# Selecting Audio - the basics

From Audacity Development Manual

This page explains only the basics of selecting audio for typical Audacity use. This involves either:

- selecting the entire project, or
- mouse selecting only a region of audio in one or more tracks.

Once all or a region is selected, you can then change that selection's sound with an effect. Another common action is to delete or move the region of audio.

This page is only a brief summary of how to make selections in your project. For further details and visual examples please see the Selecting Audio page.

## Selecting a region using the mouse

The easiest way to select a region of audio is to click the left mouse button anywhere inside of an audio track, then drag (in either direction) until the other edge of your selection is made, then release the mouse.

If Selection tool is not selected (default setting), choose from Tools Toolbar, below:

## Selecting the whole of an individual track

The whole of an individual track can be selected by clicking in the Select button in the Track Control Panel to the left of a track.

## Selecting the entire project

You can select the entire length of all tracks on screen with Select > All or use the shortcut Ctrl + A (or ⌘ + A on a Mac).

## Links

> Forward to: Selecting Audio

|< Back to: Getting Started