How to Burn a CD With Audacity

By Nicole Vulcan

If you're exporting a large audio file, the export process could take several minutes.
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The audio files you've edited with Audacity won't do much good just sitting as raw files on your computer -- so if you want to share them with the world, you'll need to save them as file types that are ready for exporting. Audacity doesn't have a CD-burning function built into the software, but it will allow you to save your audio files in a format that standard CD-burning programs will easily recognize.

Step 1

Open Audacity then open your project by clicking "File" from the top menu, and then click "Open." Select your project file and click "Open."

Step 2

Locate the "Project Rate" box at the bottom left of the Audacity window -- with your project open, of course. If the project rate is not set at "44100 Hz," click the box to adjust it to that rate.

Step 3

Add a stereo track if your recording doesn't already have one. According to Audacity's manual, some CD burning software will not work if you don't have a stereo track, though this is not the case if you're using iTunes or Toast for CD burning. To add the stereo track, click "Tracks" from the top menu and then click "Add New" then click "Stereo Track." A second track line will appear below your first track, but it doesn't have to have any audio.

Step 4

Click "File" from the top menu then click "Export."

Step 5

Select "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16 bit PCM" from the "Save File as Type" selector. Identify the location where you want the exported file to be saved from the "Save In" menu. Type the name of the file in the "File name" box.

Step 6

Click "Save." Your file is now saved in a format that CD burning programs will recognize.

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