Audacity 4.0 audio editor launches with redesigned Qt interface and new clip-editing tools
The free and open-source audio editor Audacity has officially released version 4.0, representing the most significant architectural overhaul in the software's two-decade history. Released today by the development team on GitHub, the new version rebuilds the application interface on the Qt framework, introducing native high-DPI rendering and fundamentally changing how users interact with the program.
At the heart of the update is a new clip-editing model that replaces decades-old track-based workflows. Users can now select and manipulate clips directly by clicking on clip headers, with the ability to group multiple clips together for synchronized movement, copying, and pasting. The traditional separate tool modes, Select, Envelope, Draw, and Multi-tool, have been eliminated in favor of context-sensitive behavior, with functions like splitting now accessible via keyboard shortcuts or waveform interaction. The release also introduces workspace presets (Modern, Classic, and Music) that allow users to save and restore customized toolbar and panel arrangements.
The upgrade comes with important compatibility considerations for existing users. Audacity 4 uses a new .aup4 project format that opens legacy .aup3 files but cannot save back to the older format. Several Audacity 3 features remain unavailable in version 4.0, including Time Tracks, MIDI tracks, the Mixer Board, Macro Manager, and VAMP/LADSPA plugin hosting, though the team indicates they are working on restoring these in future releases. Plugin support continues through VST3, Nyquist, LV2 on Linux, and Audio Units on macOS. With official builds now available for Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon and Intel), and Linux, Audacity 4.0 represents a generational leap for the project that has served musicians, podcasters, and audio enthusiasts since 2000.
- Audio Recorder
- Free
- Open Source
Related news
External links
- Audacity 4.0 release notesAudacity on GitHub • Official source
- Audacity 4.0 Audio Editor Released With Qt6 Based UIPhoronix
- Audacity 4.0 released with brand-new look, clip editing featuresOMG! Ubuntu
- Audacity 4.0 Open-Source Audio Editor Officially Released, Here’s What’s New9to5Linux
- Audacity 4.0 Audio Editor Released with Redesigned Qt Interface, New Editing ModelLinuxiac
- Audacity 4.0 releasedLWN.net
Comments
Finally, an Audacity that doesn't look like it came out of 1995 and no longer have ugly outdated logo.
Right on! It doesn't have to actually work properly, just so long as it doesn't look old. /s
So far, I'm not impressed. There are basic features that Audacity has had forever like "mix stereo down to mono" and the ability to set certain preferences that aren't even included in the program yet. It's like they hurried up and shipped out a beta version. The ability to change colors of the track you're working on is nice, but it's a shame the color schemes they provide are all pretty putrid looking. Also, I'm not thrilled they waste UI space trying to get you to use "the cloud".
I just gave it another go. I didn't even get any editing done before the damn program crashed! All I was trying to do was set my shortcut keys. The very next thing I did was delete the buggy POS off my machine.
Audacity is useful for quick recording and cleanup, but I'm still stung by the tracking that they added and then removed (GitHub 889). Next time I need to do a cleanup, will try out Tenacity.
tbh I don't see the point... just use a video editor like Kdenlive or OpenShot...
Why the hell would you use a video editor for editing an audio file? Makes no sense to me, but..... I've been using Tenacity for quite a while now because the last half a dozen versions of Audacity have been buggy and unusable on my machine. IMO, Audacity hasn't been worth a crap since Muse took over.
@catalin560 It's interesting you mention that. I have experimented with using DaVinci Resolve's Fairlight engine. It is very handy with applying filters and EQ to improve on the audio quality. But as @guck_foogle is getting at, it can't shake a stick at working with multi-track waveforms, which is why we need apps like Audacity, Tenacity, Adobe Audition, etc.
@guck_foogle Thanks for the vote of confidence with Tenacity. I've been doing some reading up on it and will definitely give Tenacity a try.
@guck_foogle look past the naming of "video/audio editor" if all you're doing is basic stuff then an all purpose media application like OpenShot should be fine right?
@catalin560 Oh, I'm sure you CAN do it. I just don't know why you would when it's just as easy, if not easier, to use the right tool for the job. If one doesn't want to use Audacity or Tenacity, then there are other quite decent audio editing programs like Ocenaudio available. Also, if one doesn't normally do any video editing, then it makes even less sense to install a video editor on their machine.
@catalin560 I see the appeal of cutting and rearranging audio using a video editor. I know because I've done (amateurishly) video editing in the past, with Final cut pro, and didn't know any better. Over time I have learned some basics using Logic Pro. My journey continued into the Adobe suite, then into Audacity. My journey has taught me to appreciate the differences of the specialist software If using a video editor for basic chop and change is what you want to do, go ahead. But you may want to say least consider progressing to the next stage.