✅ 100% Free & Open Source

Audacity — Free Audio Editor & Recorder (2026)

Record and edit audio for free with Audacity. Perfect for podcasts, music editing, voiceovers, and noise removal.

📥 Download Audacity — Free Audio Editor & Recorder (2026)

🪟 Download for Windows 🍎 Download for Mac

Click to download directly from the official website. No ads, no bundled software.

🔧 How to Install

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Step 1: Click Download above for your system

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Step 2: Run installer and follow the wizard

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Step 3: Launch Audacity

✨ Key Features

✓ Record audio from microphone or computer
✓ Cut, copy, paste, and trim audio clips
✓ Remove background noise automatically
✓ Apply effects: reverb, echo, fade, EQ
✓ Export as MP3, WAV, OGG, and more
✓ Multi-track mixing for music and podcasts

🎯 How to Use

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Step 1: Click the red Record button to start recording from your microphone

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Step 2: Click the black Stop button when done recording

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Step 3: To remove background noise: select a silent section → Effect → Noise Removal → Get Noise Profile → select all audio → Effect → Noise Removal → OK

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Step 4: To cut audio: click and drag to select → press Delete or Ctrl+X

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Step 5: To add fade in/out: select beginning → Effect → Fade In. Select end → Effect → Fade Out

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Step 6: Export as MP3: File → Export → Export as MP3 → name your file → Save

Record and edit audio like a pro, for free

Audacity is the most popular free audio editor available. Record from any microphone, edit tracks with precision, remove background noise, apply effects, and export in all major formats. It is the go-to tool for podcasters, musicians, and anyone who needs to work with audio.

FAQ

Can Audacity record computer audio (not just microphone)? Yes. In the audio input dropdown, select ‘Windows WASAPI’ (Windows) or ‘Loopback’ (Mac) to record system audio directly — perfect for capturing online meetings, streaming audio, or game sound.

How do I export as MP3? Audacity needs the free LAME MP3 encoder the first time you export to MP3. When you click Export as MP3, Audacity will guide you to download and install it — a one-time setup that takes about 30 seconds.

Can I edit a podcast with multiple people? Yes. Audacity supports multi-track editing. Import each person’s audio as a separate track, align them on the timeline, and adjust individual volumes before exporting.

Is Audacity safe? Yes. Audacity collects no telemetry or personal data. It has been trusted for over 20 years. Always download from the official website to avoid bundled adware sometimes found on third-party sites.

💡 100% Free & Safe

All download links go directly to the official project websites. We never host or modify any files. No registration, no ads, no spyware.