How to Lock Playhead Scrolling in Audacity
This guide explains how to enable the pinned playhead in Audacity, a feature that locks the playback cursor into a fixed position while the audio waveform continuously scrolls beneath it. By default, Audacity uses a moving playhead that jumps between screens, but switching to a locked, stationary playhead provides a smoother, continuous view of your audio during playback and recording.
Method 1: Using the Timeline Context Menu
The quickest and most universal way to lock the playhead in modern versions of Audacity is through the Timeline ruler:
- Right-click (or Control-click on macOS) anywhere on the Timeline ruler located above your audio tracks.
- In the context menu that appears, click Pinned Play Head to check the option.
- Start playback by pressing the Spacebar. The cursor will remain stationary in the center of the timeline while the audio track scrolls smoothly from right to left.
To revert to the standard jumping playhead, right-click the Timeline again and uncheck Pinned Play Head.
Method 2: Using the Playhead Toggle Button
Audacity also includes a direct visual toggle directly on the interface:
- Look at the top-left edge of the Timeline ruler.
- Depending on your version of Audacity, locate either a small downward-pointing green triangle or a pushpin icon.
- Click this icon. When the icon changes to a locked pin or moves to the center of the timeline, the pinned mode is active.
- If you click an active playhead directly on the Timeline ruler while audio is playing, it will instantly toggle between pinned (locked) and unpinned modes.
How Pinned Playhead Works
- Stationary Position: Once locked, the playhead remains fixed at the horizontal center (or a predefined offset) of the screen.
- Continuous Waveform Movement: During playback or recording, the audio scrolls continuously past the stationary head, making it easier to anticipate upcoming transients, peaks, or edits without jarring page-turns.
- Performance Note: If you notice stuttering or high CPU usage while the waveform is scrolling, you can toggle the pinned playhead off using the same steps outlined above.