Clipping occurs when a signal exceeds the level a system can represent. You might hear crunching on loud words, flattened peaks or abrupt unpleasant edges. It can originate at the microphone, in an effect chain or during export.
Find the point where distortion begins
If the original input recording already clips, turning down the track later produces a quieter distorted file. Test the microphone or interface at a lower input gain and record again when that is possible.
If the raw file is clean but the processed export clips, disable effects one at a time. EQ boosts, overlapping tracks and output gain can push a formerly clean signal beyond the available level range.
Understand headroom
Headroom is the margin between the current signal and the maximum allowed level. Retaining some headroom while working makes it easier to combine effects and allows unexpected peaks without immediate overload.
Peak height is not the same as perceived loudness. Two tracks with similar peaks can sound very different because their average energy and frequency balance differ.
Know what normalization does
Peak normalization changes the overall gain to reach a target peak. It does not automatically repair clipping, eliminate background noise, balance instruments or produce commercial-style mastering.
Compare the downloaded result at the same listening level as your input. Watch for distortion at the loudest transient and check that silence and endings are intact.