Audacity 4 Launches Non-Destructive Editing in 26-Year-Old Audio App

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Sep 4

Audacity 4 has arrived as a full overhaul of the long-running free audio editor, centered on a non-destructive workflow that lets users trim clips and restore hidden audio by dragging edges back out.
Clip handling is the biggest practical shift: audio can now overlap, move freely across the timeline, and be split for easier rearranging—replacing older behavior that blocked clips from passing one another.
The release also refreshes clip envelopes, built-in effects, and project organization with a new home screen, while adding a redesigned interface and customizable themes aligned with Muse’s other products.
For software that has kept much of its 2000-era layout despite years of added features, the revamp pushes Audacity closer to a modern digital audio workstation.