All plugins in the realtime effects section can be previewed in realtime in Audacity 3.2.
This means that you can change the effect settings while playing, and come back to your settings after doing many other things - without the need to undo anything.
Further information about using realtime effects can be found here:
Using realtime effects
Audacity Support
Installing plugins
When you install plugins, they're automatically enabled the next time you restart Audacity 3.2. Further instructions can be found here:
Installing Plugins
Audacity Support
For Audacity 3.1.3 and prior, see consult the manual on further installation instructions.
Note: Audacity 3.1.3 does not yet support VST3 plugins.
Popular plugins
​ACX Check, a plugin to check if an audio book complies with the ACX guidelines
​FFMPEG, a library to import and export various media formats such as M4A, WMA and MP4.
Contributing to this site
This site is still in development.
If you want to add your own plugin, or one that you found on the web, read the contributing instructions.
Plugin formats supported by Audacity
Nyquist plugins
Audacity has built-in support for Nyquist effects on all operating systems. You can download additional Nyquist plug-ins, or create your own using the Nyquist programming language. Nyquist code can be conveniently tested using "Nyquist Prompt" under the Effect menu.
LV2 plugins
Audacity has built-in support for LV2 plug-ins, which are an extensible successor of LADSPA effects. LV2 plug-ins are mostly built for Linux, but Audacity supports LV2 on all operating systems. To install LV2 plug-ins, place them in the system LV2 location then use the Plug-ins Manager to enable the new plug-ins as in the plug-in installation instructions.
VST plugins
Audacity can load VST effects (but not VST instruments) on all operating systems.
VST3 plugins
Starting with Audacity 3.2, VST3 effects are also supported on all operating systems.
LADSPA is superseded by LV2. These plug-ins are mostly built for Linux, but some old LADSPA plugins are available via the Legacy Windows and Legacy Mac sections.
Other sources
This site is only meant as a starting point for effects. There are many more plugins, particularly VST3 ones, available on various vendor sites, directories and online stores. Some of them are listed below: