All Audacity Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows & Mac (2026)
Audacity keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that let you control Audacity’s recording, editing, playback, and mixing functions without using the mouse. Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor used by podcasters, musicians, teachers, and content creators on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Mastering its shortcuts can cut your editing time by 40–60% compared to menu-only workflows.
The Most Important Audacity Shortcuts at a Glance
The five Audacity shortcuts every user must know:
- Spacebar – Play or stop audio
- R – Start recording
- Ctrl + Z (Windows) / ⌘ + Z (Mac) – Undo the last action
- Ctrl + X / ⌘ + X – Cut selected audio
- Ctrl + B / ⌘ + B – Add a label or marker
Mac users: In Audacity, every Ctrl shortcut on Windows becomes ⌘ (Command) on Mac, and every Alt becomes Option. The one exception is Preferences: use Ctrl + P on Windows but ⌘ + , on Mac.
Quick facts about Audacity:
Audacity has been downloaded over 100 million times and is one of the most widely used free audio editors in the world. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, and offers two shortcut sets: a simplified Standard set (default) and an extended Full set available via Edit → Preferences → Keyboard.
📥 Download the Audacity Shortcuts PDF – print-friendly cheat sheet, free.
Top 20 Most-Used Audacity Shortcuts
A quick-reference card for the shortcuts every Audacity user should learn first.
| Action | Windows | Mac | Why You Need It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play / Stop | Spacebar | Spacebar | The single most-used shortcut |
| Record | R | R | Start recording instantly |
| Pause | P | P | Pause without losing cursor position |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | ⌘ + Z | Fix any mistake immediately |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | ⌘ + Y | Restore undone actions |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | ⌘ + X | Remove selected audio |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | ⌘ + C | Copy selected audio |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | ⌘ + V | Insert copied audio |
| Select All | Ctrl + A | ⌘ + A | Select entire project |
| Save Project | Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S | Save your work |
| Zoom In | Ctrl + 1 | ⌘ + 1 | See more waveform detail |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl + 3 | ⌘ + 3 | See more of the timeline |
| Fit to Window | Ctrl + F | ⌘ + F | Show entire project at once |
| Silence Audio | Ctrl + L | ⌘ + L | Replace selection with silence |
| Duplicate | Ctrl + D | ⌘ + D | Duplicate selected audio to new track |
| Add Label | Ctrl + B | ⌘ + B | Mark a point or region |
| Split | Ctrl + I | ⌘ + I | Split clip at cursor |
| Repeat Last Effect | Ctrl + R | ⌘ + R | Re-apply the last effect |
| Export Audio | Ctrl + Shift + E | ⌘ + Shift + E | Export your finished file |
| Preferences | Ctrl + P | ⌘ + , | Open settings |
File Menu Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| New | Ctrl + N | ⌘ + N | Creates a new empty project window |
| Open | Ctrl + O | ⌘ + O | Open an audio file or Audacity project |
| Close | Ctrl + W | ⌘ + W | Close the current project window |
| Save Project | Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S | Saves the current Audacity .AUP3 project file |
| Compact Project | Shift + A | Shift + A | Compacts project to save disk space (deletes undo history) |
| Export Audio | Ctrl + Shift + E | ⌘ + Shift + E | Export project to an audio file (MP3, WAV, OGG, etc.) |
| Export Multiple | Ctrl + Shift + L | ⌘ + Shift + L | Export multiple audio files in one process |
| Import Audio | Ctrl + Shift + I | ⌘ + Shift + I | Import an audio file as a new track in the current project |
| Exit / Quit | Ctrl + Q | ⌘ + Q | Close all project windows and exit Audacity |
Edit Menu Shortcuts
Core Editing
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | ⌘ + Z | Undoes the most recent editing action |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | ⌘ + Y | Redoes the most recently undone action |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | ⌘ + X | Removes selected audio and places it on the clipboard; remaining audio shifts left |
| Delete | Ctrl + K | ⌘ + K | Removes selected audio without copying to clipboard; remaining audio shifts left |
| Copy | Ctrl + C | ⌘ + C | Copies selected audio to clipboard without removing it |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | ⌘ + V | Inserts clipboard content at the cursor position |
| Duplicate | Ctrl + D | ⌘ + D | Creates a new track containing only the current selection |
| Select All | Ctrl + A | ⌘ + A | Selects all audio in all tracks |
| Select None | Ctrl + Shift + A | ⌘ + Shift + A | Deselects all audio in all tracks [Full Set] |
| Preferences | Ctrl + P | ⌘ + , | Opens Audacity preferences (on Mac, found in Audacity menu) |
Remove Special
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split Cut | Ctrl + Alt + X | ⌘ + Option + X | Same as Cut, but audio to the right does not shift left |
| Split Delete | Ctrl + Alt + K | ⌘ + Option + K | Same as Delete, but audio to the right does not shift left |
| Silence Audio | Ctrl + L | ⌘ + L | Replaces selected audio with absolute silence |
| Trim Audio | Ctrl + T | ⌘ + T | Deletes everything except the selection |
Clip Boundaries
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split | Ctrl + I | ⌘ + I | Splits the current clip at the cursor, or into three clips at selection boundaries |
| Split New | Ctrl + Alt + I | ⌘ + Option + I | Split-cuts the selection and pastes it into a new track [Full Set] |
| Join | Ctrl + J | ⌘ + J | Joins overlapping clips into one; gaps become silence [Full Set] |
| Detach at Silences | Ctrl + Alt + J | ⌘ + Option + J | Splits clips at silent regions, leaving blank space between them [Full Set] |
Labels & Markers Shortcuts
Labels are one of Audacity’s most powerful features for marking, navigating, and exporting regions of audio.
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add Label at Selection | Ctrl + B | ⌘ + B | Creates a new label at the cursor or around the selected region |
| Add Label at Playback Position | Ctrl + M | ⌘ + . | Creates a label at the current playback or recording position |
| Paste Text to New Label | Ctrl + Alt + V | ⌘ + Option + V | Pastes clipboard text as a new label in a label track [Full Set] |
| Move to Next Label | Alt + Right | Option + Right | Moves selection forward to the next label |
| Move to Previous Label | Alt + Left | Option + Left | Moves selection back to the previous label |
| Next Clip on Focused Track | Tab | Tab | Moves selection to the next clip (cannot be reassigned) |
| Previous Clip on Focused Track | Shift + Tab | Shift + Tab | Moves selection to the previous clip (cannot be reassigned) |
| Next Clip on Selected Track | Alt + . | Option + . | Moves the selection to the next clip |
| Previous Clip on Selected Track | Alt + , | Option + , | Moves the selection to the previous clip |
Labeled Audio Operations
These apply Edit commands to labeled audio regions rather than the current selection.
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labeled Cut | Alt + X | Option + X | Cuts labeled audio regions [Full Set] |
| Labeled Delete | Alt + K | Option + K | Deletes labeled audio regions [Full Set] |
| Labeled Split Cut | Alt + Shift + X | Option + Shift + X | Split-cuts labeled audio regions |
| Labeled Split Delete | Alt + Shift + K | Option + Shift + K | Split-deletes labeled audio regions |
| Labeled Silence | Alt + L | Option + L | Silences labeled audio regions [Full Set] |
| Labeled Copy | Alt + Shift + C | Option + Shift + C | Copies labeled audio regions |
| Labeled Split | Alt + I | Option + I | Splits at labeled audio regions [Full Set] |
| Labeled Join | Alt + J | Option + J | Joins labeled audio regions [Full Set] |
| Labeled Detach at Silences | Alt + Shift + J | Option + Shift + J | Detaches labeled regions at silences |
Transport / Playback Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play / Stop | Spacebar | Spacebar | Starts or stops playback; restart position is unchanged |
| Play / Stop and Set Cursor | X | X | Stops playback and moves cursor to the stop point |
| Play Once / Stop | Shift + Space | Shift + Space | Plays the loop region once when looping is enabled |
| Pause | P | P | Temporarily pauses playback or recording without losing position |
| Play to Selection | B | B | Plays to or from the mouse pointer position |
| Play Cut Preview | C | C | Plays audio excluding the current selection (preview a cut) |
| Play Before Selection Start | Shift + F5 | Shift + F5 | Plays a short period before the selection starts [Full Set] |
| Play After Selection Start | Shift + F6 | Shift + F6 | Plays a short period after the selection starts [Full Set] |
| Play Before Selection End | Shift + F7 | Shift + F7 | Plays a short period before the selection ends [Full Set] |
| Play After Selection End | Shift + F8 | Shift + F8 | Plays a short period after the selection ends [Full Set] |
| Play Before & After Selection Start | Ctrl + Shift + F5 | ⌘ + Shift + F5 | Plays a short period on both sides of the selection start [Full Set] |
| Play Before & After Selection End | Ctrl + Shift + F7 | ⌘ + Shift + F7 | Plays a short period on both sides of the selection end [Full Set] |
Recording Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record | R | R | Starts recording at the end of the selected track |
| Record New Track | Shift + R | Shift + R | Starts recording on a new track at the cursor position |
| Timer Record | Shift + T | Shift + T | Opens the Timer Record dialog for scheduled recording |
| Punch and Roll Record | Shift + D | Shift + D | Re-records over audio with a pre-roll of audio before the punch point |
| Pause | P | P | Pauses recording without losing the current position |
Navigation & Cursor Shortcuts
Skip to Position
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skip to Project Start | Home | Home | Moves cursor to the very beginning of the project |
| Skip to Project End | End | End | Moves cursor to the very end of the project |
| Move Cursor to Track Start | J | J | Moves cursor to the start of the selected track |
| Move Cursor to Track End | K | K | Moves cursor to the end of the selected track |
| Selection to Start | Shift + Home | Shift + Home | Extends selection from cursor back to project start |
| Selection to End | Shift + End | Shift + End | Extends selection from cursor forward to project end |
| Track Start to Cursor | Shift + J | Shift + J | Selects from track start to cursor position |
| Cursor to Track End | Shift + K | Shift + K | Selects from cursor position to track end |
Cursor Jump
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor Short Jump Left | , | , | Moves cursor one second left (adjustable in Preferences) |
| Cursor Short Jump Right | . | . | Moves cursor one second right (adjustable in Preferences) |
| Cursor Long Jump Left | Shift + , | Shift + , | Moves cursor 15 seconds left (adjustable in Preferences) |
| Cursor Long Jump Right | Shift + . | Shift + . | Moves cursor 15 seconds right (adjustable in Preferences) |
Seek During Playback
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Seek Left | Left Arrow | Left Arrow | Skips playback cursor back 1 second |
| Short Seek Right | Right Arrow | Right Arrow | Skips playback cursor forward 1 second |
| Long Seek Left | Shift + Left | Shift + Left | Skips playback cursor back 15 seconds |
| Long Seek Right | Shift + Right | Shift + Right | Skips playback cursor forward 15 seconds |
Selection Boundaries
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set Left Boundary | [ | [ | Sets left selection boundary to current playback position |
| Set Right Boundary | ] | ] | Sets right selection boundary to current playback position |
| At Zero Crossings | Z | Z | Snaps selection edges to the nearest zero crossing point |
| Select in All Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + K | ⌘ + Shift + K | Extends selection into all tracks in the project |
| Select in All Sync-Locked Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + Y | ⌘ + Shift + Y | Extends selection into all sync-locked tracks |
Looping Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loop On / Off | L | L | Toggles looped playback on or off |
| Set Loop to Selection | Shift + L | Shift + L | Sets the current selection as the new loop region |
| Clear Loop | Alt + Shift + L | Option + Shift + L | Clears the looping region |
View & Zoom Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom In | Ctrl + 1 | ⌘ + 1 | Zooms in to show more waveform detail |
| Zoom Normal | Ctrl + 2 | ⌘ + 2 | Returns to default zoom (approx. 1 inch per second) |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl + 3 | ⌘ + 3 | Zooms out to show more of the timeline |
| Zoom to Selection | Ctrl + E | ⌘ + E | Zooms so the selected audio fills the window |
| Zoom Toggle | Shift + Z | Shift + Z | Toggles between two preset zoom levels |
| Fit to Width | Ctrl + F | ⌘ + F | Zooms out until the entire project fits the window |
| Fit to Height | Ctrl + Shift + F | ⌘ + Shift + F | Adjusts track heights to fill the project window |
| Collapse All Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + C | ⌘ + Shift + C | Collapses all tracks to minimum height |
| Expand Collapsed Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + X | ⌘ + Shift + X | Expands all collapsed tracks to their previous size |
| Go to Selection Start | Ctrl + [ | ⌘ + [ | Moves cursor to the start of the selection [Full Set] |
| Go to Selection End | Ctrl + ] | ⌘ + ] | Moves cursor to the end of the selection [Full Set] |
| Full Screen On / Off | F11 | F11 | Toggles full screen mode |
Tools Shortcuts (F-Keys)
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selection Tool | F1 | F1 | Standard selection and cursor tool use to select audio regions |
| Envelope Tool | F2 | F2 | Draw and edit volume envelope points on a track |
| Draw Tool | F3 | F3 | Draw individual sample points to repair glitches |
| Zoom Tool | F4 | F4 | Click to zoom in; right-click to zoom out |
| Multi-Tool | F6 | F6 | Context-sensitive tool that combines all tool functions |
| Previous Tool | A | A | Cycles backward through the available tools [Full Set] |
| Next Tool | D | D | Cycles forward through the available tools [Full Set] |
Track Controls Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Menu on Focused Track | Shift + M | Shift + M | Opens the Audio Track dropdown menu on the focused track |
| Mute / Unmute Focused Track | Shift + U | Shift + U | Toggles the mute button on the focused track |
| Solo / Unsolo Focused Track | Shift + S | Shift + S | Toggles the solo button on the focused track |
| Change Gain on Focused Track | Shift + G | Shift + G | Opens gain dialog for the focused track |
| Change Pan on Focused Track | Shift + P | Shift + P | Opens pan dialog for the focused track [Full Set] |
| Close Focused Track | Shift + C | Shift + C | Removes the focused track from the project [Full Set] |
| Increase Gain on Focused Track | Alt + Shift + Up | Option + Shift + Up | Increases gain by 1 dB per keypress [Full Set] |
| Decrease Gain on Focused Track | Alt + Shift + Down | Option + Shift + Down | Decreases gain by 1 dB per keypress [Full Set] |
| Pan Left on Focused Track | Alt + Shift + Left | Option + Shift + Left | Pans the focused track 10% left [Full Set] |
| Pan Right on Focused Track | Alt + Shift + Right | Option + Shift + Right | Pans the focused track 10% right [Full Set] |
| Mute All Tracks | Ctrl + U | ⌘ + U | Mutes all audio tracks in the project |
| Unmute All Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + U | ⌘ + Shift + U | Unmutes all audio tracks in the project |
| Mute Selected Tracks | Ctrl + Alt + U | ⌘ + Option + U | Mutes only the selected tracks |
| Unmute Selected Tracks | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + U | ⌘ + Option + Shift + U | Unmutes only the selected tracks |
Track Focus & Navigation Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move Focus to Previous Track | Up Arrow | Up Arrow | Moves keyboard focus one track up |
| Move Focus to Next Track | Down Arrow | Down Arrow | Moves keyboard focus one track down |
| Move Focus Up and Select | Shift + Up | Shift + Up | Moves focus one track up and selects it |
| Move Focus Down and Select | Shift + Down | Shift + Down | Moves focus one track down and selects it |
| Move Focus to First Track | Ctrl + Home | ⌘ + Home | Moves focus to the topmost track [Full Set] |
| Move Focus to Last Track | Ctrl + End | ⌘ + End | Moves focus to the bottom track [Full Set] |
| Toggle Focused Track Selected | Return | Return | Toggles the selected state of the focused track |
| Move Forward Through Toolbars/Tracks | Ctrl + F6 | ⌘ + F6 | Cycles focus forward through toolbar areas and track view |
| Move Backward Through Toolbars/Tracks | Ctrl + Shift + F6 | ⌘ + Shift + F6 | Cycles focus backward through toolbar areas and track view |
Device Toolbar Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change Audio Host | Shift + H | Shift + H | Opens dialog to select the audio host (WASAPI, MME, etc.) [Full Set] |
| Change Recording Device | Shift + I | Shift + I | Opens dialog to select the recording device [Full Set] |
| Change Playback Device | Shift + O | Shift + O | Opens dialog to select the playback device [Full Set] |
| Change Recording Channels | Shift + N | Shift + N | Opens dialog to set mono or stereo recording [Full Set] |
Tracks Menu Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add New Mono Track | Ctrl + Shift + N | ⌘ + Shift + N | Creates a new empty mono audio track [Full Set] |
| Mix and Render to New Track | Ctrl + Shift + M | ⌘ + Shift + M | Mixes selected tracks to a new track, preserving originals [Full Set] |
Selection Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selection Extend Left | Shift + Left | Shift + Left | Increases selection size by extending to the left |
| Selection Extend Right | Shift + Right | Shift + Right | Increases selection size by extending to the right |
| Selection Contract Left | Ctrl + Shift + Right | ⌘ + Shift + Right | Shrinks selection from the right |
| Selection Contract Right | Ctrl + Shift + Left | ⌘ + Shift + Left | Shrinks selection from the left |
| Toggle Spectral Selection | Q | Q | Switches between time range and spectral selection [Full Set] |
Effect Menu Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat Last Effect | Ctrl + R | ⌘ + R | Repeats the last used effect with the same settings, no dialog |
| Add Realtime Effects | E | E | Opens the realtime effects pane for the focused track |
Analyze Menu Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast Analysis | Ctrl + Shift + T | ⌘ + Shift + T | Analyzes volume contrast between speech and background [Full Set] |
How to Customize Audacity Shortcuts
Every shortcut in Audacity can be changed, removed, or newly assigned to an unassigned command.
- Open Edit → Preferences (Windows/Linux) or Audacity → Preferences (Mac), or press Ctrl + P / ⌘ + ,
- Click Keyboard in the left sidebar
- Use the Search box at the top to find any command by name
- Click on the command you want to change
- Click inside the Shortcut input field and press your desired key combination
- Click Set to apply
- Click OK to save
To enable the Full shortcut set: In the Keyboard preferences panel, click the Defaults button and select Full to activate all extended shortcuts marked [Full Set] in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Audacity play shortcut?
Press Spacebar to play or stop audio in Audacity. This works on both Windows and Mac and is the most commonly used shortcut.
What is the Audacity cut shortcut?
Press Ctrl + X (Windows) or ⌘ + X (Mac) to cut selected audio. The audio is placed on the clipboard and remaining audio shifts left to fill the gap.
What is the Audacity redo shortcut?
Press Ctrl + Y (Windows) or ⌘ + Y (Mac) to redo the last undone action.
What is the Envelope tool shortcut in Audacity?
Press F2 to activate the Envelope tool, which lets you draw volume fade curves on your tracks.
How do I add a label/marker in Audacity?
Press Ctrl + B (Windows) or ⌘ + B (Mac) to add a label at the cursor or selection. Press Ctrl + M / ⌘ + . to add a label at the current playback position while recording or playing.
Can I use Audacity shortcuts on Mac?
Yes. Most shortcuts are identical, but replace Ctrl with ⌘ (Command) and Alt with Option. The Preferences shortcut is ⌘ + , on Mac (not ⌘ + P).
What is the difference between Standard and Full shortcut sets in Audacity?
The Standard set is Audacity’s default a simplified set of shortcuts. The Full set includes additional shortcuts (marked [Full Set] in this guide) that were available in Audacity 2.1.3 and earlier. Enable it via Edit → Preferences → Keyboard → Defaults → Full.
How do I split audio in Audacity?
Place the cursor where you want to split, then press Ctrl + I (Windows) or ⌘ + I (Mac). This splits the clip at the cursor into two separate clips.
What does Ctrl+L do in Audacity?
Ctrl + L (Windows) or ⌘ + L (Mac) silences the selected audio replacing it with absolute silence without removing it. Useful for removing background noise from a specific section.
How do I zoom in Audacity with the keyboard?
Press Ctrl + 1 to zoom in, Ctrl + 2 for default zoom, and Ctrl + 3 to zoom out. Press Ctrl + E to zoom to fit the current selection. On Mac, use ⌘ instead of Ctrl.
Conclusion: Master Audacity Faster With These Shortcuts
Learning Audacity keyboard shortcuts is one of the highest-return investments you can make as an audio editor. Whether you are a podcaster trimming recordings, a musician editing takes, a teacher creating lesson audio, or a content creator cleaning up voiceovers the difference between reaching for the menu and pressing a single key adds up to hours saved every week.
Here is a quick summary of the most important things to remember:
- Spacebar is your best friend play and stop without touching the mouse
- Ctrl + Z / ⌘ + Z is your safety net undo anything, instantly
- Mac users replace every Ctrl with ⌘ and every Alt with Option
- The Full shortcut set unlocks 40+ additional shortcuts enable it via Edit → Preferences → Keyboard → Defaults → Full
- Every shortcut in Audacity is fully customizable assign any key combination to any command via Edit → Preferences → Keyboard
Start with the Top 20 Most-Used Shortcuts at the top of this guide. Once those become muscle memory, work through the section most relevant to your workflow editing, labeling, or recording. You do not need to memorize all 200+ shortcuts at once.
Keep Exploring: Related Shortcut Guides
- 🎵 Adobe Audition Shortcuts – professional DAW alternative to Audacity
- 🎹 FL Studio Keyboard Shortcuts – complete list for music production
- 🎬 DaVinci Resolve Keyboard Shortcuts – for video and audio post-production
- 🖥️ Blender Keyboard Shortcuts – if you create video content alongside your audio
