This version adds realtime effects and VST3.

Prominent changes

• Added a new Effects button to the tracks menu, allowing you to place realtime effects. Further information can be found on https://support.audacityteam.org/audio-editing/using-realtime-effects
• Merged the mixer bar with the meter bars.
• Added a new Audio Setup button, replacing the Device Toolbar by default. The device toolbar can be re-added via the View > Toolbars menu.
• The Effects menu has gotten a new sorting. Other sorting and grouping options can be found in the Effects preferences.
• Updated the icons.

Plugin changes

You can find plugins on https://plugins.audacityteam.org

• VST3 effects are now supported.
• The following plugin formats are now realtime capable: VST3, LV2, LADSPA, Audio Units.
• Plugins now automatically get scanned, tested and enabled when Audacity starts.

System changes

• Apple Silicon (arm64) and Universal Binaries are now supported on macOS
• FFMPEG 5.0 (avformat 59) is now supported, in addition to avformat 55, 57 and 58
• Added support for Wavpack
• On Linux, Audacity can now be compiled without JACK present.
• Audacity now uses XDG directories on Linux.
  Note: If you are upgrading from a previous version, Audacity will keep using the ~/.audacity-data and ~/.audacity folders until you delete them.
• Switched from mad to mpg123 as MP3 importer

License update

• Audacity binaries are now licensed under the GNU General Public License, Version 3.
  Most code files remain GPLv2-or-later, but VST3 support required this license update.
  More information can be found in the announcement post: #2142

Other changes

• Removed the Zoom Tool. You can use the zoom buttons or Ctrl+Scroll (macOS: Cmd+Scroll) to zoom instead.

Fixed bugs:

• #3079 Fixed Audacity sometimes not being able to import MP3 files (or reporting Huffman Data Overruns)
• #2590 Fixed rare data loss bug when placing labels during recording
• #2272 Fixed clip titles being able to disappear off-screen when editing them
• #2162 Fixed Punch and Roll not paying tracks in sync
• #1889 Fixed clip titles changing name when applying some effects
• #1624 During batch processing, Audacity will no longer stop to ask for a sample rate when an unsupported one is chosen, but choose the nearest supported one instead.
• #2265 Fixed mod-script-pipe not being installed on Linux