Audacity has long been considered one of the best free audio editing software options for Mac, Linux, and Windows. Now, with the addition of Linux support on ChromeOS, Chromebook users can also take advantage of this powerful tool.
Installing Audacity on a Chromebook may seem like a daunting task, but with a few simple steps, you can have this open-source audio editor up and running in no time. In this detailed guide, we’ll show you exactly how to install and use Audacity on your Chromebook.
How to Install Audacity on a Chromebook
Audacity is a free and open-source digital audio editor that allows users to record, edit, and manipulate audio files. It’s lightweight, beginner-friendly, and includes many features typically found in paid tools. This makes it ideal for podcasting, music editing, or voiceover work.
However, Audacity isn’t natively supported on Chromebooks. Fortunately, you can still use it by enabling the Linux development environment, which allows you to install and run full Linux desktop applications.
To get started, make sure your Chromebook is running the latest version of ChromeOS. Then, enable the Linux development environment. Once that’s done, you’ll be ready to install Audacity.
1. Click the App Launcher icon and open the Terminal to start installing Linux apps on your Chromebook.
2. If the terminal doesn’t open right away, click the Penguin option. That should bring up the terminal interface. Once it’s open, enter the following commands one at a time:
sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install audacity
3. When prompted with the question “Do you want to continue?”, press Y on your keyboard to proceed with the installation.
4. Wait for the installation to finish. Once it’s complete, Audacity will appear in your Linux apps folder. You can launch the app from there.
Note: If you run into any issues during installation, try running this command first: sudo apt-get -f install. This will attempt to fix any broken dependencies before you try installing Audacity again.
Enable Microphone Access for Audacity
Once Audacity is installed on your Chromebook, you’ll need to enable microphone access for the Linux development environment. Audacity needs this permission to record audio properly.
To enable it, follow these steps:
1. Click the App Launcher icon and open the Settings app.
2. In the Settings window, scroll down and click on About ChromeOS, then look for the Developers section.
3. Click on Linux development environment.
4. In the Linux settings, toggle on the option that says “Allow Linux to access your microphone.”
5. A pop-up will appear saying: “The change in microphone setting requires Linux to shut down. Shut down Linux to proceed.” Click Shut Down to apply the changes.
Launch and Use Audacity on Chromebook
Once everything is set up, getting started with Audacity is simple. Open the Linux apps folder from your App Launcher and click the Audacity icon. When it launches for the first time, uncheck the option that says “Show this dialog at startup” and click OK to continue.
In just a few easy steps, you now have one of the best free audio editors running on your Chromebook. Whether you’re recording voiceovers, editing a podcast, or working on music, Audacity provides a full set of tools to help you get the job done.
