How do I download and install audacity?

Go to audacityteam.org in your web browser and click the Download button. Choose the version for your operating system — Windows or Mac. The installer file will download to your Downloads folder. Open it and follow the on-screen installation steps, clicking Next or Continue until the installation is complete. Launch Audacity from your desktop or applications folder. You may see a prompt asking about data collection — choose your preference and continue.

How do I set your microphone as the input device?

At the top of the Audacity window, find the toolbar that shows recording device settings. Click the microphone dropdown menu and select the microphone you want to use. If you are using your computer's built-in microphone, choose "Built-in Microphone" or "Default." If you have a USB microphone plugged in, it should appear in the list by its name. Speak into the microphone and watch the level meter at the top of the screen — it should bounce with your voice. If it stays flat, the wrong input is selected.

How do I record your audio?

Press the red circle (Record) button or hit the R key on your keyboard to start recording. Speak, sing, or play your instrument. You will see the waveform appear and grow in the track window as audio is captured. When you are done, press the yellow square (Stop) button or hit the spacebar. You can press the green play button (or spacebar again) to listen back to what you recorded. If it sounds good, you are ready to edit.

How do I trim and edit your recording?

Click and drag across a section of the waveform to select it — the selected area turns dark blue. To delete a section, press the Delete key on your keyboard. This is how you remove mistakes, long pauses, or unwanted sounds. To cut a section and close the gap — removing it and pulling the rest of the audio together — select the section, go to Edit in the menu bar, and choose Delete. Use Edit > Undo if you make a mistake. Audacity supports unlimited undo steps.

How do I reduce background noise and export your file?

To reduce room noise or hum in your recording, first select a section of audio that contains only background noise — no speaking or music, only the ambient sound. Go to Effect in the menu bar, find Noise Reduction, and click "Get Noise Profile." Then select all your audio (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), go back to Effect > Noise Reduction, and click OK. The background noise will be reduced noticeably. When your recording sounds the way you want it, go to File > Export Audio, choose your format (MP3 is best for sharing), name the file, and save it.

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Audacity is a free, open-source audio recording and editing program that has been available for more than twenty years. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it does not cost anything to download or use. Despite being free, Audacity is a capable tool used by podcasters, musicians, teachers, and hobbyists who need to record and edit audio without paying for expensive software.

With Audacity, you can record audio directly from a microphone connected to your computer, import existing audio files (MP3, WAV, AIFF, and others), cut and rearrange sections of audio, reduce background noise, adjust volume levels, and export finished recordings in a variety of formats.

The interface is not as polished as paid software, but it is logical once you understand the basics. The main window shows audio as a wave — a visual picture of the sound — called a waveform. Louder sections appear as tall waves, quieter sections as smaller ones. You select portions of the waveform to edit them, much like selecting text in a word processor.

Audacity does not require any prior audio experience to use for basic tasks. Recording your voice, trimming the beginning and end of a file, and exporting as an MP3 can all be done within the first thirty minutes of using the program. More advanced features — like multi-track recording, applying effects, and noise reduction — take longer to learn but are well documented.

Download Audacity for free at audacityteam.org. The site also has a comprehensive manual and a community forum where you can ask questions and get help from other users.

Audacity: Free Audio Recording and Editing Software for Windows and Mac

Download and install Audacity

Set your microphone as the input device

Record your audio

Trim and edit your recording

Reduce background noise and export your file

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