or YouTube?
No. The -14 preset is a starting point, not a delivery requirement. Spotify documents -14 LUFS for its default normalized playback. YouTube's commonly quoted -14 and Apple Music's -16 are estimates rather than published music playback specifications. Playback behavior varies with the service, device and listener settings.
Does normalization change the dynamics or master my track?
It applies the same gain to every sample and channel, preserving the performance's dynamics and balance. It does not compress, limit, EQ or repair clipping. Loudness range normally stays the same; very quiet material can measure differently if passages cross the meter's gate. Volume mastering also involves listening and decisions this tool cannot make.
What formats and file lengths can I use?
WAV, AIFF, FLAC and MP3, plus M4A, AAC and Ogg formats where your browser supports them, up to 12 minutes and 8 channels. The shared tools decoder also limits file size to 1.2 GB and estimated decoded audio to 640 MB; files with no readable duration are limited to 80 MB. Integrated loudness needs at least 0.4 seconds, and loudness range needs 3 seconds. Files with an uncertain sample rate need a WAV or FLAC export first.
Is my audio uploaded, and what do I download?
Nothing is uploaded. Decoding, measurement and normalization happen on your computer. The download is a 24-bit PCM WAV with dither, at the source sample rate and with all channels preserved. Opus decodes at its native 48 kHz. Changing the target always starts again from the original decoded audio.