Audacity will work on your computer if:

  • you can hear a start-up theme when your computer starts up (audio is enabled), and
  • you have a way to save an audio file to your computer.

Your computer must be audio-capable to run the Audacity free sound recorder.

Visualize that you have installed Audacity 2.0 on your computer. You have also installed LAME for Audacity, the LAME MP3 Encoder.

You have a sound card in your computer, or an external audio interface device providing the sound card function.

You have a computer monitor which will display the sound waves of your audio recordings.

You have a hard drive with adequate storage for the type of audio file you plan to produce.

You need equipment to put audio data into Audacity.

Any of the following may serve as an input source:

  • an internet connection,
  • a microphone with a 3.5mm or USB connector or an adapter which accepts those connections (plugged into your soundcard),
  • a connection to your iPod, or
  • a player, amplifier, or electronic instrument with adaptor for the 3.5mm or USB sound card input.

You need equipment to receive the recorded output from Audacity.

Once processed, you will need to save or export the file to a destination:

  • a hard drive, CD burner, or other drive with adequate storage space,
  • an iPod or other handheld device,
  • an email attachment,
  • a website.

You need a way to listen to the Audacity recording.

Your Audacity recording may be listened to as long as your computer is connected to:

  • speakers, or
  • a headset.

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