How to Reverse Audio in Logic Pro

To reverse audio in Logic Pro for Mac, select an audio region in the Tracks area and turn on Reverse in the Region inspector. If you don't see the checkbox, expand More in the inspector. The region plays from its end toward its beginning; select it again and turn Reverse off to return to forward playback. Apple documents this as a nondestructive region setting.

Reverse an audio region

1. Open your project and find the audio region in the Tracks area. Listen to it first so you recognize the original attack and tail.
2. Select the region. Open the inspector if it is hidden, then find the Region inspector. Expand More if Reverse is not visible.
3. Check Reverse. Play the region in context: its previous tail now leads into its previous beginning.
4. To change your mind, select the same region and uncheck Reverse. The original audio file is not reversed by this region parameter.

The selection matters: if you select several audio regions, the setting applies to the selected regions. Check each region and its position on the timeline. MIDI regions contain performance instructions rather than recorded waveform audio; this audio-region setting is not a MIDI reverse command.

Reverse only part of a recording

Split out the passage before applying the region setting. Keep a project copy or an untouched track so that you can compare the result with the original.

1. Place the playhead at the beginning of the passage and select the audio region. Choose Edit → Split → Regions at Playhead.
2. Place the playhead at the end of the passage, select the relevant region, and split again. Apple's region-splitting instructions also describe using the Scissors tool.
3. Select only the middle region and check Reverse in its Region inspector. Leave the surrounding regions in place if they need to retain their timing.
4. Listen from before the first cut through the second. If an edge clicks, adjust the cut or try a short fade, then check whether that changes the transition you wanted.

For example, isolating a two-second phrase leaves a two-second region, but its internal events play in reverse order. A word or note at its original start will be heard near the end. Audio mixed together within the selected region reverses together; this does not independently reverse a vocal while leaving the backing track forward.

Make a reverse swell

Start with a cymbal hit or another sound with a clear attack and a useful tail. Isolate the hit and tail as one audio region, then enable Reverse. The tail becomes the lead-in and the attack becomes the end of the reversed region. Move the region so its end meets the downbeat or other cue, and audition it with the following sound. If the swell feels late, check the region's end against the cue instead of aligning its start to the cue.

Leave enough tail in the selection for the swell to develop, but listen for noise or silence before the rise. A fade can soften an abrupt edge; adjust it by ear and avoid cutting off the impact you want at the end.

Why can't I find or use Reverse?

• The inspector is collapsed: select an audio region and expand More in the Region inspector.
• Flex Time is active: Apple says the Reverse region parameter is unavailable on tracks with Flex Time active. Check your track's Flex setting and preserve a copy of any timing work before changing it.
• The wrong material is selected: select an audio region in the Tracks area, not a MIDI region or an unrelated track.

Logic also offers Reverse in its Audio File Editor, but Apple distinguishes that operation as destructive to the audio file. The Region inspector method is the better starting point when you want an easily reversible edit. Reversing is different from inverting polarity: it changes the order in which samples play.

Check the result outside Logic

When you need a separate audio file, bounce or export the intended material using your usual project workflow. Check the selected range and audible tracks, then open the saved file and listen to both boundaries and the cue. Keep the original project and source audio so you can revise the edit.

For a short standalone file, the free Saturalabs audio reverser processes a supported mono or stereo MP3 or WAV locally, up to five minutes and 50 MiB. It reverses the whole chosen file rather than editing a Logic project. If you need a passage first, use the audio trimmer and keep track of its original position.

Common questions

Does reversing audio change its speed?

Reversing changes playback order, not the intended playback rate. Attacks and decays swap direction, which can make a sound feel very different even when the region length stays the same.

Can I reverse a vocal without reversing the music?

Use the separate vocal track if you have one. Reversing a region containing a complete mix reverses every sound in that region.

How do I fix a click at a cut?

Listen closely at the boundary and try a small fade or a different cut point. Our guide to clicks after cutting audio covers ways to identify and smooth the transition.