How to Export BWF Files in Audacity

Exporting Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) files from Audacity is essential for audio professionals preparing assets for television, radio, film, and commercial post-production. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step process for configuring your project sample rate, bit depth, loudness standards, and metadata so your final audio meets industry-standard broadcast specifications.

Step 1: Set the Broadcast Standard Sample Rate

Broadcast workflows universally require a sample rate of 48 kHz (48,000 Hz).

  1. Look at the bottom-left corner of the Audacity interface to locate the Project Rate (Hz) setting (in newer Audacity versions, navigate to Audio Setup > Audio Settings).
  2. Set the Project Sample Rate to 48000 Hz.
  3. Ensure any individual audio tracks inside the project match this rate. If a track is 44,100 Hz, select the track, go to Tracks > Resample..., and select 48000.

Step 2: Normalize Audio to Broadcast Loudness Standards

Broadcast compliance requires strict adherence to loudness targets (EBU R128 in Europe at -23 LUFS, or ATSC A/85 in North America at -24 LUFS) with a maximum True Peak limit usually set to -1 dBTP or -2 dBTP.

  1. Select all audio tracks (Ctrl + A or Cmd + A).
  2. Go to Effect > Volume and Compression > Loudness Normalization.
  3. Choose Perceived Loudness and set the target to -23 LUFS (EBU) or -24 LUFS (ATSC).
  4. Apply the effect.

Step 3: Add Metadata

BWF requires metadata to identify the originator, date, and project information. Audacity embeds standard RIFF/BWF metadata tags into the output header.

  1. Go to Edit > Metadata....
  2. Fill in the relevant fields:
    • Artist Name: Production company, engineer, or originator.
    • Track Title: Name of the segment, episode, or cut.
    • Year: Current production year.
    • Comments: Any production notes, scene/take numbers, or timecode offsets.
  3. Click OK to save the metadata into the session.

Step 4: Export to BWF-Compliant WAV

Audacity relies on the libsndfile library, which automatically writes standard BWF header extensions into uncompressed WAV exports.

  1. Go to File > Export Audio....
  2. Choose your destination folder and name your file using standard broadcast naming conventions (avoid special characters and spaces; use underscores).
  3. Set Format to WAV (Microsoft).
  4. Set Channels to either Mono or Stereo depending on the delivery delivery mandate.
  5. Set Sample Rate to 48000 Hz.
  6. Set Encoding to Signed 24-bit PCM (the standard bit depth for professional broadcast).
  7. Click Export.

The resulting .wav file contains the linear PCM audio stream and header tags required to pass broadcast quality-control validation in playout and editing systems.