Audacity is a powerful and free open-source audio editor that gives you full control over your audio files. It is extremely popular because of its rich set of features that are accessible to everyone, regardless of their experience.

The software handles all popular audio formats, including MP3, Ogg/Vorbis, WAV, MIDI, AIFF and others. Audacity provides many tools for editing and manipulating sound, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a free yet powerful and feature-rich audio editor.

In This Post

Expert Tips

Quick Start: Recording Your First Audio

Launch Audacity and select the correct audio device from the Device Toolbar
Click the Record button (red circle) or press Ctrl+R
Speak or play audio into your microphone/input
Click Stop when finished, then use Edit menu for cleanup

Why: Recording is Audacity’s core function, and mastering it quickly lets you capture podcasts, voice memos, or musical performances with professional results.

Noise Reduction Settings for Cleaner Audio

Select a portion of audio containing only background noise
Go to Effect > Noise Reduction and click Get Noise Profile
Select the entire audio track (Ctrl+A)
Open Noise Reduction again and adjust Sensitivity to 6.0, Frequency Smoothing to 3
Click OK to apply noise reduction

Why: Removing background noise dramatically improves audio quality for podcasts and voice recordings, making your content more professional and easier to listen to.

Exporting High-Quality MP3 Files

Complete your edits and go to File > Export > Export as MP3
In the dialog, set Quality to 320 kbps (highest)
Choose Stereo mode for music or Mono for voice
Save the file with your desired name and location

Why: Proper MP3 export settings ensure your audio maintains quality while remaining compatible with all devices and platforms for sharing.

Download Audacity

File size: 18.0 MB

OS support: Windows, macOS

Windows

Audacity 3.7.8 Final for Windows – x64

Audacity 3.7.8 Final for Windows – x32

Audacity 3.7.8 Final Portable for Windows – x32

Audacity 3.7.8 Final Portable for Windows – x64

macOS

Audacity 3.7.8 Final for MacOS – Universal

Notable Features

Recording and Playback: Audacity has a built-in function to record sound in real time from a microphone or other source, and includes playback capabilities for reviewing recordings.
Import and Export Support: Supports import and export of various audio formats, making it easy to work with files of any origin. Handles MP3, Ogg/Vorbis, WAV, MIDI, AIFF and more.
Advanced Editing Tools: Allows editing using standard operations like cut, copy, and paste. Features unlimited undo operations, giving users freedom to experiment without risk.
Multi-track Mixing: Enables mixing of tracks and working with multiple audio layers, perfect for creating podcasts or music projects with professional-quality results.
Noise Removal: Built-in noise removal tool helps improve recording quality by eliminating background noise and unwanted audio artifacts.
Effects and Plugins: Includes numerous built-in effects like equalizers, bass boost, reverb, and supports LADSPA and VST plugins as well as Nyquist scripts for expanded capabilities.

Technical Details

Software Name	Audacity
Version	3.7.8
License	Free (GPL)
File Size	18.0 MB
OS Support	Windows, macOS
Language	Multi-language
Developer	Audacity Team
Homepage	https://www.audacityteam.org/
Changelogurl	https://www.audacityteam.org/changelog/
Last Updated	June 11, 2025

Getting Started

Show Installation Steps

Installation Steps

Click the download button above to get the installer for your operating system
Locate the downloaded file and double-click to run the installer
Follow the on-screen installation wizard to complete setup

Compatibility: Compatible with Windows 7 and later versions

Troubleshooting

Show Common Issues

Issue: Installation fails → Solution: Run as administrator

Common Questions

Is Audacity really free?

Yes, audacity is completely free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

What operating systems does Audacity support?

audacity works on Windows 7 and later, macOS 10.13 or later, and Linux distributions.

Can Audacity edit MP3 files?

Yes, audacity supports importing and exporting MP3 files along with many other popular audio formats.

Andy Zain Verified

Content Writer

8+ Years of experience

Andy Zain is a software content writer (8+ years, writing since 2015) who publishes download and install guides across major platforms and productivity categories. His goal is to help readers download the right version and install it safely using clear, up-to-date, source-backed instructions.