Audacity

The World's Most Popular Free Audio Editor and Recorder

Free

Description

Audacity stands as a widely recognized free, open-source software dedicated to audio recording and editing. Designed for ease of use, it operates as a multi-track audio editor and recorder compatible with major operating systems including Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux. This cross-platform capability makes it accessible to a broad user base for various audio manipulation tasks.

The software supports importing, exporting, and converting between major audio formats such as WAV, MP3, FLAC, and Ogg. Users can enhance their productions by integrating a wide array of third-party plugins, including VST3 and Nyquist formats. Audacity also offers tools for deep audio analysis, like the Spectogram view for visualizing frequencies and compatibility with scientific Vamp analyzers. An online companion, Audio.com, facilitates collaboration, versioned backups, and sharing of projects.

Key Features

Cross-platform Compatibility: Runs on Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
Multi-track Editing & Recording: Core functionality for complex audio projects.
Format Support: Imports, exports, and converts major audio formats (WAV, MP3, FLAC, Ogg, etc.).
Plugin Support: Extensible with third-party plugins like VST3 and Nyquist.
Deep Audio Analysis: Includes Spectogram view and Vamp analyzer support.
Free and Open Source: Available at no cost with accessible source code.
Cloud Saving & Collaboration: Optional integration with Audio.com for backups and sharing.
Realtime Effects: Apply effects during playback (available in recent versions).

Use Cases

Music production and mixing
Podcast recording and editing
Audio format conversion
Sound design and experimentation
Voice-over recording and editing
Audio analysis for research or technical purposes
Restoring or cleaning up audio recordings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Audacity?

Audacity is the world’s most popular free software for recording and editing audio. It's suitable for producing music, podcasts, or general audio manipulation.

Who is Audacity for?

Audacity is for anyone who wants to get creative with sound or needs to quickly edit or export audio.

Is Audacity free?

Yes, Audacity has always been and will always remain free for everyone.

Is Audacity open source?

Yes, Audacity is proudly open source. Its source code is open for anyone to view or modify, fostered by a worldwide community.