Download Audacity for Windows

Our Review

Audacity free download

Given that Audacity is an open-source software solution, you can download it and use it for free. There are no hidden costs or fees, and you can use the program for any purposes, commercial, institutional, educational, or personal.

The perks of open-source software also include abundant support. Meaning that if you identify a bug, you can find more than just a few enthusiasts who would be happy to take care of it.

Audacity portable and installer editions

Here’s an awesome thing: depending on your needs, you can choose to install Audacity on your computer, or just run it as it is. It comes in both flavors, so the choice is really yours. However, note that each choice involves some pros and cons.

If you choose to install it, you might benefit from a much seamless integration and fewer compatibility issues. Installed components will communicate better with each other, and you’ll probably have a smoother experience.

The non-installer edition, on the other hand, brings you the perk of portability. Meaning that you can carry the app around on a removable storage drive without any issue. More so, the portable edition won’t tamper with your Windows Registry, nor will it create additional files and folders without your explicit consent.

Minimalistic user interface

Visually-wise, Audacity doesn’t exactly stand out in the crowd. However, for what it’s worth, the fact that the development team chose to keep the interface as simple as possible helped a great deal in reducing resource consumption, even for complex operations.

More so, it’s also more appealing for novice users who might appreciate that features are generally easy to spot. The main window holds a central editing section, a bunch of traditional menus, a set of playback controls, and a quick-access toolbar.

If you’re worried about not being able to experience Audacity’s full array of features, don’t fret. The Help menu holds an online manual, as well as an offline one, which can help you understand the program better.

How to use Audacity

There’s no right way to tackle this section, but we’re going to give it a try anyway. If you want to use Audacity to perform an audio recording, make sure you have an input device (microphone) connected to your PC. Next, press the round red button in the main screen, which will start the recording. Press the Stop button to finish recording.

You’ll notice that the program has generated a waveform of your recording, so you can manage it easily. You can now edit your recording in terms of cutting it, trimming it, changing its pitch and tempo, adding various effects to it, removing background noise, hisses or pops, as well as generating noise whenever necessary.

Note that you can use any audio content on your computer instead of the recording. Just use the Open option in the File menu and locate the file you wish to edit within Audacity. As an alternative, you can drag the file and drop it over the main window of the program.

Feature-rich, free digital audio workstation

All things considered, Audacity is a reliable software solution that could help you cover all your audio project management needs. It lets you perform high-res recordings, mix your audio projects seamlessly, and even perform advanced editing on them.

And the best part is that it’s entirely free. So not only you won’t have to pay a dime for it, but you’re also free to use it for any purpose, whether commercial, educational, institutional, or personal.

FAQ: Learn more about Audacity

• Is Audacity safe?

Yes, Audacity is perfectly safe to download, install on your PC and use. However, make sure to always download the latest supported version on your PC, and make sure you always choose reputable websites.

• Can Audacity record audio?

Not only Audacity can record audio, but it also lets you perform multi-track recordings (for dubbing), it can record several channels simultaneously, and lets you start a recording based on a timer or sound activation.

• Is it possible to remove noise with Audacity?

Yes, you can remove a wide variety of noises using Audacity, ranging from hisses, and pops, to even establishing a noise profile, which the app will scan for and remove altogether from your recording.