How to Master in Audacity (Free, Offline)

Updated August 2026 · by Loopin

Mastering in Audacity is done by applying effects in order on a copy of your mix: Filter Curve EQ for corrective moves, a gentle Compressor for glue, Loudness Normalization to about −14 LUFS for streaming, and a Limiter set to a −1 dB ceiling to catch peaks — then export a WAV. It’s free and works offline, but the chain is destructive, so keep a backup. If you’d rather skip the manual steps, Loopin’s browser mastering runs the same idea automatically.

What mastering in Audacity actually involves

Audacity is a free, open-source editor that works fully offline. Unlike a modern DAW, it has no real-time plugin chain — you apply each effect one at a time and it’s printed straight into the audio. That makes it capable but unforgiving: every move is destructive.

Because of that, the golden rule is to work on a copy. Duplicate your finished mix, keep the untouched original safe, and do all mastering on the duplicate so you can always start over. Import a clean stereo bounce with a little headroom — mastering can’t rescue a mix that’s already clipping or distorted.

Free & offline — no subscription, no internet needed
Destructive — effects are printed, not live
No plugin chain — apply effects in sequence, one by one
Backup first — always master a copy, never the original

Import your finished mix (File ’ Import ’ Audio) as a stereo WAV.
Immediately save the project and duplicate the track so you keep an untouched copy.
Check that the waveform isn’t already slamming the top — leave headroom to work with.
Listen through once at a comfortable level to note any problems (harshness, mud, thin low end).

Step 1 — Filter Curve EQ (corrective)

Start with corrective EQ, not flavour. In Audacity that’s Effect ’ EQ and Filters ’ Filter Curve EQ. The goal is to clean up problems, not to reshape the whole song.

A gentle high-pass to remove sub-rumble below the useful low end is usually the first move. After that, make small cuts where the mix is boxy or harsh — broad and subtle beats narrow and dramatic at the master stage.

High-pass the deep rumble the track doesn’t need
Cut boxiness or harshness with wide, gentle dips
Boost sparingly — a small air lift can help, but less is more
Aim for balance, not a radically different tone

Step 2 — Compressor (gentle glue)

Next apply Effect ’ Dynamics ’ Compressor for light glue. At the master stage you want cohesion, not obvious pumping — a small amount of gain reduction that makes the track feel like one piece.

Use a modest ratio and a threshold that only catches the loudest moments. If you can clearly hear it working, you’ve gone too far.

Gentle ratio — think glue, not squash
High threshold so only peaks are touched
A dB or two of gain reduction is plenty
If it pumps or dulls the mix, back it off

Step 3 — Loudness Normalization to about −14 LUFS

Now set your overall loudness with Effect ’ Volume and Compression ’ Loudness Normalization. Choose the perceived loudness (LUFS) option rather than peak normalization, and set the target to about −14 LUFS — the level the major streaming platforms normalize toward.

This is the number that matters for streaming. Going hotter doesn’t make you louder on Spotify or Apple Music; they simply turn a loud master back down, so aiming near −14 LUFS keeps you in the sweet spot.

Select Perceived Loudness (LUFS), not RMS or peak
Set the target to about −14 LUFS for streaming
Apply to the whole track for a full-song integrated result
Don’t chase a hotter number — platforms just turn it down

Step 4 — Limiter at a −1 dB ceiling

Finally, catch any peaks that poke through with Effect ’ Volume and Compression ’ Limiter. Set the limit to −1 dB so nothing exceeds that ceiling — this leaves headroom so lossy encoders don’t clip on playback.

The limiter is a safety net at the end of the chain, not a loudness tool. Because you already set loudness with normalization, the limiter should only be shaving the odd stray peak.

Set the limit to −1 dB as your ceiling
Use it to catch peaks, not to crank loudness
It runs last in the chain, after normalization
Watch that it’s barely working — heavy limiting means something upstream is too hot

How to master a song in Audacity, start to finish

Here’s the whole workflow in order. Do it on a copy, and export when you’re happy:

Import your finished mix as a stereo WAV and save a backup copy.
Apply Filter Curve EQ — high-pass the rumble, cut any mud or harshness gently.
Apply the Compressor for a dB or two of gentle glue.
Run Loudness Normalization set to LUFS, target about −14 LUFS.
Apply the Limiter with a −1 dB limit to catch peaks.
Export as WAV (File ’ Export Audio ’ WAV).
Prefer to skip all of it? Drop the same mix into Loopin’s free mastering tool and let the chain hit −14 LUFS and −1 dBTP automatically.

Common mistakes in Audacity mastering

Editing the original — the workflow is destructive, so always master a copy.
Peak-normalizing instead of LUFS — peak normalization ignores perceived loudness; pick the LUFS option.
Chasing loudness past −14 LUFS — streaming turns hot masters down and keeps the distortion.
Leaning on the limiter for volume — it’s a −1 dB safety net, not a maximizer.
Skipping headroom — a mix already clipping on import can’t be fixed by any effect.
Exporting to MP3 first — keep your master a WAV and let one lossy conversion happen at the platform.

The faster free alternative

Audacity is great when you want full manual control offline, but stacking effects one destructive step at a time is slow and easy to get wrong. Loopin’s online mastering does the same job — corrective EQ, multiband compression, saturation, stereo shaping, loudness targeting to about −14 LUFS and a true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP — automatically, in your browser.

It’s free, needs no signup, uploads nothing, and adds no watermark. You can A/B against your original and download a 16-bit WAV in a couple of minutes, then still fall back to Audacity if you want to tweak by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Can you master a song in Audacity for free?

Yes. Audacity is free and works offline. Master by applying Filter Curve EQ, a gentle Compressor, Loudness Normalization to about −14 LUFS, and a Limiter at a −1 dB ceiling, then export as WAV. Work on a copy, because the workflow is destructive.

What LUFS should I target when mastering in Audacity?

About −14 LUFS, using the perceived-loudness (LUFS) option in Loudness Normalization. That matches the level major streaming platforms normalize toward, so mastering hotter just gets turned back down on playback.

What order should I apply effects in Audacity?

Filter Curve EQ first (corrective), then the Compressor for gentle glue, then Loudness Normalization to about −14 LUFS, and finally the Limiter at a −1 dB ceiling to catch peaks. Then export as WAV.

Why is Audacity mastering destructive?

Audacity has no real-time plugin chain, so each effect is printed straight into the audio when you apply it. That’s why you should always duplicate your mix and master the copy, keeping the original untouched.

Is there a faster free alternative to Audacity?

Yes. Loopin’s browser mastering runs a full chain — EQ, multiband compression, saturation, stereo shaping, loudness to about −14 LUFS and a −1 dBTP limiter — automatically. It’s free, uploads nothing, and exports a 16-bit WAV.