FAQ

The following are the FAQs copied in from the main SF site. They need

re-reading and updating for 1.3.9/2.0 where appropriate

22Sep09: (Peter) FAQs in manual updated to be in line with those on the main Audacity site (which had themselves been updated). Two that definitely require updating are:

1. Recording: Can I set Audacity to record at a certain time
2. Opening & saving Files: Audacity Crashed! Can I recover any unsaved data?

24Sep09: (Peter) FAQ page broken into one page per section - based on the pre-existing section headers in the FAQ. This page probably needs its layout changing now - maybe to just be a simple index with pointers to the relevant FAQ pages?

Gale 25 Sep09: I do want this page to link to both the index page for each FAQ section and to the individual questions in that section. But having the headings in this page as links to the pages for the FAQ sections is very non-standard. That means if we have headings on this page they need a link to the FAQ section index underneath (as per the "Recording" section here now). In that case we keep the Table of Contents (__TOC__) . Or, we use (__NOTOC__) to hide the Wiki-generated table of contents and mimic the Wiki TOC by having no headings, so it looks like "Opening and Saving Files" and "Editing" here now. I prefer mimicking the TOC.

1 About Audacity

• 1.1 Is Audacity really free? Why?
• 1.2 Does Audacity contain any spyware or adware?
• 1.3 May I distribute copies of Audacity?
• 1.4 Someone is selling Audacity on eBay. Is this legal?
• 1.5 I saw an ad that misled me into thinking I had to pay for Audacity. What can I do?
• 1.6 How can I change the language displayed in Audacity?
• 1.7 Does Audacity work with screen-reader programs for blind users?
• 1.8 What does “time remaining” mean? Does Audacity expire?
• 1.9 Does Audacity run on 64-bit systems?

2 Installation and Plug-Ins

• 2.1 How do I download and install the LAME MP3 encoder?
• 2.2 How do I download and install the FFmpeg Import/Export Library?
• 2.3 Why do I receive an error when I export to an FFmpeg format?
• 2.4 How do I install VST plug-ins?
• 2.5 Why do some VST plug-ins look wrong, or not work?
• 2.6 What should I do if I have problems downloading or installing Audacity?

3 Recording

• 3.1 How can I record in stereo?
• 3.2 How do I record from vinyl records, cassette tapes, or MiniDiscs?
• 3.3 Why doesn't the Mixer Toolbar input selector work properly, for example on Windows Vista?
• 3.4 Why can’t I hear what I’m recording?
• 3.5 Can I play a track while recording a new one on top of it?
• 3.6 Why isn’t my new track in sync with the previous ones?
• 3.7 Can Audacity record RealAudio or other streaming audio?
• 3.8 Can I set Audacity to record at a certain time?

4 Opening and Saving Files

• 4.1 How do I open an Audacity project (AUP file) in another program?
• 4.2 Why does Audacity create a folder full of .au files when I save a project?
• 4.3 Audacity crashed! Can I recover any unsaved data?
• 4.4 Can Audacity import file formats like WMA, AAC, FLAC, etc.?
• 4.5 Why can’t I play MIDI files?
• 4.6 How do I import a track from an audio CD?
• 4.7 How do I save my recording on an audio CD?
• 4.8 How can I split a long recording into multiple files or CD tracks?

5 Editing:

• 5.1.1 Why can't I use the effects or other menu items?
• 5.1.2 Why can't I select less than one second or click between whole seconds?
• 5.2.1 How do I combine two files into one longer file?
• 5.2.2 How do I mix two tracks together?
• 5.2.3 Can I remove the vocals from a recording to make a Karaoke track?

Ideas for new FAQs

• I can't make precise selections. (Snap To)
• Are you planning a release of Audacity for mobile devices like iPad or Droid smartphone?
• How can I import WAV files from portable players?
• When I record I receive "error opening sound device" -what does that mean?
• How can I make my recording so it plays back in both speakers?
• I recorded my tapes/LPs in stereo so why do I get only the left in both speakers?
• Can I create Ringtones with Audacity?
• I chose English when I installed Audacity, but the menus show ??? or foreign characters - how do I change the language now?
• Why have I lost sound on Windows after using Audacity?

When you connect a USB audio device to a Windows computer, Windows automatically allocates both input and output to the USB device. If the USB audio device is an input only device (such as a microphone or turntable) or an output only device (such as headphones or speakers), then it is necessary to go into the Windows Control Panel and in the "Sounds and Audio Devices" section, set the input and output devices to the devices that you want to use.

• Why does my recording keep pausing automatically, or pressing Pause has no effect?

Most likely you have enabled Sound Activated Recording by mistake and the recording input is below the threshold level at which recording is set to start (you will notice that the blue Pause button is depressed after you press Record). The "latency correction" message will only appear when you stop a recording that you were trying to start from time zero.

You can uncheck Sound Activated Recording either in the Recording Preferences as above (click OK to save the change) or in the Transport Menu.

Old - need merging or deleting

• Old - need merging or deleting