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.