# Playback Preferences

### From Audacity Development Manual

  Accessed by: Edit > Preferences > Playback (on a Mac Audacity > Preferences > Playback)
  Click on any of the other Preferences sections in the above image to go directly to that Preferences page.

## Effects Preview

- Length of Preview: The length of audio to be played when previewing an effect, in seconds. Playback begins from the start of the selection region, and stops after the preview length has elapsed, or at the end of the selection region if that is shorter than the preview length.

## Cut Preview

These preferences apply when using the "Play Cut Preview" shortcut (C by default) to play a length of audio before and after a selection region. This is useful to hear what a cut would sound like before making the cut.

- Preview before cut region: How much audio to play before the region.
- Preview after cut region: How much audio to play after the region.

## Seek Time when playing

- Short Period: The time interval the playback cursor skips backwards or forwards when you press the ← (left arrow) or → (right arrow) shortcuts respectively. The shortcuts , or . respectively can be used instead for short skip backwards or forwards.
- Long Period: The time interval the playback cursor skips backwards or forwards when you press SHIFT + ← or SHIFT + → respectively. Holding SHIFT with , or . respectively can be used instead for long skip backwards or forwards.

These two values also control the Cursor Long Jump and Cursor Short Jump commands when playback is stopped. The shortcuts , (comma) or . (period) jump the cursor backwards or forwards respectively by the Short Period interval; SHIFT + , or SHIFT + . jump the cursor backwards or forwards by the Long Period interval.

##### Views

##### Useful External Links

- Forum
- Wiki
- Latest Release