Install Audacity on Windows 11
- 1
Download and run the installer
Download
audacity-win-3.7.3.exe. On Windows 11, SmartScreen may appear. Click More info → Run anyway. The installer is signed and safe. - 2
Enable microphone access
Windows 11 has stricter privacy defaults. After install: Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → enable all three toggles. Restart Audacity.
- 3
Set up WASAPI
Edit → Preferences → Devices → Host → Windows WASAPI. This is the recommended audio host for Windows 11.
Audacity issues specific to Windows 11
Windows 11 questions
Does Audacity work on Windows 11?
Yes. Audacity 3.7.3 is officially supported on Windows 11. The installation and setup process is identical to Windows 10. The main difference is that Windows 11 has stricter default privacy settings for microphone access, which you need to enable manually.
Audacity sounds different on Windows 11 vs Windows 10
Windows 11 changed the default audio processing pipeline. If audio sounds different, go to Windows Sound settings, select your output device → Properties → Enhancements → disable all enhancements. Also check that Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos spatial audio is not enabled.