Audacity Keyboard Shortcuts

147 keyboard shortcuts to help you edit audio files free faster in Audacity

From Audacity Team, Audacity is purpose-built to edit audio files free. It is one of the leading applications in the audio & music production category.

Efficient Audacity workflows rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts. Every second saved on navigation adds up over the course of a project.

Audacity is available on macOS, Windows, and Linux, making these shortcuts useful no matter which operating system you prefer.

macOS Windows Linux

147 shortcuts 35 categories

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Show shortcuts for:

File Menu 9 shortcuts

Create a new empty project window

Cmd +N Ctrl +N Ctrl +N

Open audio files, list of files, or Audacity project

Cmd +O Ctrl +O Ctrl +O

Close the current project window

Cmd +W Ctrl +W Ctrl +W

Compact project and save disk space

Shift +A Shift +A Shift +A

Exit Audacity

Cmd +Q Ctrl +Q Ctrl +Q

Save the current Audacity project

Cmd +S Ctrl +S Ctrl +S

Export to an audio file

Shift +Cmd +E Ctrl +Shift +E Ctrl +Shift +E

Export multiple audio files in one process

Shift +Cmd +L Ctrl +Shift +L Ctrl +Shift +L

Import audio as a new track to existing project

Shift +Cmd +I Ctrl +Shift +I Ctrl +Shift +I

Edit Menu 8 shortcuts

Undo the most recent editing action

Cmd +Z Ctrl +Z Ctrl +Z

Redo the most recently undone editing action

Cmd +Y Ctrl +Y Ctrl +Y

Cut selected audio and labels to clipboard

Cmd +X Ctrl +X Ctrl +X

Delete selected audio and labels without copying

Cmd +K Ctrl +K Ctrl +K

Copy selected audio to clipboard

Cmd +C Ctrl +C Ctrl +C

Paste clipboard contents at cursor position

Cmd +V Ctrl +V Ctrl +V

Duplicate current selection as new clip

Cmd +D Ctrl +D Ctrl +D

Open Preferences dialog

Cmd +, Ctrl +P Ctrl +P

Edit: Remove Special 4 shortcuts

Cut without shifting audio to the right

Opt +Cmd +X Ctrl +Alt +X Ctrl +Alt +X

Delete without shifting audio to the right

Opt +Cmd +K Ctrl +Alt +K Ctrl +Alt +K

Replace selected audio with silence

Cmd +L Ctrl +L Ctrl +L

Delete all audio except the selection

Cmd +T Ctrl +T Ctrl +T

Edit: Clip Boundaries 4 shortcuts

Split current clip at cursor or selection boundaries

Cmd +I Ctrl +I Ctrl +I

Split selection and create new track with it

Opt +Cmd +I Ctrl +Alt +I Ctrl +Alt +I

Join clips that overlap with selection

Cmd +J Ctrl +J Ctrl +J

Create separate clips from regions between silences

Opt +Cmd +J Ctrl +Alt +J Ctrl +Alt +J

Edit: Labels 3 shortcuts

Create label at cursor or selection region

Cmd +B Ctrl +B Ctrl +B

Create label at current playback position

Cmd +. Ctrl +M Ctrl +M

Paste clipboard text to new label

Opt +Cmd +V Ctrl +Alt +V Ctrl +Alt +V

Edit: Labeled Audio 9 shortcuts

Cut labeled audio regions

Opt +X Alt +X Alt +X

Delete labeled audio regions

Opt +K Alt +K Alt +K

Split cut on labeled audio regions

Opt +Shift +X Alt +Shift +X Alt +Shift +X

Split delete on labeled audio regions

Opt +Shift +K Alt +Shift +K Alt +Shift +K

Silence labeled audio regions

Opt +L Alt +L Alt +L

Copy labeled audio regions

Opt +Shift +C Alt +Shift +C Alt +Shift +C

Split labeled audio regions

Opt +I Alt +I Alt +I

Join labeled audio regions

Opt +J Alt +J Alt +J

Detach labeled audio regions at silences

Opt +Shift +J Alt +Shift +J Alt +Shift +J

Select Menu 3 shortcuts

Selects all of the audio in all of the tracks

N/A Ctrl +A Ctrl +A

Deselects all of the audio in all of the tracks

N/A Ctrl +Shift +A Ctrl +Shift +A

Moves the edges of a selection region or the cursor position to a rising zero crossing point

Z Z Z

Select: Tracks 2 shortcuts

Extends the current selection up and/or down into all tracks in the project

N/A Ctrl +Shift +K Ctrl +Shift +K

Extends the current selection up and/or down into all sync-locked tracks in the currently selected track group

N/A Ctrl +Shift +Y Ctrl +Shift +Y

Select: Region 4 shortcuts

Sets the left boundary of a selection or opens the Set Left Selection Boundary dialog

[ [ [

Sets the right boundary of a selection or opens the Set Right Selection Boundary dialog

] ] ]

Selects a region in the selected track(s) from the start of the track to the cursor position

N/A Shift +J Shift +J

Selects a region in the selected track(s) from the cursor position to the end of the track

N/A Shift +K Shift +K

Select: Spectral 1 shortcut

Changes between selecting a time range and selecting the last selected spectral selection in that time range

Q Q Q

Select: Clip Boundaries 4 shortcuts

Moves the selection to the previous clip

Opt +, Alt +, Alt +,

Moves the selection to the next clip

Opt +. Alt +. Alt +.

Moves the selection to the previous clip on focused track

Shift +Tab Shift +Tab Shift +Tab

Moves the selection to the next clip on focused track

Tab Tab Tab

View: Zoom 5 shortcuts

Zooms in on the horizontal axis of the audio displaying more detail over a shorter length of time

N/A Ctrl +1 Ctrl +1

Zooms to the default view which displays about one inch per second

N/A Ctrl +2 Ctrl +2

Zooms out displaying less detail over a greater length of time

N/A Ctrl +3 Ctrl +3

Zooms in or out so that the selected audio fills the width of the window

N/A Ctrl +E Ctrl +E

Changes the zoom back and forth between two preset levels

Shift +Z Shift +Z Shift +Z

View: Track Size 4 shortcuts

Zooms out until the entire project just fits in the window

N/A Ctrl +F Ctrl +F

Adjusts the height of all the tracks until they fit in the project window

N/A Ctrl +Shift +F Ctrl +Shift +F

Collapses all tracks to take up the minimum amount of space

N/A Ctrl +Shift +C Ctrl +Shift +C

Expands all collapsed tracks to their original size before the last collapse

N/A Ctrl +Shift +X Ctrl +Shift +X

View: Skip to 2 shortcuts

When there is a selection, moves the cursor to the start of the selection and removes the selection

N/A Ctrl +[ Ctrl +[

When there is a selection, moves the cursor to the end of the selection and removes the selection

N/A Ctrl +] Ctrl +]

Transport: Playing 4 shortcuts

Starts and stops playback or stops a recording

Space Space Space

Starts playback and sets the restart position to the stop point when stopping

X X X

Plays the loop region only once when looping is enabled

Shift +Space Shift +Space Shift +Space

Temporarily pauses playing or recording without losing your place

P P P

Transport: Recording 4 shortcuts

Starts recording at the end of the currently selected track(s)

R R R

Recording begins on a new track at either the current cursor location or at the beginning of the current selection

Shift +R Shift +R Shift +R

Brings up the Timer Record dialog

Shift +T Shift +T Shift +T

Re-record over audio, with a pre-roll of audio that comes before

Shift +D Shift +D Shift +D

Transport: Cursor to 4 shortcuts

Moves the cursor to the start of the selected track

J J J

Moves the cursor to the end of the selected track

K K K

Moves the cursor to the beginning of the project

Home Home Home

Moves the cursor to the end of the project

End End End

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Transport: Looping 3 shortcuts

Toggles playback looping on/off

L L L

Clears the looping region

Opt +Shift +L Alt +Shift +L Alt +Shift +L

Sets the current selection range as the new looping region

Shift +L Shift +L Shift +L

Tracks: Add New 1 shortcut

Creates a new empty mono audio track

N/A Ctrl +Shift +N Ctrl +Shift +N

Tracks: Mix 1 shortcut

Mixes down all selected tracks to a single mono or stereo track, preserving original tracks

N/A Ctrl +Shift +M Ctrl +Shift +M

Tracks: Mute/Unmute 4 shortcuts

Mutes all the audio tracks in the project

N/A Ctrl +U Ctrl +U

Unmutes all the audio tracks in the project

N/A Ctrl +Shift +U Ctrl +Shift +U

Mutes the selected tracks

N/A Ctrl +Alt +U Ctrl +Alt +U

Unmutes the selected tracks

N/A Ctrl +Alt +Shift +U Ctrl +Alt +Shift +U

Effect Menu 2 shortcuts

Open the Realtime effects pane for the focused track

E E E

Repeat Last Effect

Cmd +R Ctrl +R Ctrl +R

Analyze Menu 1 shortcut

Analyze contrast between foreground speech and background noise

Shift +Cmd +T Ctrl +Shift +T Ctrl +Shift +T

Extra Menu 1 shortcut

Toggle full screen mode with no title bar

F11 F11 F11

Extra Transport 8 shortcuts

Play to or from the current mouse pointer position to or from the start or end of the selection

B B B

Play a short period before the start of the selected audio

Shift +F5 Shift +F5 Shift +F5

Play a short period after the start of the selected audio

Shift +F6 Shift +F6 Shift +F6

Play a short period before the end of the selected audio

Shift +F7 Shift +F7 Shift +F7

Play a short period after the end of the selected audio

Shift +F8 Shift +F8 Shift +F8

Play a short period before and after the start of the selected audio

Ctrl +Shift +F5 Ctrl +Shift +F5 Ctrl +Shift +F5

Play a short period before and after the end of the selected audio

Ctrl +Shift +F7 Ctrl +Shift +F7 Ctrl +Shift +F7

Play audio excluding the selection

C C C

Extra Tools 7 shortcuts

Choose Selection tool

F1 F1 F1

Choose Envelope tool

F2 F2 F2

Choose Draw tool

F3 F3 F3

Choose Zoom tool

F4 F4 F4

Choose the Multi-Tool

F6 F6 F6

Cycle backwards through the tools

A A A

Cycle forwards through the tools

D D D

Extra Edit 2 shortcuts

Delete the selection

Backspace Backspace Backspace

Delete the selection

Delete Delete Delete

Extra Play at Speed 2 shortcuts

Move selection to the previous label

Opt +Left Alt +Left Alt +Left

Move selection to the next label

Opt +Right Alt +Right Alt +Right

Extra Seek 4 shortcuts

Skip the playback cursor back one second by default

Left Left Left

Skip the playback cursor forward one second by default

Right Right Right

Skip the playback cursor back 15 seconds by default

Shift +Left Shift +Left Shift +Left

Skip the playback cursor forward 15 seconds by default

Shift +Right Shift +Right Shift +Right

Extra Device 4 shortcuts

Display the Select recording Device dialog

Shift +I Shift +I Shift +I

Display the Select Playback Device dialog

Shift +O Shift +O Shift +O

Display the Select Audio Host dialog

Shift +H Shift +H Shift +H

Display the Select Recording Channels dialog

Shift +N Shift +N Shift +N

Extra Selection 6 shortcuts

Select from cursor to start of project

Shift +Home Shift +Home Shift +Home

Select from cursor to end of track

Shift +End Shift +End Shift +End

Extend selection to the left

Shift +Left Shift +Left Shift +Left

Extend selection to the right

Shift +Right Shift +Right Shift +Right

Contract selection from the right

Ctrl +Shift +Right Ctrl +Shift +Right Ctrl +Shift +Right

Contract selection from the left

Ctrl +Shift +Left Ctrl +Shift +Left Ctrl +Shift +Left

Extra Focus 9 shortcuts

Move backward through toolbars, Track View, and toolbar docks

Ctrl +Shift +F6 Ctrl +Shift +F6 Ctrl +Shift +F6

Move forward through toolbars, Track View, and toolbar docks

Ctrl +F6 Ctrl +F6 Ctrl +F6

Focus one track up

Up Up Up

Focus one track down

Down Down Down

Focus on first track

Ctrl +Home Ctrl +Home Ctrl +Home

Focus on last track

Ctrl +End Ctrl +End Ctrl +End

Focus one track up and select it

Shift +Up Shift +Up Shift +Up

Focus one track down and select it

Shift +Down Shift +Down Shift +Down

Toggle selectedness of the focused track

Enter Enter Enter

Extra Cursor 6 shortcuts

Move the editing cursor one screen pixel to the left or when playing, move the playback cursor back one second

Left Left Left

Move the editing cursor one screen pixel to the right or when playing, move the playback cursor forward one second

Right Right Right

Move the editing cursor one second left by default

, , ,

Move the editing cursor one second right by default

. . .

Move the editing cursor 15 seconds left by default

Shift +, Shift +, Shift +,

Move the editing cursor 15 seconds right by default

Shift +. Shift +. Shift +.

Extra Track 10 shortcuts

Bring up the Pan dialog for the focused track

Shift +P Shift +P Shift +P

Pan left on the focused track by 10%

Opt +Shift +Left Alt +Shift +Left Alt +Shift +Left

Pan right on the focused track by 10%

Opt +Shift +Right Alt +Shift +Right Alt +Shift +Right

Bring up the Gain dialog for the focused track

Shift +G Shift +G Shift +G

Increase gain on the focused track by 1 dB

Opt +Shift +Up Alt +Shift +Up Alt +Shift +Up

Decrease gain on the focused track by 1 dB

Opt +Shift +Down Alt +Shift +Down Alt +Shift +Down

Open the Audio Track Dropdown Menu on the focused track

Shift +M Shift +M Shift +M

Toggle the Mute button on the focused track

Shift +U Shift +U Shift +U

Toggle the Solo button on the focused track

Shift +S Shift +S Shift +S

Close (remove) the focused track

Shift +C Shift +C Shift +C

No Menu 2 shortcuts

Move focus to previous window

Opt +Shift +F6 Alt +Shift +F6 Alt +Shift +F6

Move focus to next window

Opt +F6 Alt +F6 Alt +F6

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