Audacity Forum

Hello,
so it's the first time I'm using this Audacity software! I was editing my .wav files for a project I'm doing, and when I closed down the program I realized that it actually modified the real files!! I'm freaking out... I lost all the audio of an important file while editing it on the software. I didn't know it would actually change the orgininal file? I thought it was just an editing program to create projects!! what do I do?? I'm desperate!! is there a way to have back my original .wav file that got modified after using Audacity? should I change my Windows settings?! Please help!!!

Thank you

<<<I was editing my .wav files for a project I'm doing, and when I closed down the program...>>>

There had to be a step in the middle there. Did you Save or Export when you were done cutting?

Audacity isn't supposed to modify original work unless you tell it to. People post all the time about Audacity not changing the original files and they want it to. I can't think of anything more dangerous.

Which Windows? Can you go back to a restore point?

Koz

If you Export a WAV file to the original filename (the one you opened or imported) then it is perfectly possible to over-write the original (possible, but poor programming practice on the user's part). You should always either Export to a new filename ( a slightly modified vn. of the original filename is often used - or keep a backup copy of the original WAV elsewher - or better still both of those.

Audacity does indeedcreate projects, as you infer. However it will only store those if you use the Save function - you can't Export a project - but you do need to Export to create music files such as WAV, MP3 etc. This does confuse a lot of folks.

WC