In this guide
For an individual track, use volume automation to create a downward ramp. On iPhone, the separate Fade Out song setting fades the end of the whole song automatically. Listen to the affected tracks and check the exported audio.
To fade out one audio track in GarageBand, show its volume automation and add points that lower the level over the desired interval. On iPhone, GarageBand also offers a Fade Out song setting for the end of the whole song. These serve different goals: one changes a track's volume curve; the other fades the final song ending.
Choose the fade you need
| Goal | Starting method | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Fade one instrument or voice | Use that track's volume automation. | Other tracks stay at their intended levels. |
| Fade the entire song on iPhone | Turn on Fade Out in song settings. | Its automatic final ten seconds include the desired ending. |
| Fade a standalone short MP3 or WAV | Use a separate audio-file editor. | Preview and save the actual export before importing it. |
Fade a track using GarageBand on Mac
- Choose the track and ending. Play the section and decide where the fade should begin and end. Keep space for the last word, note or reverb tail.
- Show automation. Choose Mix → Show Automation or use the Automation button. Select the track's volume automation. Apple's GarageBand automation guidance documents opening the automation view; its Mac user guide lists track automation and point editing.
- Make a volume ramp. Add a point where the level should start decreasing and another where it should reach the desired lower level. Move the later point down. This changes the selected track over time; it does not necessarily fade every track in the project.
- Play through and refine. Adjust the points after listening to the entire ending. Check that automation does not leave a later region unintentionally quiet. Export a copy and audition the actual file.
Automatically fade the whole song on iPhone
- Open song settings. Tap the Settings button in the control bar. Apple notes that on iPhone SE you then tap Song Settings.
- Turn on Fade Out. Apple's iPhone song-settings guide says this fades the final ten seconds of the song to silence. The fade follows the song's end if the last section is extended.
- Play and share a test. Apple says the fade is audible during playback or sharing, not while recording. Listen to the ending in the shared file. Return to the setting to turn the automatic fade off if it is too long or affects the wrong material.
Fade only one track on iPhone
In Tracks view, tap the track header and choose Automation. Touch and hold the Edit Automation control, tap the track's volume curve to add points, and drag a point vertically to set its level. Create a lower later point for a fade-out; use a rising pair for a fade-in. Apple's automation instructions also explain locking the edit control, moving points and bypassing automation.
Track automation affects that track, including other regions where its curve applies. Check what happens immediately after the fade and restore the level with another point if a later passage should be audible. A project-end fade affects the complete song, not just the selected instrument.
Fade an audio file outside GarageBand
The free Saturalabs audio fade tool prepares an outer-edge fade on a supported short MP3 or WAV locally. It cannot edit a GarageBand project or automate individual tracks within a mix. Preview and download the result, then import it if needed. The WAV is 48 kHz 16-bit PCM; MP3 is a new lossy encode and can add delay or padding. Keep the original.
Common questions
Why is my iPhone fade happening at the wrong time?
The automatic setting follows the end of the song, not the end of an arbitrary clip. Check the length of the final song section and listen to the shared result. For a specific track or interval, use track automation instead.
Can I fade music without lowering speech?
Yes, when music and speech are on separate tracks: automate the music track and check the dialogue. If both are already mixed together on one track, a volume fade changes both. A music-separation test may help, but can leave bleed or alter wanted sounds.
Does fading repair a click?
A fade can soften an abrupt edge; it does not necessarily repair a click inside a clip. Locate the sound and compare a different boundary or suitable edit using the cut-click guide.