How to Change Sample Rate in Audacity

Configuring the sample rate in Audacity allows you to match industry standards—such as 44.1 kHz (44,100 Hz) for music and CDs or 48 kHz (48,000 Hz) for video and broadcast. Audacity gives you control over sample rates at three key stages: setting global defaults for new projects, adjusting the rate of your current active project, and resampling individual audio tracks.

Setting the Default Sample Rate for New Projects

To ensure every new recording or project starts at your preferred sample rate:

1. Open Audacity and navigate to Edit > Preferences (or Audacity > Preferences on macOS).
2. From the left sidebar, select Audio Settings (labeled Quality in older versions).
3. Locate the Default Sample Rate drop-down menu.
4. Select 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz, or type a custom frequency.
5. Click OK to save your preferences.

Changing the Current Project Rate

If you are already working in a project, you must set the project rate to determine the sample rate used during playback, mixing, and export:

• In Audacity 3.3 and newer: Click the Audio Setup button on the top toolbar, choose Audio Settings, change the Project Sample Rate, and click OK. Alternatively, look at the Project Rate indicator in the bottom-left or status bar area and select your desired frequency.
• In older Audacity versions: Locate the Project Rate (Hz) menu at the bottom-left corner of the main window and select your desired rate from the list.

Resampling an Existing Track

If you imported an audio file with a different sample rate, you can convert it to match your session:

1. Click on the track to select it.
2. Go to the top menu and select Tracks > Resample...
3. Choose your target rate (such as 44100 or 48000) from the drop-down menu.
4. Click OK to process the conversion.

Exporting at a Specific Sample Rate

When you export your audio (File > Export Audio), Audacity automatically exports the file at the current Project Sample Rate. Before finalizing the export, ensure the Project Sample Rate matches the target rate required for your final delivery format.