Audacity Support Site Links to Adware (FFmpeg file support)

Audacity 3 Help Forum
1

Just a PSA and a hope for a fix – Audacity doesn’t natively support FFmpeg files (like mp4a files), but the error message you get when you try to open those files sends you to this Audacity support page for a plugin to allow import/export:

Unfortunately, the “recommended installer” link (starting with lame.buanzo…) brings you to a nondescript download page which installs “PC App Store” on your computer, a known adware/malware app. It’s probably a case of a webpage takeover (I’m sure it was a helpful link when the Audacity support page was written), but it’s now a threat to anyone following prompts directly from the Audacity app.

I added feedback to the support page with the bad link, but I have no idea whether the Audacity support team will see it there – so I’m posting here in the hope that someone will see it and remove the link and no one else will have to go through this nightmare.

2

It’s working for me, although there ARE misleading ads on that page.

If you are on Windows, click FFmpeg_5.0.0_for_Audacity_on_Windows_x86_64.exe to download it, then RUN the exe file to install FFmpeg.

…I just now re-downloaded it and checked with Virus Total and no malware was detected. (And there is no adware in that exe file.)

3

Hey, sorry you had this issue. Not to be rude but ya 100% clicked on the ad :upside_down_face: . You should be good. Never had an issue with installing FFmpeg. Download the one for your OS & find the folder :grinning_face: Good luck!