How do I add tools in Audacity?

In Audacity, accessing different tools is typically done by making their associated toolbars visible. Rather than adding individual tools one by one, you enable entire sets of tools organized into toolbars.

## Making Toolbars Visible in Audacity

Audacity groups various functions and controls into specialized toolbars. If you find a tool you need is missing, it's likely that the toolbar containing it is hidden. The process for displaying these toolbars is straightforward.

### Step-by-Step Guide

To make a toolbar visible and gain access to the tools it contains, follow these simple steps:

1.  Navigate to the **`View`** menu located at the top of the Audacity window.
2.  Hover your mouse cursor over the **`Toolbars`** option in the dropdown menu.
3.  A list of available toolbars will appear. **Click on the name of the toolbar** you wish to enable. A checkmark will appear next to the toolbar name, indicating it is now active.

By following these steps, **if your desired toolbar is not visible, you choose View > Toolbars and click to put a checkmark by the toolbar you wish to enable.** This action will immediately display the chosen toolbar in your Audacity window, providing access to all its associated tools.

### Using Tooltips

Audacity provides helpful tooltips to identify tools and toolbars. Hovering your mouse cursor over a toolbar or a specific tool will display its name. **The tooltips for the toolbars and tools (visible when hovering over the toolbar or tool in the app) will display the shortcut for that tool/toolbar if one is set.** This is a quick way to familiarize yourself with the available tools and their functions.

### Common Toolbars in Audacity

Audacity includes several key toolbars for different purposes. Here are a few examples:

*   **Transport Toolbar:** Contains controls for playback, recording, skipping, etc.
*   **Edit Toolbar:** Includes tools like Cut, Copy, Paste, Trim, Silence, Undo, Redo.
*   **Mixer Toolbar:** Adjusts playback and recording volumes.
*   **Tools Toolbar:** Provides selection, envelope, draw, zoom, and time shift tools.
*   **Meter Toolbar:** Displays recording and playback levels.

Making these toolbars visible ensures you have quick access to Audacity's powerful editing and recording features.