How do I save my recording on an audio CD?

After making a recording or editing a file in Audacity, follow these steps to save your work on an audio CD:

1. Use the “Export as WAV” or “Export as AIFF” command to save your Audacity recording in a sound file.
2. Use any CD-recording software (iTunes or Nero, for example) to burn this file to a CD.

To make a disc you can play in normal CD players, make sure to create a “music” or “audio” CD (not a “data” CD). Use CD-R discs, because some players cannot read CD-RW. You can burn only 74 minutes or so onto an audio CD – this is a limitation of the audio CD format.

Some CD software will burn only 16-bit, 44.1KHz stereo sound files. If your CD recording software won't open your sound file, export the file again after choosing the following settings in Audacity:

1. At the bottom of the Audacity window, set the Project Rate to 44100 Hz.
2. In the File Formats preferences, choose WAV (16-bit...) or AIFF (16-bit...).
3. If your project does not already contain a stereo track, choose “New Stereo Track” from the Project menu. (This will make Audacity export your recording as a stereo file.)

For helpful tips on CD burning with Windows Media Player and iTunes, and help on burning longer “data” CDs, see How to burn CDs on the Audacity Wiki.

See also: How can I split a long recording into multiple tracks?

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