Hi there,
I just updated to the latest version of Audacity (3.2.1) and the latest macOS Monterey v12.6. Now when I do my editing in Audacity, I’m experiencing the deadly spinning beach ball with every single edit, no matter how simple. I noticed this was posted a few years back. I’m not sure how it ended up. Wondering if anyone else is having this issue with the latest version, and if so, any advice? Thanks! Kristen
Try Tools (menu) > Reset Configuration. You will lose some of your custom settings in Preferences.
– Bill
Thanks. I’ve actually tried that a few times and unfortunately no change. 
.
Does this happen with every project, or just one particular project? Are you using envelopes?
What happens if you open a new project, Generate (menu) > Tone, then try editing the resulting track?
- Bill
You get the RBBOD (the video people use the full, formal title) when the machine takes more time for a task than it thinks is reasonable.
It’s not the worst idea to clean up and see if that helps. Restart the machine and don’t let any existing programs start. Do you routinely leave a double handful of apps running in the menu bar? That’s probably a bad idea. I used to routinely get one of the department managers out of trouble by just closing the thirty or forty applications he had running.
Do you have active internet connections? Twitbook or other apps active while you’re trying to edit? Stop that for a while.
Audacity doesn’t get along well with External, USB, Lightning, Network, or Cloud drives in active production. Actual production should be done on the internal drive. You can close Audacity and push files around wherever you like.
As you step through these ideas, note any change, not just if the problem is resolved.
If you can’t do useful production on your internal drive because it’s too full, you may have located the problem.
Koz
There is one more unusual problem that’s pretty easy to check. Disconnect your network and see what happens. Click the WiFi fan at the top of the screen or disconnect the wired connection if that’s what you have.
Audacity doesn’t need network connections. If the machine goes nuts when you do that, that’s worth investigating.
Koz
Thank you all!!! I will try these asap and circle back. Sorry for the delay. Will let you know.
What happens if you open a new project, Generate (menu) > Tone, then try editing the resulting track?
Bill ----- I tried this and there is NO ISSUE!! No spinning ball. What does this mean???
Apologies for not responding directly. It’s been a while since I’ve used this forum and I’m just reacclimating.
Koz,
Got it!!! You get the RBBOD (the video people use the full, formal title)
Thanks!! 
Sorry for the delay. Will let you know.
This isn’t a formal Help Desk. It’s a Forum with users helping each other. That’s why you should post information on whatever happens, good or bad. That’s how we compile the library to help others.
Koz
This isn’t a formal Help Desk. It’s a Forum with users helping each other. That’s why you should post information on whatever happens, good or bad. That’s how we compile the library to help others.
. 
OK … so here’s an update: After trying a number of different things, I decided to export the file I was working on and save it as an mp3. Then I proceeded to work from the mp3 file (rather than the aup) and that seemed to fix the problem. I’m not sure if that ultimately impacts the quality of the audio? It’s just a workaround for now, but the spinning wheel (RBBOD) is unbearable so, until I figure out the real issue, that works.
It is best to export as an AIF or WAV, as these format are “lossless”. MP3 compresses (damages) the sound.
When you say you editing the MP3, do you mean you imported the MP3 into Audacity?
In any case, it is clear the problem was with that one project.
– Bill
You picked the two extremes to experiment with. The fuzzy-warm puppy familiar (and tiny) MP3 and the large, production heavy, and custom Project. It could still be that your MP3 simply fit on your machine and the Project didn’t.
This is where you tell us if any of those tricks and solutions worked.
Here’s a little thing on MP3.
Koz
Thanks, Bill. Good to know (re: AIF/WAV).
Yes, I exported my original project (that was giving me the spinning wheel) as an mp3. And then I imported that mp3 into audacity and worked with that. So yes, I guess there was some problem with the original project. I haven’t had any issues since.
Thanks again for your help!!
Thank you for sending the info on MP3. I have a lot of clients who ask for mp3 files so I got comfortable exporting in that format. In any event, I haven’t had any issues since, so it must have just been an issue with the original project.
Appreciate all your help and knowledge!!
Best,
kristen