Core features
What Audacity can do on Windows
- Multi-track recording
- Record multiple tracks simultaneously. Layer vocals, instruments and audio clips.
- WASAPI loopback
- Record system audio — whatever is playing through your speakers — without extra software.
- Noise reduction
- Remove background hiss, hum and fan noise from recordings.
- VST3 plugin support
- Use third-party VST3 effects and instruments from any developer.
- Spectral editing
- Edit audio in the frequency domain. Remove individual frequencies visually.
- Label tracks
- Add time-coded markers to recordings for easy navigation and export.
- Export formats
- MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AIFF and more. With FFmpeg: AAC, M4A, WMA.
- Nyquist scripting
- Write custom effects and batch processing scripts in the Nyquist language.
FAQ
Feature questions
Can Audacity record and play simultaneously (overdubbing)?
Yes. Enable overdub in Transport → Transport Options → Enable Audible Input Monitoring and Overdub. You can record a new track while listening to existing tracks. Set Latency Correction in Preferences to keep tracks in sync.
Does Audacity support MIDI on Windows?
Audacity can import and export MIDI files and display MIDI note data, but it is not a MIDI sequencer. It cannot play back MIDI through virtual instruments. For MIDI production, use a DAW like Reaper, Cakewalk or FL Studio.