Audacity has released version 4, and the team calls it the largest update in the editor's 25-year history. It stays free and open source, which keeps it firmly among the strongest free options for producers.
The headline change is Workspaces. You save a preferred tool and UI layout for a specific task, then switch between them instantly. A producer can keep one configuration for beat work and another for podcast editing, and flip between the two without rebuilding the interface each time.
Audacity 3 restricted how clips could be pasted and moved. Version 4 lets clips overlap each other, and adds clip grouping, non-destructive editing and ripple editing.
The clip envelope has been rebuilt with more drag and shaping options, and the waveform responds as you shape it. A new split tool handles multiple clips at once.
Sample-level editing has been simplified too. You zoom into a clip until individual samples appear, then edit them directly, rather than switching into a separate draw mode. You can also export a selected region, so exporting a loop no longer means rendering an entire project.
Every built-in effect has been redesigned for easier use. Real-time effect support now covers a wider range of VST3, Audio Unit and LV2 plugins.
Each track carries its own meter, and those meters double as input monitors while recording. The main playback meter switches between horizontal and vertical views.
The interface has been cleaned up throughout, with improved navigation and a choice between the classic Audacity appearance and a more modern look. There is also deeper integration with audio.com for sharing and uploading. It remains one of the more quietly essential tools in a producer’s kit.
Product designer Alex Dawson framed most of the work as groundwork rather than features. “Most of the important changes made in this version are under-the-hood foundations, which will allow us to move much faster than ever before,” he said in the announcement video.
He also restated the licensing position plainly: “Audacity remains free and open source. Forever.”
Audacity 4 is available now from audacityteam.org.
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