Audacity Keyboard Commands

Keystrokes

General

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Open audio file
 CTRL + O
 
New project
 CTRL + N
 
Save project
 CTRL + S
 
Preferences dialog
 CTRL + P
 
Cycle forward through Toolbars, Track table, and Selection bar
 CTRL + F6
 
Cycle backward through Toolbars, Track table, and Selection bar
 CTRL + SHIFT + F6
 

Playback

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Start/Stop
 SPACEBAR
 
Pause/unpause
 P
 
Seek backward short period during playback
 LEFT ARROW
 
Seek forward short period during playback
 RIGHT ARROW
 
Seek backward long period during playback
 SHIFT + LEFT ARROW
 
Seek forward long period during playback
 SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW
 
Play cut/delete preview
 C
 
Play looped
 LTrack table
 
Command
 Keystrokes
 
Move to previous track
 UP ARROW
 
Move to next track
 DOWN ARROW
 
Toggle selection of focused track
 ENTER
 
Select all the tracks (and all the audio)
 CTRL + A
 
Open menu of focused track
 APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT + M
 
Close (Delete) focused track
 SHIFT + C
 

Audio track

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Change gain of focused track
 SHIFT + G
 
Change pan of focused track
 SHIFT + P
 
Mute/Unmute focused track
 SHIFT + U
 
Solo/Unsolo focused track
 SHIFT + S
 

Moving the cursor

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Skip to start of tracks (time zero)
 HOME
 
Skip to end of audio
 END
 
New cursor position at playback position
 [
 
Move backward short period
 COMMA
 
Move forward short period
 PERIOD
 
Move backward long period
 SHIFT + COMMA
 
Move forward long period
 SHIFT + PERIOD
 
Cursor left by a very small amount
 LEFT ARROW
 
Cursor right by a very small amount
 RIGHT ARROW
 

Selecting a time range

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Select time range which includes all the audio, and select all tracks
 CTRL + A
 
Selection end at start of tracks (time zero)
 SHIFT + HOME
 
Selection end at end of audio
 SHIFT + END
 
Selection start at playback position
 [
 
Selection end at playback position
 ]
 
Extend left hand end of selection by a small amount
 SHIFT + LEFT ARROW
 
Extend right hand end of selection by a small amount
 SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW
 
Contract left hand end of selection by a small amount
 CTRL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW
 
Contract right hand end of selection by a small amount
 CTRL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW
 

Editing

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Undo
 CTRL + Z
 
Redo
 CTRL + Y
 
Delete selected audio
 DELETE
 
Cut selected audio
 CTRL + X
 
Copy selected audio
 CTRL + C
 
Paste
 CTRL + V
 
Replace selected audio with silence
 CTRL + L
 
Close (Delete) focused track
 SHIFT + C
 

Recording

Command
 Keystrokes
 
Record
 R
 
Pause/unpause
 P
 
Stop
 SPACEBAR